Faces of Global: Alison Findlay

Findlay was excited about the possibility of returning to school but did have a few concerns initially. “I got my bachelor’s degree back in 2013 from the University of Colorado Boulder and a master’s degree had always been on my bucket list,” she shared. “However, I was a science major in undergrad, so I never had to write a lot of papers. I knew CSU Global was pretty heavy on paper writing, so that was something I was unsure about. But it ended up working out really well!”

Additionally, the cost of going back to school was another factor she thought might be challenging, until she discovered her employer at the time had a partnership with CSU Global. “When I saw that we had tuition reimbursement at Xcel Energy, I thought it was a great opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up,” she mentioned. “When I applied my application fee was waived, so that was also helpful.”

Findlay graduated with her master’s degree in management from CSU Global, with a specialization in project management, in February 2024. “I had never been in a managerial position before but I wanted to take that next step in my career,” she stated. “It was really nice that I could add a master’s degree to my resume after graduating, it really does open up doors and it definitely helped when I was applying for new jobs.”

Not only did Findlay’s degree help during her job search, but it also contributed to a promotion at her current organization. “I was able to move up from senior supply planner to global supply chain manager and achieved my goal,” she said. “I really think the fact that I have this degree is what made all the difference.”

One of the papers she wrote as a student provided a direct connection with her current employer. “For one of my CSU Global classes, I had to pick a business to do a full business analysis on, and I picked a leader in the shoe industry,” she said. “When I was applying for a new job, I found an open position at a competitive shoe company. During my interview, I actually didn’t realize I was talking to a CEO of a big footwear company. I was telling him about my paper and footwear industry analysis and had no idea who I was talking to! So that interaction, and ultimately landing this position, was really serendipitous.”

When it comes to going back to school, Findlay encourages those considering it to believe in themselves and take advantage of the flexibility CSU Global offers. “I liked CSU Global because they offer a one-week grace period for homework which is great for working professionals,” she commented. “Also, I honestly didn’t know what I was capable of until I tried. I didn’t know I was good at writing papers until I started. I actually graduated as a Distinguished Scholar, and starting out as a science major in undergrad, I never knew I was capable of something like that. So I think you really just have to try and also take advantage of opportunities that are given to you, such as your employer offering tuition reimbursement.”

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!