Dallas Manager Uses Her Master's Degree To Manage The Business
Delores Elder Jones is the office manager at Dependable Care Health Service in Garland, Texas. She oversees the day-to-day operations, which includes patient intake, compiling documents in compliance with Medicare rules and regulations. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work and master's in city and regional planning from Memphis State University.
Why did you pursue a master's degree?
"I was working for a public housing agency and became frustrated because I had to tell people, that the waiting list to get an apartment was five to ten years. I was going to earn a master's degree in social work but I was invited to look at the city and regional planning program. I decided that would help me create a homeownership program for people who lived in public housing in Memphis, Tennessee."
What would you tell someone who is considering returning to school to earn a master's degree?
"Follow your passion. A master's degree is necessary in some professions. It gives you discipline to focus on a particular field of study. This will help you become a subject matter expert. A master's degree makes you more marketable."
What was the biggest challenge you faced when pursuing your master's degree?
"I was 38-years old when I started my bachelor's degree. Going back as adult-learner, I had a tremendous amount of life experience. I had a career as a licensed barber and traveled extensively with entertainer Isaac Hayes. I was 42-years old when I started on my master's program. My biggest challenge was the statistics class."
What was the biggest reward for earning the master's degree?
"I learned to understand how government agencies operate while providing people with the opportunity to own a home when they never thought they could. I've also used my master's degree when I worked as the budget analyst for Dallas County. I was responsible for millions of dollars and approved budgets for Dallas County departments. I am a board member and vice president of the Garland Housing Finance Corporation. The GHFC issues bonds for housing developers to build affordable single and multi-family housing."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com