Full-Time Excellence
With two Widener business degrees in hand and another on the way, Aly Horton balances a full-time course load and a full-time job with support from professors who help transform classroom knowledge into real-life success.
- School of Business
Aly Horton received her bachelor of science in business marketing, MBA with a concentration in data analytics, and soon she’ll have her third Widener degree, a master of science in business process innovation (MSBPI).
As she takes on new positions and projects in her full-time career at Lincoln Financial Group, Aly credits Widener with giving her opportunities to try new things and supporting her full-time work schedule with flexible class options.
Widener gave me the opportunity to not only start my career as an undergraduate but advance it a few years later when I went back for my masters. — Aly Horton ’17, ’20, ‘21
After earning her associate degree in high school, Aly knew she wanted to make the most of her two undergraduate years at Widener. From gaining her leadership certificate and joining a sorority to interning at UPS and building homes with Alternative Spring Break, Aly immersed herself in all Widener had to offer inside and outside the classroom, and knew she’d be back for more someday.
I still look back today to the leadership philosophy I crafted while completing my leadership certificate: 'Don’t forget to ask.' — Aly Horton ’17, ’20, ‘21
Aly landed a full-time sales job at Lincoln Financial Group shortly after graduation but knew she ultimately preferred the creativity of marketing. She returned to Widener to pursue an MBA with a data analytics concentration to provide her the technical skills she needed to pivot to a new role and support her inventive marketing ideas.
After trying an elective in business process innovation, Aly became excited about how that field could further sharpen her skills and keep her on the inside track in her career. She began working on her MSBPI, all while still working full time.
Juggling two master’s programs and a full-time job hasn’t been easy, but Aly has been able to immediately integrate what she’s learning in the classroom into her work optimizing digital programs. She recently applied a change model she learned in class to a new program she was developing at work, and successfully presented that to company leadership, receiving funding for her program.
Aly continues to innovate and create with her side business CreativeDesign Co., which she founded during her undergraduate years at Widener. Along with consulting businesses on marketing and social media plans, she’s recently started selling original paintings and collages.
