Lauren

“My marriage and my divorce were not pretty,” shares Lauren (BAAS ’25). After leaving the abusive relationship with an alcoholic, Lauren was determined to do something positive. “At that point, I really wanted to be able to use my experiences to help others, so, I got into drug and alcohol counseling.” When the work sparked an interest in neuroscience, Lauren considered going back to school part-time. Not only did Penn LPS Online’s Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree offer the chance for professional development, the experience also built Lauren’s confidence and inspired them to continue on to a doctoral program in behavioral health.  

Lauren started their new career in addiction recovery as a peer specialist. About a month into the role, they were matched with a client who had a brain injury. “I thought, this is going to be different from what I'm used to working with, and I need to research how I can best support this person,” they say. Their investigation into brain injury and addiction became a fascination. “I just dove in. I would spend my nights reading neuroscience articles or doing trainings and earning CEUs, just really immersing myself into it.” Lauren soon became a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. “That led me down the road to focusing on neuroscience and psychology to address issues of mental health and substance abuse that co-occur with brain injury,” they explain.

“Nothing had the flexibility that Penn had, and nothing that I was looking at could match what I knew Penn could offer.”

When a social media ad popped for the Penn LPS Online Certificate in Neuroscience during their research, Lauren was curious. Though they were hesitant to go back to school at 39, Lauren began to consider what a credit-bearing program could offer. “The fact that the Penn program was online and asynchronous meant I could manage it around working. Being a new divorcee and single homeowner and trying to balance all these other aspects of my life, that was a huge draw for me. It felt like, okay, this is this is exactly what I need.”

Before applying, Lauren compared the Penn program to several local options in Western New York. “Nothing had the flexibility that Penn had, and nothing that I was looking at could match what I knew Penn could offer,” they say, so they enrolled at Penn LPS Online in January 2021.

“My first semester I took Intro to Neuroscience and Intro to Positive Psychology. I just loved it. And I thought, I can do this!” Lauren shares. With a new confidence that they could succeed in the classroom, and eager for more in-depth study, Lauren decided to go beyond a certificate and commit to the full bachelor's degree. “I thought, let's do it, let me just jump in with both feet and make this a whole degree.” 

Once accepted, Lauren chose a concentration in Individualized Studies, personalizing a degree focused on neuroscience and positive psychology courses. Transfer credit from their associate degree in veterinary medicine fulfilled some general requirements for the BAAS, helping Lauren finish the program in less time.

“Penn has really provided me with the confidence to go forward.”

Before starting in the bachelor’s program, however, Lauren tackled yet another big life change: finding a new job. Their exploration of neuroscience spurred them to find a role at an organization that addressed the comorbidities of addiction and brain injury that Lauren was learning about. They found the right fit with Hickok Center for Brain Injury, working with clients and training staff.

Much of Lauren’s classwork, they found, was applicable to their new role. “The positive psychology classes as a whole were phenomenal. There was so much that I was able to apply to my trainings or even just my interactions with our staff,” Lauren says.

And the neuroscience classes provided insights into clients’ behaviors and how to better serve them. In the course Hormones, Brain, and Behavior, for example, Lauren learned about a strong connection between type 2 diabetes and dementia. “A number of our participants have type 2 diabetes, so I was able to take the information from class and integrate that into one of our annual trainings to explain to our staff about how diet and health can affect cognition. We're already dealing with a population that has cognitive deficits; their health could potentially make that worse. So, in our job, we have to try to combat that and help them to be healthy so they can maintain their cognition.”

For an elective, Lauren chose the professional writing course Publishing Your Research, taking the opportunity to develop their personal research and practical experience into a polished academic paper. Their research was aided by the helpful staff at the Penn Libraries. “The library has so much to offer. It was a great experience to utilize that resource,” they say.

Earning a degree part time while working full time comes with challenges. “You have to be all in,” Lauren cautions. “It forced me to be regimented about how I approached my schoolwork. I recognized that this needs a lot of time and focus and attention.” Lauren found Penn’s learning management system of choice, Canvas, to be a valuable tool for staying organized. “Canvas was super user friendly. Everything was broken down and very clear; it really helped me be able to plan how I was going to manage work and school.” Adding some encouraging words for returning students who may be new to web-based learning, Lauren notes, “I am definitely not a tech person. So listen, if I can navigate Canvas, anybody can.”

Another feature of the program that made it manageable and enjoyable was the sense of community. “With all the support available I didn't feel like I had to tough it alone,” they share. “All of my professors, my fellow students, and my advisor—even though I am not geographically close, they were my village. They were right there, and they had my back.”

“With all the support available I didn't feel like I had to tough it alone.”

Lauren’s final classes were Intercultural Communication and The Art of Work. “I came into them feeling like these are just requirements, they're not going to be anything spectacular,” Lauren admits, “but I really did get a lot out of them! They’re so reflective, and it really helps you to get to know yourself better as a person so that whatever you do after you graduate, you have even more tools and self-awareness going into your next steps.”

Lauren, who graduated in fall 2025, is already taking those next steps. “Because my time at Penn was so manageable and flexible and positive, it encouraged me to look into grad school. So, I am applying to two online doctorates in public health programs.” With guidance from their neuroscience instructor Dr. Flanagan-Cato, Lauren chose programs focused on applicable outcomes that would align with their career objectives. “My biggest goal is to create what's known as a quadrant four program, which is a high level of care for mental health substance use and brain injury,” Lauren explains, noting inpatient, outpatient, and detox treatment options. “It's full rehab in every way that you can imagine.”

For Lauren, the journey to where they are today is still hard to believe. “When I was going through my divorce, I certainly never expected that I was going to get into neuroscience or try to pursue a degree in my forties, but Penn made that possible,” Lauren says. “For myself, to be able to say, You know what? I went back to college and got my bachelor's at 45—that’s huge. And if I want to keep going I can. Penn has really provided me with the confidence to go forward.”