Adrienne Long, M.A., was rolling along successfully in a 16-year banking career she began straight out of college, complete with a long line of promotions and plenty of growth opportunities.
Long enjoyed her job as a project manager for a top national bank and recalled, “I was searching for something but not knowing specifically what it was; but I knew that it was to continue my education.” She began the enrollment process in a master’s degree at a different university but kept delaying the start because she sensed it was not the right fit.
In what she calls a “destiny moment,” she was introduced to North Central University through Jakes Divinity School. “After immersing in the program at NCU, I just kind of fell in love! I now have lifelong connections and friendships I attribute to North Central University, as well as the maturity of really understanding my purpose and my fit.” She said the process of “leaning into the Holy Spirit and saying ‘yes’” led her to the place that was a perfect fit. Long earned her Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership (MASL) with a concentration in Business Administration Leadership in May 2021.
Excelling in scholarship
Through her course of study for the MASL, Long was challenged and stretched academically. Her master’s degree thesis, which will soon be published, was “Followership Enablement of Toxic Leadership and Mitigation Strategies.” The program’s flexibility allowed her to pursue her research through the lens of followership. “Through my career in corporate America,” Long observed, “I have unfortunately been exposed to many toxic environments. And through the course of such exposure and the hurt that comes with toxic leadership, I wanted to explore the question: how can I eradicate toxic leadership behaviors as a follower?”
Energized by her studies and the opportunity to expand her thinking through challenging academic research, Long has subsequently enrolled in an Organizational Leadership doctoral program. “The more I went through the process [at NCU], I knew that I wanted to continue this learning journey—not for the sake of education only but because leadership is a passion of mine.
“There are not enough Christian leadership dynamics exemplified in the everyday marketplace. So I’m continuing my educational journey to be a leader in infusing those principles in the marketplace.”
Support for success
Beyond the academic growth, what stood out for Long during her master’s program was the incredible level of support she received along the way from her peers, faculty, and staff. “The people at North Central make North Central University so special,” Long said. “From support staff to professors, there is such a purity of love for the students! They’re not just concerned about us understanding the course objectives, but they really are concerned with the holistic wellbeing of the individual.”
Going through the majority of her program after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional challenges and brought students together in a unique way. Long and her classmates were all going through the program online and lived across several states, but they had committed to one another at the outset of the program that “no one gets left behind.” As her classmates walked through the stress of personal or family illness, they would check in on one another to make sure they were staying on track with their coursework and offering prayer support. “That doesn’t typically happen at a traditional university,” Long said.
To recognize Long’s academic excellence and her positive influence on the culture of the graduate program, she was selected as the 2021 Outstanding MASL Graduate by NCU’s College of Graduate and Professional Education.
Advancement and encouragement
As she moved into her doctoral studies, Long also received an opportunity to serve as a vice president in Global Human Resources at her company and is also serving as an adjunct instructor in NCU’s undergraduate program. She is not daunted by all that is on her plate and is grateful for the doors of opportunity opened through her graduate studies at NCU through Jakes Divinity School.
Long is effusive in her praise for the MASL program and said she would encourage anyone feeling that “nudge” to pursue advanced education.
“Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Long said, “and have faith to know that if this is a desire that’s God-ordained, you’re going to get the support you need for you to be successful in the program. Do not discount going back because you think you can’t afford it, because God will make a way. Do not discount continuing your education because you feel as if you don’t have the capacity, because your professors and peers will help you throughout the process.
“It may start out daunting, but it will ease as you mature through the program. Don’t let anything stop you if you know this is what you need to do, because help is always on the way.”
