Unemployed? Student claims it’s the perfect time for change

Bonnie Gardner is looking at unemployment as an opportunity.

“I’ve wanted to finish my bachelor’s ever since I got my associate’s in 2007,” she says. “But I’ve just had too much going on.” Soon after she was laid off last spring, though, she attended a career development event for Peirce alumni. “It helped me get clear that I need to complete my degree.”

She’s now in her third seven-week term, working toward a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in human resources. In addition to classes, she’s doing an internship with the Cancer Support Community of Philadelphia. “Since I worked in corporate philanthropy for most of my career, it’s interesting to see fundraising and development from the other side,” she says. “It’s a great opportunity to see if that’s what I’ll want to do.”