Faces of Global: Marie Cash

CSU Global alumna Marie Cash is the perfect example of how going back to school is doable and worth every minute. After switching industries and re-enrolling in school twice, she was able to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from CSU Global because of the flexibility the University provides.

After high school, Cash attended the University of Northern Colorado and obtained a degree in journalism, however, she didn’t end up working in that field. “I got a job as a staff assistant in the Denver Human Services Department,” Cash shared. “While I was working for the city, one of my supervisors always really praised the idea of going back to school and that got me interested in it. I started to wonder if I should study something related to numbers because the job I had dealt with some number crunching.”

As Cash began considering going back to school, she learned about CSU Global through coworkers who encouraged her to pursue her degree along with them. “I had some coworkers who also went to CSU Global, and I always heard great things about the school and the programs, so I decided to give it a shot,” Cash commented. “One of my coworkers was getting her Master’s in Finance at the time and she said how flexible CSU Global was in allowing her to go to school while working full-time.”

Cash enrolled at CSU Global in 2019 in the accounting program. After a year of classes, she discovered that accounting was not the right path for her. “I actually stopped going to school in 2020 after Covid hit,” Cash explained.

Two years later, she realized that finance might be the right fit for her. “I was kind of on the fence about going back to school, but I knew at CSU Global it’s pretty easy to re-enroll and get started again,” she stated. “ I spoke to an enrollment counselor and they asked me questions like, ‘What are you interested in? Why do you want to go back to school?’ and it really helped me decide that I did want to re-enroll and try something new.”

Additionally, Cash was inspired to return to school by her twin sister who also went back to school for a second time. They motivated each other during their time as students and both graduated in summer of 2024, reaping the rewards of their hard work.

A resident of Littleton, Colorado, Cash was able to officially receive her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from CSU Global at the 2024 commencement ceremony in Denver. “I definitely enjoyed the ceremony,” Cash shared. “I’m glad I was in the area and able to attend!”

Being a student at CSU Global gave Cash an advantage during her job searches. “I had some experience working in accounting and finance related jobs, but since I didn’t have the education piece, I feel like I was always missing something,” she shared. “Getting a degree in finance really helped open up the door for career opportunities.”

In fact, Cash credits attending CSU Global with helping her secure a role that she wanted. “While I was in school, I applied for a new job and I feel like my education is kind of why I got the job,” she explained. “My employer said ‘Oh, we see you’re working towards getting your degree,’ so I think that really helped back up my experience.”

A few months after graduation, Cash was promoted to her current position as a Budget Analyst II for the Colorado Department of Transportation and believes her degree was instrumental in her advancement.

Cash shared that even if it seems like a big time commitment to return to school, it is well worth the effort. “It’s definitely worth it because of all the opportunities it can open up for you and your career in the future,” she shared. “It’s also great for networking! Even though CSU Global is an online school, there are quite a few professors I ended up connecting with on LinkedIn. So even though school can seem daunting, especially if you’re going back for a second time, I’d say it’s definitely worth the jump.”

We love hearing from our students and learning more about their personal CSU Global experiences. We hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us!