Eugenio Padilla recently earned his business degree while working full time, raising a family, and planning his next career move. While studying management through the Carson College of Business and WSU Global Campus, Padilla shaped his education around a busy schedule.
Padilla began his college journey in 2016, but his progress was slowed by an eight-year stint in the U.S. Marine Corps. When his time in the Marines concluded, he continued pursuing his degree at WSU Tri-Cities but soon found it difficult to attend classes while supporting his family. A father of three, Padilla works security at the Hanford Nuclear Site while practicing real estate on the side and balancing his day jobs with course work and family responsibilities at home.
“I work full time, so I’m juggling my family life with my work schedule,” he said. “When I transferred from WSU Tri-Cities to the Global Campus, I had a more flexible schedule — it made things a lot simpler than going in person and sitting through classes.”
Padilla said the Global Campus format provided the structure he needed to keep moving forward. Rather than working around fixed class times, he set aside time to complete assignments on his own schedule, making it easier to manage competing priorities.
That flexibility has been key to maintaining momentum in a degree path that has spanned several years.
“My sister and I are the first to graduate from college in my family, so that’s something I’m really proud of,” he said.
Building skills for management roles
Padilla said he chose to major in management to better position himself for advancement and eventually aim for higher positions in his career. Through his Carson College business training, he developed skills in communication, teamwork, and project coordination — areas he sees as essential for management roles.
Classes focused on leadership and group collaboration have been especially useful. He said working with classmates in team-based projects helped him learn how to manage timelines, coordinate responsibilities, and communicate clearly when challenges arise.
He also points to a growing comfort with project management and professional communication, skills that translate directly to his day-to-day responsibilities.
Preparing for the next step
After graduating over the weekend, Padilla is already looking forward to career opportunities in management. His degree, combined with his professional experience, has given him the confidence to pursue roles that once felt out of reach.
“Before I started at Carson, I would’ve been hesitant to take on more leadership responsibilities,” he said. “If they asked me right now if I want to be a manager, I’d take it, because I’m confident in my skills, and I know what leadership really requires.”
For Padilla, finishing his degree is just the next step. He is already thinking about returning to school for an MBA, particularly in project management.
