Chelsea Thomas built her career around helping people stay safe and well long before she ever stepped into a classroom.
After nearly a decade in workers’ compensation insurance, she found herself drawn to the occupational health and wellness side of the work.
“I looked into online programs, and UL Lafayette’s online program offered classes on occupational health and safety,” Thomas says.
That’s what pushed her to pursue a B.S. in Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Wellness degree online from the 91Թ.
Finding a Program That Fit Her Life
Thomas knew she needed a degree that matched both her interests and her reality.
She lived in DeRidder, a small town in southwest 91Թ. She worked full time and was raising her young daughter.
Driving back and forth to campus simply wasn’t an option. An online program was the only path that made sense.
UL Lafayette’s Health Promotion and Wellness curriculum stood out immediately. The occupational health and safety courses aligned with the part of her job she enjoyed most.
Plus, the online format gave her the flexibility to balance school with work, parenting, and her commitments at church.
“I had to make a schedule and block out time to do classwork,” she says. “Otherwise, I’d forget about it. It’s self-paced, and you turn in work when it’s due. That was hard at first.”
But once she found her rhythm, the format became exactly what she needed: accessible, flexible, and realistic for her family’s schedule.
Support That Kept Her on Track
Even with a solid schedule, balancing school, work, and family was challenging. Thomas credits the program’s faculty and advisors for helping her stay on track.
“The teachers were fantastic. They were so helpful. My advisor made sure I was completely covered, from keeping me on track with the classes I needed to answering all my questions.”
She recalls one moment when she turned in a paper late: “The instructor said, ‘Well, you get one oops each semester,’ and let me turn it in for some credit. That kind of understanding made a huge difference.”
Regular office hours and responsive emails kept her connected, even from two hours away.
“Even if I emailed outside of their scheduled times, I usually had a response by the next day,” she adds.
Applying What She Learned
Since graduating, Thomas has shifted her focus from insurance to the classroom. Now a second-grade teacher, she’s finding new ways to bring her health knowledge to life.
“My kids think I know everything,” she laughs. But Thomas uses her research skills and understanding of wellness to teach them healthy habits and ways to prevent getting sick.
She hopes to eventually move into a health education role, which would allow her to put her degree directly into practice.
Balancing school with work, parenting, and daily life wasn’t easy, and Thomas’ advice reflects that reality.
“Schedule your time,” she says. “Get a planner, print the syllabus, write down what assignments are due, and block out time specifically for classwork. That helped me stay on track.”
Unlock new paths with an online degree in kinesiology, health promotion and wellness.
