After years on the front lines as a nurse in the operating room, including a few during COVID-19, Ashley Marie Hansen was ready for a change. The emotional toll of nursing, compounded by the uniquely stressful challenges during the pandemic, led her to seek a new direction.
Her solution? Enrolling in USF’s online MBA program – a decision that would transform her career and nurture a hidden passion for entrepreneurship.
A PIVOTAL MOMENT
While the pediatric population may not have been the most directly impacted by COVID-19, the ripple effects were undeniable. As schools and daycares closed, more children stayed home, leading to an alarming rise in pediatric accidents, including drownings. For Hansen, handling the aftereffects of these tragedies firsthand was a wake-up call.
“I handled three pediatric procurements in one week. It was heartbreaking. I realized I needed a backup plan—a career that would give me options if another crisis like this ever happened again,” she said.
CHOOSING USF FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER
Hansen’s search for a backup plan led her to USF’s fully online MBA program. Although she had no prior knowledge of business subjects and had been out of school for nearly a decade, Hansen was eager to take on the challenge and embark on a new chapter.
The program's flexibility, strong reputation, and the option to skip the GRE requirement made it the perfect fit for her.
“Having been out of the collegiate atmosphere for about 10 years, I had some anxiety going into it,” she said. “I knew I’d need to put in more work than others in my cohort because I had no experience in business, accounting, finance, or marketing.”
THRIVING IN THE ONLINE PROGRAM
Hansen began the program in August 2021 while working as a nurse part-time in St. Petersburg, Florida, after moving here from Wisconsin in early 2020. Initially balancing nursing and coursework, she eventually decided to take a year off to focus fully on her studies.
“My employer was very accommodating with letting me go part-time, but then my husband and I decided I should accelerate my degree,” she said. “I took a year off to focus on school, and at one point, I was taking 17 credit hours at once.”
The program’s emphasis on practical applications and group projects helped her not only learn how to use her newfound knowledge but also form lasting connections with her peers.
Group projects became a key part of her experience and helped her form a network.
“In my financial management class, I helped create a study group with two other students in the course and we connected virtually once a week,” she said. “We each also committed to going to the tutor. There were many times when we would each have the same question about a certain topic and get different answers.
It was about more than just the grades, said Hansen. It was about finding the best ways to learn and solve problems together.
“It was invaluable to learn from each other and discover the best ways to ask questions.”
ENTREPRENEURIAL PURSUITS
Hansen graduated from the online MBA program in May 2023, and turned a long-time interest, photography, into a business – Pebble & Rose Photography. Photography had always been a hobby, something she enjoyed since taking classes in high school and college.
What began as free photoshoots to build her portfolio quickly grew into a profitable venture, which she now balances with working as a nurse part-time.
“There’s something special about being a nurse behind the camera, that level of intimacy and vulnerability requires you to build a quick rapport with the family,” she said.
It seems to be a natural extension of what she loved about nursing but in a different context.
“I think my personality and drive to make things better has served me well in nursing, so I always want to keep a foot in healthcare – just in case a leadership opportunity comes along that really interests me,” Hansen said.
A NEW KIND OF FREEDOM
For Hansen, the MBA program was more than just a backup plan—it was the key to a new way of life.
“It’s allowed me to live life on my own terms,” she said. “I now have control over my schedule, and I’m building something I’m passionate about. I’m still able to save for retirement, but I’m not limited to the grind of a job that has the traditional two weeks of PTO per year. The opportunities feel endless.”
Learn more about USF’s online MBA program.