The stars seem to be aligning for Franny Zurline, a student in Boise State University’s online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management.
After receiving a promotion to pro specialist at Lowe’s, Zurline enrolled in the capstone course of the leadership certificate program. One of her assignments was to create a change in her personal or professional life.
“I spoke with my manager about new ways to reach out to our customers,” she said. “My boyfriend came up with the idea of an event where we take one of the companies we work with at Lowe’s and do an event specifically for them.
“We have multiple stores in the Treasure Valley. We have certain companies that come to our store alone to interact with us. I wanted to show them we appreciate them for trusting us to such an extent. I came up with a scavenger hunt in the store.”
The event, which was called We’re All in this Boat Together and held in February in Boise, pitted the employees of the company against Lowe’s employees, going through the store looking for items based on the theme of the event.
“It was amazing,” she said. “It worked out so much better than I ever thought it would. After that, there was a song on the radio by Zac Brown Band called, ‘Same Boat.’ Keep dropping the signs, thank you.”
Zurline is working toward a May 2026 graduation date after transferring into the program from Southern New Hampshire University.
“I chose this degree because it’s super diverse,” she said. “I can go just about anywhere with it. I’m not stuck in one specific field. Since I live here, I thought it would be a good idea to go to Boise State.”
All about improvement
Zurline grew up in the Coeur D’Alene area in northern Idaho. She dropped out of high school before getting back on track and earning a GED in 2012. Ten years later, she transferred to Boise State.
“My GED scores told me I had no reason to drop out,” she said. “It took a lot of emotional and mental growth to get to where I am now.”
The 100% online format works well for Zurline and her hectic schedule, especially since she has three children ages 10, 11 and 14.
“The online format has been absolutely amazing,” she said. “I am constantly busy working full-time and going to school as a full-time student. Once you get your rhythm and your weekly schedule down, it’s consistent, which I like. The flexibility helps a lot. I have to move around my schedule all of the time.”
The career-focused curriculum in the online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management program has been beneficial to Zurline during her time at Boise State.
“The leadership certificate I am taking has been the best for me,” she said. “It’s helped in almost every aspect of my life — as a person, as an employee. I look at people and think, ‘You’re the type of leader I learn about.’
“I work with computers and with companies in my role at work. I look into their accounts and help them build up the products they need. A lot of what I learn about in the degree program I actually use at my job.”
Zurline has some extra incentive for going from high school dropout to earning a bachelor’s degree while raising three children.
“My biological parents never graduated,” she said. “Most of my family graduated from community colleges, so I wanted to go one step further and get a degree from a university.
“My uncle got a bachelor’s degree in business management, which helped inspire me. Plus, the business management degree has only one math requirement, which certainly helps.”
Giddy up
Zurline plans to walk the graduation stage at the commencement ceremony next year to bring her academic journey full-circle.
“I was volun-told by my children that I would walk at graduation and get my degree in person,” she said. “My kids are kind of over me being in school, but they are supportive.”
With a little more than one year left until graduation, Zurline is grateful the road led her to Boise State. She continues to prove that it’s not how you start but rather how you finish.
“I feel as though I received good value out of the online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management program — especially with the leadership certificate,” she said. “I believe this degree will help me reach my goal of working in HR.”
Zurline also knows that she chose the ideal degree program for her to build on previous college and business experience to lay the foundation for future success.
“The program is a lot of work, but take a deep breath. It’s worth it,” she said. “There’s so much more to it than just leading a company in this program. It goes in-depth into so many aspects of it that are going to make you go, ‘Why am I learning this?’ But there is a point to it.”
Learn more about the business administration program
Earning an online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.