Two years ago, working mother Takisha Knight was juggling the demands of a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry while raising her two children. Like most working moms, she didn’t have much free time, but in the back of her mind, she couldn’t let go of her longtime dream to earn an MBA.

On the daily drive to drop her toddler son at daycare before work, Knight would pass a billboard for Centenary University. It was a sign, she said: “For quite some time, I had been wanting to expand my professional skillsets and casually thought about going back to school.” Originally from Elizabeth, the Washington, NJ (Warren County), resident had earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and psychology from Syracuse University more than a decade ago. She added, “I felt that I had successfully climbed the ladder using my scientific knowledge and laboratory experience, but I still had more steps to climb.”

An aseptic performance and monitoring manager at Sanofi, Knight had previously worked as a site supervisor for Johnson & Johnson, where she managed a large team. “I had the science background but needed to focus more on business and accounting skills in my new role,” Knight explained. “I knew that to stay on this career track, I needed more business-oriented skills.”

Knight began her MBA studies in fall 2019 at the Centenary University School of Professional Studies in Parsippany. The pandemic quickly derailed her plan to take a combination of in-person and virtual courses. When all classes went virtual in March 2020, Knight began the difficult journey face by many working mothers during the pandemic—keeping her career and MBA studies on track, while juggling the virtual educational needs of her two children, Maddy, 9, and Todd, 4, during quarantine. Along the way, her husband, Todd, stepped up to cook and keep the house running as Knight attended classes virtually.

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Knight graduated as a member of the Centenary University Class of 2021—less than two years after starting her MBA studies. She was chosen to deliver the graduate address at the University’s commencement for master’s and doctoral degree candidates on May 5. Knight credits the support she received from her family—including her children sneaking snacks to her during virtual classes—as well as the encouragement of Centenary faculty and fellow students, for helping her to stay the course.

Thinking about her Centenary experience, Knight said, “Jumping back in was scary at first, but every step was made easier by the positive experiences I’ve had at Centenary.” In her graduate reflection during commencement, she told the Class of 2021, “Here we are over a year later and this wife and mom of two is completing her master’s degree, over 10 years after she completed her undergraduate degree. She overcame COVID stress, virtual schooling with two kids, and a hybrid of working from home. I don’t take this moment for granted, and I know I didn’t do this alone. God is good.”