Updated: October 12, 2023

Stephanie Stout

B.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies

UTSA Online Class of 2024

Stephanie Stout is a Online Multidisciplinary Studies student who graduates in Spring 2024 Successfully juggling a career, parenting two young children, and fostering rescue dogs would be enough to keep most people busy. But UTSA Online student Stephanie Stout aspired to add one more thing to her already packed schedule: re-enrolling in college and earning her bachelor’s degree.

Stephanie first enrolled at UTSA in August 2001, attending in-person courses. After her first year, she moved back to her hometown of Austin, married her husband, started a family, and began her career in the banking industry. She had children and climbed the ladder to an executive leadership role at Greater Texas Credit Union. But, in 2021, she decided to continue to elevate her skills, knowledge and career, and complete the journey she began two decades earlier.

“Out of all the choices out there I chose UTSA because, first and foremost, I am a former student,” she said. “I’ve made it really far without a degree, but I feel like I could still do this.”

A Flexible and Well-Rounded Degree Program

Stephanie chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies due to the customization it offered. The program allowed her to combine multiple academic areas – business, communications, and sociology – into a special degree plan tailored to her interests and goals.

“I chose a UTSA Online degree instead of a traditional one because the online program has the same faculty and curriculum as you would get on campus,” she said. “That’s not something that you can find at other schools.”

The online general studies program provided Stephanie with increased flexibility compared to in-person courses, ensuring that lectures, homework, and projects all fit into a schedule that already included a full-time job and other obligations. With the ability to learn and study at her own pace, she still had time for important things, like practicing piano with her daughter and eating dinner as a family every evening.

“The flexibility to have an online program has been really beneficial for my busy life,” she said when discussing working during the day, studying at night, and still making quality time for her family in between. “Without the online program, I would not have been able to do all of those in tandem.”

Supportive and Specialized Advisors

In addition to the scheduling advantages that online learning offers, Stephanie also credits her success to UTSA Online’s personalized advising services. As a non-traditional student, she already had years of work experience before reentering the college world. UTSA Online’s advising team recognizes that many students bring skills from their previous professional and educational experiences. Advisors use each student’s unique background to develop a degree plan that meets them where they’re at to best accomplish their academic goals.

“I had an academic advisor that reached out to me, and she has followed me along the way from the beginning and through this program,” Stephanie said. “Without the support of the student support services, I would not be where I am today.”

Stephanie will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in May 2024. With only a few courses left to go, she says that her time at UTSA has helped her become a better student, mother, and employee.

“My children watch me every night complete lessons at school,” she said. “It teaches them to have the same motivation and to work hard, and you can put your mind to whatever you’re set out to do at any age.”