When April Hall walked across the stage at Athens State University in December 2024 to receive her Bachelors of Science in Management, she had no idea her life was about to change in a matter of days. Just one week later, she was offered the role of Finance Director for Morgan County Schools, a six-figure position that marked the beginning of what she calls her “retirement career.”
A lifelong resident of Eva, Alabama, Hall has been an entrepreneur since the age of 18. She managed and later owned her family’s restaurant, Bobby’s Fisherman’s Catch, before opening her own diner, Bobby’s Restaurant, in 2015. Even while running the business full-time, Hall found herself yearning for a new challenge.
When my youngest son graduated high school and started college, the house got so quiet,” she recalled. “I told my husband, ‘I think I’m going to go back to school.’ I wanted to work smarter, not harder, and find a career that wasn’t as physically demanding as the restaurant business.
Determined to finish her degree quickly, Hall took CLEP and DSST exams to accelerate her path and completed the equivalent of three years of coursework in just 18 months, all while continuing to operate Bobby’s. She credits Athens State’s fully online format and supportive faculty, especially her capstone professor, Dr. Jim Kerner, with making it possible to balance school, work, and family life.
Hall applied for the Finance Director role on a whim, discovering the posting just hours before it closed. After an interview with the superintendent and leadership team, she was offered the position the very same day. In her new role, she oversees the financial operations of the district, from multimillion-dollar capital projects to child nutrition budgets.
Every day is different,” she said. “It’s like being back in school times a hundred. I love that it’s never boring.
Reflecting on her journey, Hall sees her degree as more than just a credential. Hall shared that her grit and determination carried her where she is today but she can also now acknowledge the benefit of earning a degree and the doors it can open.
“Before, I would have said I didn’t need a piece of paper to prove what I could do,” she shared. “But now I see it shows employers you’ll finish what you start. It’s proof of commitment and perseverance.”
Hall also hopes her story inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter their stage of life. At first, she did not realize the potential impact she could make on other women in the workplace. She is now an advocate and inspiration for anyone looking to make a change. Hall shared that her honors of Highest Scholastic Achievement in the College of Business 2024-2025, and Outstanding Management Major Student of the Year are evidence that a new beginning can be just around the corner no matter where you are in life.
“It’s not too late to finish what you started or to find a new dream,” Hall said. “If you live long enough, you can have a whole bunch of different lives, and a whole bunch of different stories.”
More About the B.S. in Management
The BS in Management gives you an opportunity to pursue a variety of business fields, offering in-depth courses in accounting, finance, management, information systems, global business, production theory, and marketing. We’ll help you identify the specific area you enjoy most and give you the skills to build a career in that realm. Click HERE to learn more.