Originally published in The Tennessean, January 2024

If you'd told me at my high school graduation that I'd be starting my career in the corporate world in just two years - with confidence - I would have doubted you.

I recently graduated college and started my full-time job as an associate software engineer at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and I've been thinking back on my whole journey through the BlueSky Tennessee Institute. It hit me that it wasn't just about getting an education. It was about preparing for the challenges and opportunities ahead, not just in the corporate world, but in life too.

When I first heard about BlueSky, I was skeptical.

And I wasn't alone in thinking it was too good to be true. BlueSky is an accelerated degree program created by BlueCross in collaboration with East Tennessee State University. It was hard to imagine a better opportunity than gaining a bachelor's degree and a job offer at a reputable company - without any debt - in just 27 months.

I already had an interest in computer science and planned to apply to East Tennessee State University, so for me, BlueSky made sense. But I didn't have the best experience with learning a lot in my computer science class in high school, so I still went into BlueSky with a grain-of-salt mentality.

I remember my first day vividly, walking through the sliding glass doors of the BlueCross headquarters in Chattanooga where I'd spend the next two years. It certainly didn't look like a college campus, but it quickly felt like one.

I didn't expect to make friends, and I told myself I was going to sit down, listen to the lecture, and then get everything done as fast as possible. But the BlueSky staff were there smiling, just as ready to take a bet on me as I was on them. And I was surprised when my experience grew into something much more rewarding than I ever anticipated.

First, the mentorship we received through BlueSky proved to be a game-changer with BlueCross leaders boosting my skills and confidence and making it easier to connect with peers, future co-workers and professors.

BlueSky also showed me that a corporate workplace isn't just about following orders.

It's about building relationships and understanding different team dynamics. My BlueSky internships within BlueCross gave me a front-row seat to real-time challenges, which allowed me to apply what I learned in the classroom to real life, in real time.

Managing my time effectively became essential as I juggled intense workloads and project deadlines. The rigorous demands of my projects and internships on a condensed academic calendar taught me perseverance and grace under pressure, especially during tough times like finals week. This experience highlighted the importance of communication and the support system I had at BlueSky.

Reflecting on how I made it through many intense times helps me to know how much I'm truly capable of and I can now take those lessons into my professional life.

The connections I gained from BlueSky showed me that we all struggle in our own way, especially outside of the workplace. That's universal. For me, it was losing my mom on my sister's birthday. After everything we'd been through coming here from Guinea when I was a child, it felt like a huge blow at the time.

But our struggles don't have to define us. The support I received from everyone around me was crucial to moving forward, which was important for me to acknowledge.

My journey through BlueSky taught me that resilience is not just about enduring hardships but also about recognizing and cherishing the support systems that help us navigate through them.

It's a testament to the power of gratitude and the significance of expressing appreciation to those who matter the most.

In celebrating my graduation and new career, I'm not just marking the end of a chapter but also honoring the collective strength and support that has brought me to this point and beyond.

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