NDSU finance student Tyre Leapaldt returned to higher education after several years away. He is scheduled to graduate in fall 2022.
Returning to finish your degree doesn’t have to be a hassle. Tyre Leapaldt, a finance student, decided to complete his higher education at NDSU after leaving the University of North Dakota in 2010.
“The two reasons why I left higher education were that I wasn’t prepared and I didn’t feel passionate about my studies at the time,” Leapaldt said.
After leaving UND, Leapaldt worked in retail, sales and management while he continued developing a passion for business. “I realized that I was interested in the way that businesses operated, but I was becoming aware that my lack of a degree was holding me back and closing some doors for me,” he said.
Leapaldt chose to continue his degree at NDSU because of the accredited business program. “NDSU has a strong program with relevant curriculum. With my wife and I already living in Fargo, the choice seemed clear,” said Leapaldt. “It also doesn’t hurt that she is an NDSU grad and that we both love Fargo.”
Leapaldt’s future goal is to find a career in operations or finance at a credit union, bank or investment firm.
While Leapaldt was initially fearful of returning to higher education, those worries have been eased since his return. “Faculty at NDSU has been incredibly supportive of my journey so far. I’ve worked with transfer counselors and my academic advisers to chart a course that made sense for my family,” Leapaldt said.
Leapaldt is scheduled to graduate in fall 2022.
“It is always a big step in returning to finish a degree after some time away,” said Jessica Bauer, senior academic and career advisor at the NDSU Career and Advising Center.
To help with the transition back to higher education, NDSU has a Degree Completion Program that helps take the stress off students returning to earn their degree. Degree completion students are supported through advisers, OneStop, Registration and Records and other campus resources. OneStop can help calculate costs and Registration and Records will evaluate student records and transcripts.
“Overall, we hope to provide very personalized support for each returning student,” Bauer said.
