Drew Mattson

Student

While many students at Bay College go on to transfer to four-year colleges, this will not be the case for Drew Mattson. A junior who is double majoring in business administration and accounting, Drew already took classes at a larger school before coming to Bay.

“I did the college experience backwards,” she said.

Drew graduated from Escanaba High School in 2012. She then spent three years studying at Northern Michigan University (where she was pursuing an art degree) before taking a nearly five-year-long break due to education-related expenses. During this time, Drew started working full-time and had a son.

Eventually, Drew decided it was time to complete her college education.

“I figured I’m paying for the student loans – might as well go back and finish it,” she said.

She chose Bay College due in large part to its location in Escanaba. After taking a single class during the summer of 2020, she started her first official semester as a Bay student this fall.

Since she already got her general education credits out of the way at NMU, Drew has been free to focus on classes related to her majors at Bay, where she is taking classes through the LSSU Regional Center. She decided to focus on business administration and accounting because of the job opportunities available in these fields.

“I found out I really like organizing and working with financials – who’d have thunk?,” she said.

At this point, Drew said her time at Bay has already been more positive than her previous college experience.

“I feel like coming back the second time around, I’m doing much better,” she said, noting she has made the dean’s list this semester.

An important factor behind this change has been the support Drew has received from her teachers.

“So far, my professors are all very friendly and extremely helpful, especially in these trying times,” Drew said.

Along with her classes, Drew has gotten involved in Bay’s Work-Study Program this fall. Through the program, she has been providing a helping hand at the workforce training office in the Joseph Heirman University Center.

“I’m just kind of helping out as an administrative office assistant,” she said.

As of the fall 2020 semester, Drew is planning to graduate from Bay in about a year and a half. After she graduates, she will aim to find a career where she can put her education to use.

“I’m hoping to get a big-girl job,” she said.