Hilary credits Coursera for opening the doors to a new personal and career trajectory.
Hilary Fannin graduated in 2010 with a degree in Anthropology during a rough economic climate. With no jobs available, she took up a series of odd positions in the retail and food industries to get by. Two years later, she was still frustrated, working as an office manager but longing to get back into a field she was actually passionate about.
Her father introduced her to Coursera. The website opened her eyes and she decided to explore courses in areas of public health. She enrolled in Community Change in Public Health and Design and Interpretation of Clinical Trials from Johns Hopkins University. Within a few weeks of the courses, she had found her true calling and decided to embark on a new career.
During this period, Hilary was working 40+ hours a week and felt pressure of being back in a traditional classroom environment. Finances were also tight so saving money was an absolute necessity. Coursera gave her the confidence and convenience to pursue her new interest and build skills in an area that she would have otherwise never explored.
With her Coursera credentials, she ultimately found the courage to go further and apply to a graduate program at the University of Albany. She currently has a masters degree and a job she loves at a small public health nonprofit. She is currently taking the Data Science Specialization to build more skills. She credits Coursera for opening the doors to a new personal and career trajectory.
