Some mid-career folks start to dream of exotic vacations or buying a beach condo. Some dream of buying that car they always wanted. Some dream of home improvements. But for Pam Burchard, market research analyst at McKee Foods, the dream is to finish her four-year degree with a little help from McKee Foods’ tuition assistance employee benefit.

“The days of only having an associate’s degree are long gone in terms of being seen as a competitor in the hiring process,” Pam says. “It’s one of those things that once you’ve worked hard to earn that higher education, no one can take it away from you.”

While Pam’s daughter, who has just embarked on her own college career, is filling her head with conquering all the world’s possibilities, Pam’s taking on a lofty educational goal at 54 years young (and 34 years since her last day in a classroom) was quite a bit more daunting. Doing it while working full-time is a whole other story. But it sure gets a lot easier when you have a great support system to help make it happen.

For one, Pam’s family is behind her endeavor at Southern Adventist University all the way with love and encouragement. Second, Pam’s boss is squarely in her corner. “I have always been encouraged by my supervisor to pursue higher education, and she has supported me whenever I’ve requested to take professional development courses,” Pam said. “Her support for me bettering myself has been a huge asset to my growth for me, my department and for McKee Foods.”

The last piece of the puzzle for Pam’s goals was tuition. Fortunately, McKee Foods was there to support Pam as well with its Tuition Assistance Program, a benefit available to any McKee Foods employee.

“McKee’s tuition assistance has helped offset my out-of-pocket expenses and the possibility of taking out student loans,” Pam said. “Knowing that McKee Foods would help with some of the educational expenses was another key driver in my decision to return to school.”

With the support of her family, her supervisor and her company, the only thing left is Pam herself. With the momentum she has built behind 34 years of dreaming, there’s only one direction to go — up! All of us at McKee Foods are cheering for Pam as she reaches for her dream.