Jun. 20—TRAVERSE CITY — Five years ago, Sarah Frankham came to a point in her life when she needed a change.

So Frankham, who is from England, flew across the Atlantic to the United States to move to Traverse City, and pursue an education at Ferris State University.

This spring, Frankham, 41, completed her bachelor’s degree in social work. This fall, she’ll continue the master’s program there.

Frankham admits that her understanding of the U.S. was quite limited before she came here.

“Embarrassingly, my view of the United States came from the ‘Home Alone’ movies, that’s all I knew of the USA,” she said. “I always told myself one day I’d make it over there one day and now here I am, and it’s nothing like New York City. I like it here in Traverse City … It’s more quiet.”

But, being a non-traditional student, Frankham wondered if she’d be able to make the transition.

“Leaving my family, and everything I know … I was like, ‘Can I do this on my own? Can I even learn to be a student?’ But I knew I had to persevere through that,” she said.

In England, Frankham worked as a mystery shopper, making visits to different stores and restaurants and reporting on her experiences as a “customer.” As the 2010s were coming to a close, she wondered if it was time to pursue new ambitions.

“I had always worked in caring professions, it comes from my mum,” Frankham said. “Life just took me in different directions. But I realized you that you can’t just have the heart for a job, you need the brain, too. I figured it was time to get the necessary qualifications.”

Much of Frankham’s work was completed online, with the help of the FSU hub. Opened last fall, the hub is located at the Northwestern Michigan College University Center on Dendrinos Drive.

The hub is aimed at “serving working adults who are looking to finish their degree, traditional students who want to connect to the main campus or take online classes, and offering seamless transfer options for area students via regional community college partnerships,” according to a press statement.

It offers non-bachelor degrees in accounting, business administration, business administration-aviation, business administration-professional track, computer information systems, computer information technology, criminal justice, early childhood education, and social work.

“We know our students have varied needs and are at different stages of their lives,” said FSU President Dr. Bill Pink.

As for the Ferris hub’s concept, “We will meet them where they are,” Pink said.

Frankham thanked Joanie Hazelton, FSU associate professor and MSW/BSW director for the northern region. “She was personable, relatable. She didn’t just throw textbooks at us. Even in grading, it was clear about what you needed to work on so you could improve. It wasn’t just about the grade, it was about making sure you understood everything. Plus,… she likes dogs.”

Hazelton said FSU has been committed to serving northern Michigan, particularly in the field of social work, since the 1990s and that employment opportunities in social work have been on the rise in recent years.

“It’s a good time to be getting into social work,” she said. “We’ve seen since COVID that there’s been more focus on mental health and well-being.”

Though Frankham has completed all the requirements to acquire her bachelor’s in social work, she said the accomplishment is about who she is as a person, not the title or the degree itself.

“Even though I’ve been given this BSW, I’m still Sarah Frankham. My heart is the same for people; that’s all that matters. I don’t care about the label … I do care about the education.

“Now I can get the job, but I’m still the same person.”

Her advice to other non-traditional students is simple: “Ask more questions. If you’re feeling nervous … just do it, and jump right in. If you don’t know something, don’t be afraid to ask someone.”