After earning a pair of associate degrees in four years, Sophia Crimmins began working toward a bachelor’s degree in piano pedagogy.
“I quickly realized that this was not the degree for me,” she said. “An upside to that experience was that it helped me realize what I did and didn’t want to do. I discovered that I wanted to start my own business.”
Crimmins did just that and graduated from Boise State University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies program with certificates in Business Creation, Elementary Spanish and UX Design in December 2025.
“I’m glad I found Boise State,” she said. “I was looking for an online program because I was working full-time and wanted that work/life/school balance I couldn’t get in an in-person program. I also wanted a school that would take most of my 120 credits.
“It worked out well for me. My time at Boise State has helped me gain knowledge and insights in the business creation world. Plus, I started my own Etsy store.”
Crimmins works full-time as an “on-call, do-it-all” at Ross Point Camp and Conference Center in Post Falls, Idaho. She sells handmade treasures in her store, With Healing Balm, on the side.
“I will continue working full-time, but I will also have more time to work on promoting my small business and creating an official website for it,” she said. “I do so many different roles in my job, which is nice because I don’t get bored. I have been able to incorporate what I have learned in the program, like critical thinking.”
The flexibility of the online format helped Crimmins take the leap to enroll in college again in order to complete a bachelor’s degree.
“I was able to maintain a healthy balance and see the light at the end of the tunnel.,” she said. “I was having a lot of trouble with that with the traditional classroom setting. It wasn’t working out.
“I didn’t want to do a traditional route anymore. Schooling online allowed me to work full-time while working towards my bachelor’s degree. It worked out great.”
A different path
Crimmins was born in Perryville, Arkansas, and moved to Idaho in 2017. After graduating from high school during the pandemic, she graduated with associate degrees in photography and music from North Idaho College in 2024.
“I thought I would go to community college, live at home and commute,” she said. “After the initial two years, I didn’t know what to do, so I got another associate degree.”
After she realized completing a bachelor’s degree in music would take at least three more years, Crimmins changed gears.
“When I started at Boise State in January 2025, I was burnt out from four-plus years of college,” she said. “At times I was tempted to just give up the idea of a bachelor’s degree — at least for the moment — and finish it later down the road.”
Crimmins found out quickly that returning to school in Boise State’s online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies program was the right move. Emotional Intelligence was her favorite course in the curriculum.
“In my first semester, I was motivated to finish my degree but was also not sure what to expect,” she said. “The professors I had for my first three 7-week courses were amazing. I loved having Michelle Bennett, Johnny Rowing, Wenlu McIntosh and Anthony Saba.
“They made me feel welcome and motivated to finish strong. These teachers went out of their way to connect with each student individually. The online degree program at Boise State helped me push forward and actually enjoy finishing my bachelor’s degree.”
Horsepower
Crimmins, who enjoys rock climbing, singing in two choirs, making lotions, learning languages, hiking and playing tennis in her free time, is happy she came back to higher education because of the ability to earn a degree online.
“It’s a great option,” she said. “Even for a working individual who needs balance, it’s super helpful to be able to take an online program.
“You can work from basically anywhere in the world. It’s pretty flexible. We had people from all over the world in the program.
Throughout her time in college, Crimmins had a strong support system in place from her family, which includes five sisters, and friends.
“They are excited for me,” she said. “It was definitely a big milestone after all of the college I’ve been through.”
Now that she has a bachelor’s degree, Crimmins looks forward to seeing what the future has in store for her.
“I would like to work in the UX design field someday,” she said. “At this time, I need to grow my Etsy shop before I can run it full-time. Having this degree will open up opportunities for me down the road.
“In a way, my life has stayed the same, but it has also changed greatly. In 2024, I felt stuck, as if I would never be able to have a working life, that I would be stuck in school forever. Boise State’s online degree program made all of that go away.”
Crimmins believes that she is already seeing return on value in more ways than one from the bachelor’s degree.
“Before starting at Boise State, I felt like I didn’t want to do any more school,” she said. “Now, I’m open to getting a master’s degree. While this may or may not happen, this isn’t something I would have even thought of last year.
“I’ve come a long way. I’m glad I was determined to finish strong. I will carry this determination with me in whatever I do.”
Learn more about the interdisciplinary professional studies program
Earning an online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies 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.