Campus News

Thanks to the Accelerated Adult program at Rockford University’s PURI School of Business, Patrick Murphy broke through the ceiling to advance his career.

Patrick was a tool and die maker by trade but had been promoted into management after years at Chrysler. However, he couldn’t move up a pay grade without a college education.

“I had been promoted so far up the chain that I couldn’t be promoted any more without a degree,” he said.

So, after Rockford University attended a college fair at Chrysler, Patrick knew exactly what he needed to do.

“I didn’t want an online university,” he remembered. “I wanted to be able to go and learn from my peers and my professors. I learned from all these other industries and different people. To me, that was the biggest benefit – being face to face.”

In 2017, halfway through his bachelor’s degree, Patrick left Chrysler for a higher-level job as an operations manager at Rockford’s Accuride. It came with a pay increase, but there was a caveat: The job offer was contingent on Patrick finishing his degree.

Patrick decided to do more than that. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2019, Patrick moved on to the Master of Business Administration program.

“Rockford University made it seamless to move toward an MBA,” Patrick said. “I don’t think I could have done it anywhere else. “Dr. Mull and her staff at Rockford University’s PURI School of Business understand work/life balance. They understand what we are trying to do.”

With two college-aged kids and a high schooler at home, Patrick realizes that he is setting an example for his children. With the shutdown of classes last spring, he says their living room was very busy with students doing their schoolwork.

But the effort has proven to be well worth it.

“Once I get my bachelor’s and my MBA, my formal education will be done,” Patrick said. “If I don’t get a job in the future, it won’t be because I don’t have the degree.”