Online degree makes dream of college possible for Miami grad who serves in U.S. Army
Life as a future business owner now seems within reach
Online degree makes dream of college possible for Miami grad who serves in U.S. Army
As an active-duty member of the U.S. Army based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Ganga Adhikari has plenty of responsibilities to keep her busy. On top of her Army career, she graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in Digital Commerce at Miami University via online learning.
Her degree is the culmination of years of planning and working toward a goal of completing her college education. She came to the U.S. from Nepal with her family in 2009 and graduated from high school in Texas in 2013. Her family moved to Ohio in 2022 to be near relatives.
Like many young people, Adhikari had trouble deciding what type of career to pursue. She had taken some college classes before moving to the Cincinnati area but did not continue because she was still uncertain about her goal. Her sister had attended Miami, which gave Adhikari some familiarity with the university.
In 2023, Adhikari joined the Army because she had a desire to serve, and she knew the benefits of military service could also help her with her education and career goals through the GI Bill.
With her new life in the Army, she knew she’d need a college experience that offered her support and flexibility. Miami’s Digital Commerce program sparked her interest in business and the possibility of becoming an independent business owner, and the program’s online learning option meant flexibility with her Army commitments.
“With military responsibilities and unpredictable timing, I needed a program that would allow me to continue my education without feeling overwhelmed or forced to choose between service and school,” she said. “I have always been fascinated by the business world, especially how businesses grow, adapt, and succeed in a digital environment, which made Digital Commerce feel like a natural fit for me.”
Due to her unique schedule that includes monthslong deployments, Adhikari said her academic life posed challenges.
“Sometimes I needed flexibility to complete assignments because of my deployments,” she said. “My professors were willing to do that. It made me feel like they really cared.”
Adhikari said her dream is to someday launch her own real estate leasing business. She hopes to start small and eventually work her way up to owning multiple properties.
“The (Digital Commerce) major blends business, technology, and creativity in a way that feels practical and relevant to today’s world, giving me skills I know I can actually use,” Adhikari said.
In January, Adhikari started working on her master’s degree in business administration at Franklin University. She said Miami helped her reach her ultimate education goals by making a bachelor’s degree fit with her unique lifestyle.
“I felt like the university understood students balancing real-life responsibilities,” she added. “During a time when so much felt uncertain because of Army timing, Miami gave me stability and confidence that I could keep moving forward academically while still honoring my commitments, which made this choice feel right both professionally and emotionally.”
