Balancing Work, School and Fatherhood, He Finally Reaches His Goal

The 33-year-old Pittsburgh native had been slowly earning college credits at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) while working full-time. When the COVID pandemic waylaid his job, he finished his studies at CCAC and earned his associate’s degree.
 
“Shortly after CCAC, I learned that I was going to be a father,” he said. “At that point, I thought ‘why not go for my bachelor’s degree?’”
 
Harris reached that bigger goal on Dec. 20, when he received his bachelor’s degree in health sciences at Duquesne University.
 
Duquesne wasn’t on his radar as Harris began considering schools, but that changed after he inquired about the health sciences program in the University’s John G. Rangos School of Health Sciences.
 
“Duquesne was so welcoming to me. They reached out to me personally and really made the process easy,” he said. “I knew it was the place for me.”
 
While balancing work, school and fatherhood is a challenge for any non-traditional student, Harris said his professors were very understanding about his schedule.
 
“They would record classes via Zoom, even though it wasn’t the norm anymore. They would meet with me outside of their usual office hours,” said Harris, who managed a work schedule while attending to family issues. “And they understood when I might be late or absent to a class due to child care.”
 
One of his favorite moments at Duquesne was working with a study group, he said.
 
“It was for our Chemistry 2 course, which was a grueling class,” he said. “My study partners and I really bonded during that class – it was like we were in a foxhole. We were all learning together and that was a great time for me.”
 
While he’s currently working for a local hospital organization, Harris plans to move into medical sales after he graduates. He’s also considering his next degree – a master’s in either physician assistant studies or physical therapy.
 
“My education at Duquesne allowed me to earn my degree and has motivated me to reach for bigger goals,” he said. “It’s been a great experience.”

Duquesne University

Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 8,200 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.

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