As a single parent in Los Angeles, Sharyn Powell had to put her college dream on hold and entered the workforce. It wasn’t until well into her successful, 30-year IT career – after achieving the level of co-chief Information Officer and later Director of Business Continuity with a global corporate law firm, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman – that she did what many could only dream of. Sharyn embarked on her life-long goal of getting her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business at UWLA.

Clearly an achiever, Sharyn was Valedictorian and voted class speaker for both her bachelor’s and master’s graduations. Although she’s currently taking a well-deserved break, she plans to soon dive back into an entrepreneurial endeavor that is sure to make an impact in the lives of young people. We were thrilled to catch up with Sharyn and are proud to share our conversation.

UWLA:  Sharyn, please tell us about your brave decision to return to school well into your career.

Sharyn:  After working for years as an IT executive, I took on a new position, which also inspired me to restart my educational journey. The position entailed the major task of updating the firm’s business continuity plan, which provided a road map for maintaining business in the event of a local, national or global crisis. It was the perfect role to inspire my educational journey, despite presenting many new challenges alongside my school obligations. 

In the midst of business meetings, my mind was multitasking on the next school assignments, which included in-person presentations and class discussions.  My enthusiasm to do my very best with both responsibilities was a motivating factor that kept me striving toward this objective. There were key learnings each week that fueled both my work and my school.

Q:  How did you land on UWLA for your education?

Sharyn: I wanted a collegiate atmosphere that was diverse, with other working-class students in an in-person campus classroom setting. This environment was important because I was a full-time working adult, who was nearing retirement age and who hadn’t been immersed in a full-time curriculum for quite some time. I tried the University of La Verne for one year, however, the school met most of my requirements except it was a full-time online setting.  I wanted face-to-face interaction with both my colleagues and professors. I thrive in face-to-face communication, presentations, and debates. With further exploration, I found UWLA which met all my requirements. Initially, my classes were held in person, but our courses moved online during the pandemic. Now, post-pandemic, the school changed to a hybrid class environment, meaning there are both in-class and online studies.

Q:  What motivated you to work so hard post-retirement?

Sharyn: My dream was and is to start a non-profit organization for mentoring young high school women in underserved areas. I believe my degrees would help substantiate my vision, credibility, and educational commitment among academic circles. Additionally, the mentors I recruited to work in the organization were highly credentialed professionals, so as the leader-owner, I felt it necessary to have credentials that matched that of my mentorship team. 

Q: As a mentor, what advice do you have to help inspire young students or even professionals in their careers?

Sharyn:  I always believed a degree or some type of credential – whether it’s from a four-year university, junior college, or a vocational/technical school – is an essential tool for everyone.  Although I did quite well throughout my career without the degrees, I still believe I would have sought out Chair-level positions if I had my degree. These days, it is important to have advanced degrees on your resume to garner higher pay and promotions, or even to move into entrepreneurial endeavors. No matter if you’re just out of high school or continuing your college endeavors after being away for so long like me, trust that whatever your reasons for seeking a college degree will be important to you and your future ventures. Many entrepreneurs today tout that they have made their fortunes without a degree.  However, having a degree, along with an innovative business plan, amid the flood of entrepreneurs entering the marketplace will help you make a difference. 

The following quote from Maya Angelou helped propel me to complete my educational goals, and to this day, these words still push me forward to check off goals on my bucket list. 

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
― Maya Angelou