Asandi Conner is all about deadlines.

She became a parent before earning her bachelor’s degree, so the University of Michigan-Dearborn alumna set a personal goal – graduate before her daughter’s first day of kindergarten.

Mission accomplished.

A decade later, she decided to return to UM-Dearborn to pursue a master’s degree. With that degree, she set another personal goal – graduate before her daughter’s high school commencement.

Again, mission accomplished.

Asandi’s hard work and determination earned her the title of “Difference Maker.”

“My bachelor’s degree was an investment in myself,” she said. “My graduate degree will be an investment in my community. I intend to align my career ambitions with my personal mission statement to create an authentic work-life balance. I am enthusiastic about my future and the opportunities in the horizon.”

Those future plans include leadership roles in the public sector, or with a nonprofit organization. She certainly has the background to succeed in those roles.

Asandi has worked with a number of community organizations and also established some.

Her road to success wasn’t a typical one, but it’s helped shape her as a person.

“As a mother to a teenage daughter, the decision to return to school was certainly not made lightly, and while making such a decision is not unique on our campus, there is something special about Asandi – most notably her level of passion and enthusiasm for learning and community work,” said Kristin McDonough, development coordinator for Institutional Advancement.

Asandi serves as an ideal example of how nontraditional students can achieve great success at UM-Dearborn.

“Asandi is a great representation of the quality and abilities that our nontraditional students possess,” McDonough said. “I think she also is a great representative of the level of involvement and expertise available amongst our graduate student community. If you have not yet had the opportunity to meet Asandi, I hope you do so soon.”