Jill L. Ferguson ’92 is an award-winning writer, editor, public speaker, consultant, educator and business owner.
What impact did La Roche have on you as a person?
La Roche provided me a space to learn about myself and my likes and dislikes. It also showed me that I had a unique perspective on the world through the unusual way I approached some assignments, such as in the Intro to Visual Literacy course.
Why would you recommend La Roche to a prospective student?
La Roche provides a close community. The faculty care so much about the students, and the education is first-rate.
Why did you choose La Roche?
I spent my first two years of college at other schools. On the final day of my sophomore year my grandfather woke up paralyzed from the chest down. He and my grandmother lived in West Deer Township and my grandmother didn't drive. I volunteered to transfer to a college close to them to help care for my grandfather and to drive my grandmother. That’s how I ended up at La Roche. My previous institutions were also faith-based so I figured the transfer would be smooth and similar to where I had come from.
What does your job entail?
I've been a serial entrepreneur since age 18. I currently own multiple businesses, including Women's Wellness Weekends, an assessment and accreditation in higher education consulting business, a coaching business to help others succeed in their writing or business endeavors.
I also write books and articles. In August Routledge published my eighth book entitled Creating a Freelance Career.
How did La Roche prepare you for this position?
La Roche encouraged me to work hard, take chances, learn from failure and to understand the power of social networking.
How did a degree from La Roche help you advance your career?
It was the stepping stone on the way to my master's degree and the doctoral program I was in, that enabled me to be a professor and higher education administrator from January 2000 until November 2012, before I went back to full-time self-employment.
Are you involved in any volunteer service projects now?
I have acted in a volunteer consulting capacity over the years. This past year I helped nonprofits establish themselves by assisting in the creation of their mission and vision statements, their bylaws and structuring their boards.
What advice do you have for our students?
Use LinkedIn, FLexJobs, Indeed, and all the other web resources to learn as much as you can about your chosen field. See every interaction with people as a networking opportunity. You never know where your job will come from or what it may look like. And you may talk to someone who knows someone who will make the introduction.
What are you most proud of when you look back on your La Roche experience?
The relationships I forged with Sister Rita Yeasted and others.
Please describe an experience with a faculty or staff member who made a strong, positive impact on you:
Sister Rita had a great impact on my writing and that's why I started the Sister Rita Yeasted Scholarship in 2000. I created the scholarship to honor her and to celebrate students who were studying English, communications or writing.
Advice to pass along to readers:
Wake up each day full of gratitude and look expectantly to where the day may take you. Each day is a gift.