More than a decade after Madeline Mabery’s plans to finish a bachelor’s degree abruptly changed, the native Texan is gearing up for graduation day.
“I was close to graduating with a degree from Texas Tech in kinesiology and exercise science in 2015,” she said. “I had some family issues come up and needed to move home to help take care of everybody.
When COVID-19 hit, Mabery had to get a job at a law firm, where she worked for four years and eight months.
“I was in the legal world long before that, starting in 2015, but had to leave my favorite job when COVID-19 happened, and we all stopped going to court,” she said.
“I was applying for jobs, but I kept getting weeded out because I didn’t have a bachelor’s degree. I needed that piece of paper.”
Mabery will graduate from Boise State University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies (IPS) program in May 2026. She is working toward the Applied Emotional Intelligence and Well-Being and Design Thinking for Professional Purpose and Personal Fulfillment certificates.
“Boise State reached out to me through LinkedIn,” she said. “Everyone I have dealt with at Boise State has been fantastic. The IPS degree makes sense.
“It has made the process of getting back into school so much easier. Going back to college in my mid-30s is not exactly what I thought I’d be doing. It worked out well. Boise State wanted me and was super helpful.”
While wrapping up her final semester, Mabery is working part-time at a wine bar in Dallas. She is taking 14 credit hours to complete the bachelor’s degree in 11 months by maximizing her transfer credits.
“We originally thought it would take four years because Texas Tech left off multiple pages of my transcript,” she said. “My advisor, Faye Montoya, is the one who caught it. She reached out to them and got another copy of my transcript. She is the greatest human.”
“We originally thought it would take four years because Texas Tech left off multiple pages of my transcript. My advisor, Faye Montoya, is the one who caught it. She reached out to them and got another copy of my transcript. She is the greatest human.”
Madeline Mabery
Home away from home
Mabery is from Dallas, where she has spent her entire life except for the four years she attended school in Lubbock. She enrolled at Boise State Online in June 2025.
“It has been a wonderful experience,” she said. “I wasn’t going to go back to campus somewhere. The online platform is super easy to use.”
Thanks to the customizable nature of the online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies curriculum, Mabery is focusing heavily on her interests.
“I have liked all of the classes,” she said. “I like the professors. I loved the Readings class with Reggie Jayne. I liked Michelle Bennett’s class, too.”
Mabery didn’t expect the level of support she is getting from Boise State’s faculty and staff since she first contacted the university.
“Faye Montoya has been an absolute blessing and my biggest advocate since the moment we started working together,” she said. “She has truly changed my life and has gone above and beyond her job description.
“I wish I knew more people who cared as much as she does. She is a true blessing and the best representative you could want for Boise State University.”
Mabery is also impressed with the Boise State faculty’s approach to student support — especially since she has never stepped foot on campus.
“If you get behind, your professors are really understanding,” she said. “They know that we are people with lives. Lots of my classmates have kids and families to take care of. Boise State is so willing to work with you.”
Raise a glass
Although she hasn’t been back in school for long, Mabery is getting plenty of encouragement from her family and friends as she works toward graduation day. She’s still weighing whether or not to walk at commencement this spring.
“Everyone has been so supportive,” she said. “They’re incredibly happy I am doing it, because they’ve been trying to get me to go back for years. I wasn’t sure I could do it and work. Once I found out about Boise State, I thought it was manageable.”
As far as what she wants to do for the next chapter of her career, Mabery is keeping her options wide open.
“I need to talk to some people who have been through the program,” she said. “I know there are a lot of networking opportunities. I need to take advantage of them. I’ll probably end up somewhere in the corporate world.”
Mabery, who enjoys cooking, watching movies and hanging out with friends in her free time, believes that Boise State Online is an ideal way to finish what she started.
“I would recommend it,” she said. “It’s so tailored to your needs. If you can take one class at a time, it will take you longer, but you can get there. The classes are self-paced, for the most part. If you know you’re going to be really busy, you can work ahead.”
No matter which direction Mabery goes after graduation day, she believes that she will look back on the decision to enroll at Boise State as the spark that jump-started her career.
“I absolutely believe this degree will open up opportunities for me,” she said. “I was getting nowhere applying for jobs without a bachelor’s degree. I very much think this is going to help get me there. The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies is such a well-rounded degree.”
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.