By Marion Comi-Morog, The Summer School, Wednesday, August 12th, 2026

For some students, the path to a college degree doesn’t follow a traditional four-year timeline. Work, family, and the many responsibilities of life can shape when and how a student makes progress toward graduation.

For Carolina part-time student Avetrice Fuller, earning her degree meant finding a way to fit coursework into an already full life. Summer courses, including online courses, helped make the workload more manageable and became an important part of that journey.

Now, with her undergraduate coursework complete and a new event consulting business taking off, she reflects on what brought her to UNC, what summer courses made possible, and what she would tell anyone wondering whether to pursue a degree.

Tell us a little about yourself. What brought you to Carolina, and what were your goals when you first enrolled?

I am a mother of five, all of whom are adults flourishing in the world. What brought me to Carolina, the state and the university, was to enrich their lives but also hold myself to the same standards I gave them.

Seeing that all my kids were whole humans in life, I couldn’t accept not striving for the same.

How did taking summer courses help you stay on track with those goals?

Honestly, the summer courses made it possible for me to continue. This was a difficult but rewarding goal for me. I had many obstacles, but the summer course made it less arduous because of its online format.

If someone is wondering whether taking a summer class could help them reach their goals, what would you tell them?

Absolutely! I would honestly advise that their first year or two include a summer class. It’s such a breather; you feel less pressure, but it is also engaging, and it allows you to stay on track in a way that fall/spring classes do not.

Now that you’ve finished your undergraduate coursework, what’s next?

I recently started an event consulting business that has taken off much faster than I was prepared for. That said, I believe that my lived experience and the completion of my degree has prepared me for the “what’s next”.

What advice would you give your younger self before starting this journey?

Well, I am not that young, which means my younger self already knew what to do. That said, I would say Go for it; nothing is beyond you, and age really doesn’t matter!

Completing your degree while working full time is a huge accomplishment. When you look back, what do summer courses represent in your story?

One phrase….This is your ability/access to succession.

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For Avetrice, completing her degree is both an ending and a beginning. The coursework is finished, but a new chapter is already underway through her event consulting business.

Summer courses became a part of a longer journey, one that made room for her goals alongside work, family, and everything else life brought along the way. Congratulations, Avetrice!