Carly Cash is taking a different approach to turning 40 by earning Boise State University’s Online Master of Business Administration.
“I always call it my midlife crisis move,” she said. “It is not something I had even considered in a long, long time. I looked into getting my MBA when my kids were little, but it seemed so daunting at the time. I didn’t get very far with that idea.”
Cash, a creative media strategist and morning show host for Iliad Media Group in Boise, and her husband, Rick Dunn, have seven kids between them. Cash has two teenagers: Boston Young, 19, and Jocelyn Young, 17. She will be the first person in her immediate family to earn a master’s degree.
“One day, I Google searched MBA programs for whatever reason, and Boise State’s online program popped up,” she said. “I started reading about it more and more.
“My husband said, ‘You don’t have to do this now. You can think about it for a while.’ I said, ‘No, I think I’m doing this. I’m going to go back and get my MBA.’”
The flexibility of the online format is especially important to Cash, who is on track to graduate in February 2027.
“The online component was huge for me because I am very busy,” she said. “I work full-time. I have kids. I am juggling a lot. This made it feel like, ‘I can’t not do this.’ This degree also brings some credibility to what I do.
“I love every aspect of it. Canvas is so user-friendly. All of my professors have been great to work with and reach out to. I have enjoyed getting to know my classmates and working with them and working with people in industries that are very different from mine. It’s been eye-opening and fun.”
Changing mediums
Cash, 44, is from Lehi, Utah. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies from the University of Utah in 2005.
“I wanted to be a TV news reporter,” she said. “Then, I did an internship with a TV station my senior year of college, and I found that I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would.
“Feeling frustrated with which direction I was going to go, I ended up applying for a traffic job on the radio as a fill-in reporter. Radio isn’t something I had even considered. Here I am, 21 years later.”
Cash added a marketing emphasis in the Online MBA program. So far, her favorite course is Design Thinking and Strategic Management.
“I had never really thought about business in that way,” she said. “It helped me to embrace my own creativity.
“It helped me to embrace others around me thinking differently and valuing what they bring to the table. It made me view business and opportunities in business differently. It honestly made me view the world around me differently.”
The information Cash is learning at Boise State applies to her career — especially the marketing aspect.
“I do a morning show on 96.1 Bob FM in Boise, so I do a lot of social media within that role,” she said. “We also work with clients. I have been able to take a lot of the concepts into social media with our brands and brands that I manage social media for, which has been huge.
“The growth that we have seen has been great, applying things I have learned. One of the things I love most about the program is that what I am learning is real-world applicable.”
A family affair
Cash has a strong support system in place with her family since she began her MBA in March 2025.
“My husband has been super supportive,” she said. “My kids have really had fun with me going back to school. We’re going to do this together, in a sense, because they were both in high school when I started the program. One will be in college while I am in college for a little bit.
“They are great. When I decided to go back and get my MBA, I told them we’re going to have to do really simple meals. When I have time, I love to cook. That’s my biggest passion.”
With more than one year remaining in the Online MBA program, Cash knows there is plenty more to learn. She looks forward to seeing what an advanced degree will do for her career.
“I want to either bring value to the company or, if I were to ever shift out of the radio industry, I would like to become a director of marketing or maybe even a CMO someday,” she said.
Cash is happy that she decided to contend with her midlife crisis by enhancing her education at Boise State.
“For a long time, whenever school would briefly cross my mind, I thought that I was too old,” she said. “I am not too old. I have a lot of working years left. I would encourage anyone who feels like maybe it has passed them by that it’s never too late.
“It’s hard, but you can do it. Even if you think you can’t, you certainly can. Even if you’re considering it, just go for it so you don’t ever have that regret someday. Education is something you will have forever. It’s not something you will regret later in your life if you just do it.”
Learn more about the Online MBA
Earning an Online Master of Business Administration 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.