Taking Care of Business: Payton Schwarz ’15

Payton Schwarz, 21, of Fryeburg, Maine, will be walking in Commencement this spring as part of the class of 2015. But whereas many of her peers took the traditional four-year route, Schwarz completed her business management degree in just three years—the first student to do so since the option was made available in 2013. If that’s not ambitious enough, Schwarz was juggling a full course load and social life with the beginning stages of taking over her family’s pet care company in New Hampshire. Though rigorous, the program allowed Schwarz flexibility in her schedule; by utilizing what makes the College unique, Schwarz was able to take campus classes during the fall and spring semesters, and then switch to a virtual classroom for the summer months by selecting from Saint Joseph’s online offerings.

Schwarz’s experience showcases the College’s promise of supportive, personalized, career-focused education, so we thought it only fitting to talk with this exemplary young woman and get her take on the last three years.

 

SJC: What initially got you excited or interested in the three-year degree program versus a traditional four-year plan?

PS: I decided to take the three-year route instead of the four-year because I had already decided on what I was going to be doing after graduation. I knew that I had a business waiting. Therefore, I wanted to finish as soon as possible, but it was also important that I receive a quality business education in order to be successful. I was initially interested and excited about this program when my adviser brought it up. He was aware about my plans after college, and thought that I would be a great candidate because of my GPA and the credits I was able to transfer over from high school.

SJC: Was it a struggle to stay on top of assignments and find time for studying?

PS: I consider myself lucky because I had completed many college courses while still in high school, so the workload was not too overwhelming for me. During my first two years at the College, I had to take two courses each summer online, which made it less stressful during the fall and spring semesters. There were only two semesters that I had to take five courses instead of four, which gave me more work than my peers. However, even though I was considered an overload student, I didn’t have to pay for the fifth course because I had a high GPA—[this perk] it makes it so that students who strive to get good grades can get rewarded with free courses.

SJC: Did you learn any good study tricks worth sharing?

PS: As far as studying, the biggest tip I could ever give is to stay on the ball! Try to hold back from procrastination because it will only make you more stressed out in the long-run.
How did you maintain a healthy work\life\school balance while completing such a rigorous program?
I was able to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but that still meant being in school continuously for two years. This was a large sacrifice for me because I was accustomed to having my summers dedicated to work and fun. I had to cut back on my work hours, as well as my free time for other activities.

When I began to get bogged down by how draining it was to be in school during the summer, all I had to do was remind myself that it would all be worth it in the end if it meant graduating a year early.

SJC: What was your favorite class you completed as part of the program?

PS: It would have to be my Business Management course. I enjoyed this because it was directly related to my major and the teacher worked with me to make it so that the course material dealt with areas involving my situation of taking over a business. I was able to use ideas and tips from that course and implement them in my own business.

There has not been one course at Saint Joseph’s that didn’t allow me to reinterpret assignments, papers, and presentations so that I was able to do research on my own business in order to grow and prosper in areas pertaining to real life. I’m so thankful that all of my professors worked with my personal situation so that I could make myself successful in what I’m doing.

SJC: Now that graduation is right around the corner and you’re looking toward the future, do you have any jobs lined up or exciting opportunities on the horizon?

PS: After graduation, I plan on using the knowledge I’ve received from my business management major in order to better my family business. By being able to graduate early, I’m now able to dedicate myself to the business as soon as possible.

SJC: Do you believe this program will give you an edge over the competition?

PS: I think this program has prepared me for my career to the greatest extent. I now have the competitive edge because it allowed for no time to slack as a student and always kept me thinking. By doing this program in a shorter amount of time, I feel as if I haven’t forgotten anything important that will pertain to my business, even going back to my first year of college. This program has improved my ambition in life and made it so that I will always strive for my goals.

SJC: Whom would you recommend the program to?

PS: I would recommend the program to any student that is dedicated and has an idea about what they want to do after college. It’s a way to get the same education as a four-year student, just at a faster pace. It’s in no way an easy route, but it is beyond worth it in the end!