At just 16, Melody Afekare left her home in Nigeria, stepping into a new world with dreams of leading in healthcare.
By 20, she had earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at a university in Kansas, kickstarting her career in the medical field.
“I originally wanted to be a doctor. I think most of us do, right?” she says. “But I figured I would do nursing for a couple of years, make some money, then I won’t have to get loans to go to medical school.”
While in nursing school, Afekare learned about the different career paths and decided she wanted to become a CRNA.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in her career aspirations. Faced with a hospital in crisis, she had a moment of revelation.
“The CEO of our hospital at that time, she was a nurse, which was actually quite inspiring,” she recalls. “But she was on vacation, and we were really, really drowning at the hospital. I was disappointed by how she handled things. That’s when I decided that I did not want to be a CRNA anymore. I wanted to be a hospital CEO, and I was going to do better by my colleagues.”
That’s when she set her sights on UL Lafayette’s MBA in Health Care Administration online.
From Nigeria to Nursing
When it came to choosing the right online program for her next step, Afekare’s decision-making process was thorough.
“I looked into a lot of schools, but U.S. News & World Report had a ranking on top schools in the U.S. with really good MBA programs, and UL Lafayette was one of them,” she says.
Although she was still considering options on the East Coast, Afekare’s research quickly narrowed down her choices.
“I did a pros and cons list of costs, delivery, what’s expected, what opportunities come with each program,” she explains. “UL Lafayette just checked all of the boxes for me.”
And with a full-time job and a growing family, the value and flexibility of the program made UL Lafayette the clear choice.
The Road to Health Care Administration
When Afekare first started the program, she lived in Missouri with her daughter, while her husband lived in Louisiana.
“It was a lot,” she says. “I was working full-time nights for the first half of the program, so at the time, oh my gosh, it was rough.”
The distance from her husband, coupled with so many responsibilities, meant that she had to adjust quickly to her new reality.
“I would get home from work in the morning, take care of my daughter a little bit, and then catch a few hours of sleep. I’d wake up, spend time with her, and then start studying,” she says. “For most of the year, I ran on just four hours of sleep a day, balancing home life, work, and school. Eventually, it just became my new normal.”
Her husband’s return to Missouri eased some of the pressure. His support at home gave her the time she needed to focus on her studies, but the structure of UL Lafayette’s program made all the difference.
“I didn’t feel like I had to give up so much of my life to get my MBA. I could take my time with it,” she says. “I could take one class every eight weeks and not feel overwhelmed and really be able to soak in all the education and do my homework and really feel like I’m learning something.”
But just as she thought she was on track to finish the program, life threw her another curveball.
“I spaced out my classes so that I’d graduate in August 2024,” she recalls. “And then in October 2023, I found out I was having another baby.”
Determined to finish her degree before the new baby arrived, Afekare pushed through an intense schedule of twelve credit hours, an internship, full-time work, and caring for her four-year-old daughter while pregnant.
“It was kind of a lot. I prayed a lot coming into this season, asking God to carry me through these six months and leaning on my husband for support at home,” she says. “I really wanted to be done by May 2024 so I wouldn’t have to extend my graduation.”
Her perseverance paid off.
“I don’t know how I did it from January through May, but I did,” says Afekare. “With the constant support and encouragement of my family, friends, and God, all things are possible.”
A Vision for Healthcare
With her MBA in Health Care Administration now in hand, Afekare is ready to make a significant impact on healthcare systems, both locally and globally.
“It’s been really good to learn the business side of healthcare, and not just the everyday patient-facing aspect of it. It’s a business that you want to keep afloat so that it can serve patients and the community,” she says.
Her vision for the future is as ambitious as it is inspiring. Afekare is determined to leverage her new qualifications to transform healthcare in her home country.
“The healthcare system is not the best in Nigeria,” she says. “This degree is definitely going to open some doors for me to work on instituting a thriving healthcare system like we have here in the U.S.”
Her approach involves gaining experience in the U.S. healthcare system and applying those lessons to her future endeavors.
“I’m learning how everything works here, how the business thrives, and how to create a high-quality, functional healthcare system where people don’t get lost in the system or die because of silly mistakes,” she says. “My long-term goal is to replicate the U.S. healthcare system in Nigeria and other developing countries.”
And now, as she steps into a new chapter, she’s ready to make sure others have the opportunity to do the same.
“Don’t give up,” she says. “Continue to work hard and use the resources available to you. Soak it all in and give it your all, so that when you earn those extra letters after your name, they truly mean something because embraced everything the MBA online program has to offer.”
Level up your business knowledge and make lifetime connections through UL Lafayette’s MBA program online.
