Angela Jimenez moved to Massachusetts from Colombia in 2007 when her husband was offered a job at a software company.  She enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at UMass Boston to improve her English skills.  Shortly after passing the TOEFL exam, she decided to continue with her graduate studies at UMass Boston. “I found instructional design to be the best program to meet my expectations,” recalls Angela, “and it fit very well with my professional background in economics and project management from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia.”

While Angela enjoyed the program tremendously, she admits that returning to school wasn’t always the easiest road to travel. “Being an international student and learning not just a new language, but also a new culture, was challenging,” she says. “I also became a mom while in school and had a new baby to care for.” Angela remembers both her family and the program administration were very supportive during her experience. She was determined to get her diploma and pursue her passion for teaching and education, and still be fully committed to her role as a new mother. “Thanks to the flexibility of the online classes and the support of the faculty, administrators and other students, I was able to meet my goals,” she says.

Angela Jimenez graduated with a MEd in instructional design in December 2012 and currently works as an instructional designer at Fidelity Investments where she believes her degree was a decisive factor in landing the position.  She enjoys life with husband Juan and her beautiful daughter, Lucianna, who became three in March.