For first-generation college student and recent graduate Tori Weems, enrolling at Mid-America Christian University in 2024 was partly a practical decision.
With the goal of pursuing a career where she could help others, Weems was planning to either become a teacher or go into the Peace Corps. Guided by her counselor at the Choctaw Nation career development center, she determined that MACU’s Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies program would help set her up for either career path. Just as importantly, the program’s online format would allow her to keep working and supporting herself while she earned her degree.
However, learning new career-oriented skills wasn’t the only thing on Weems’ mind.
“I was in a spot where I was deepening my faith,” she says. “Being with like-minded people seemed like it would help.”
Because she already held an associate degree in humanities, Weems was able to enroll in the program as a junior. But even though it didn’t take her long to earn her degree, her life and goals changed significantly along the way. Although one thing remained constant: No matter where she was heading, Weems felt equipped to thrive at MACU.
Turning New Skills Into New Opportunities
Students enrolled in MACU’s BS in Interdisciplinary Studies program typically choose two major areas of study. Given her goals, Weems went with education and psychology.
“I took stuff like cognitive psychology, educational psychology, foundations of literacy, instructional strategies, and personality development,” she says. “I also took classes that help with your career in general, like public speaking and managing teams. It felt pretty well rounded.”
Around the time she started at MACU, Weems began working for a substitute teaching agency, which eventually led to a long-term substitute position. Even though she was new to the field, her classes helped her start with confidence.
“I learned a lot about behavior management in class, but I had no experience in it when I was going into that job,” Weems says. “Learning it through my classes and being able to come in the next morning and actually have a classroom of kids to try it out on was helpful.”
Feeling Prepared for an Unexpected Change in Career Paths
Not long after completing her six-week substitute teaching assignment, Weems found work as a records clerk at her local police headquarters, a job she still holds. Despite the rigor of her new position, where she is responsible for releasing police reports that may contain sensitive information such as victim and witness details, she continued to take one-day substitute teaching jobs on her off days during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.
“I have to be able to understand what is and is not publicly releasable,” Weems says of her role, adding that she must have a firm grasp of regulations such as the Oklahoma Open Records Act. “Certain people with certain jobs get different information than the general public does, so it entails a lot of attention to detail.”
Since she began working in this position, Weems has fallen in love with the criminal justice field. Despite the unexpected pivot, she still finds herself able to use the skills she learned at MACU.
“At my job, I have to interact with a lot of different kinds of people,” she says. “Having a background in psychology and understanding where they might be coming from has been really helpful.”
Now Weems is planning to pursue a Master’s in Criminal Justice and hopes to move up within the police department, perhaps becoming a crime analyst or going into the training side of law enforcement. Though she has not taken teaching off the table. Either way, she feels ready.
“With the confidence I have from being able to finish my bachelor’s, and the support they gave me and the way they made it possible for me to do so, going into things, I feel a lot more equipped,” she says of MACU. “Because I’ve done this, I feel I can do anything.”
A Culture of Academic Support and Spiritual Growth
While Weems loved the flexibility that came from being able to complete MACU’s BS in Interdisciplinary Studies program online, she also appreciated that she still felt connected to and supported by her peers and instructors. Considering she often works eight 10-hour shifts in a row in her current role, that aspect of the program’s culture was vital to her success.
“I had three jobs for quite a while during my degree process,” she says. “Sometimes, that doesn’t really leave a lot of time to do assignments. I did have to reach out to my professors. But if I was communicative with them and let them know what was going on, they were very supportive.”
With the encouragement and assistance she received during her studies, Weems was able to not only balance work and school but also grow in her faith. In most of her classes, her instructors connected the curriculum to biblical principles.
“For example, in my stress management class, we have an assignment every week where we go through a specific portion of the Bible … and pick an applicable verse for stress management,” she says. “I’ve appreciated the opportunity to do that.”
Following in an Apostle’s Footsteps
Weems also had enough room in her schedule to take classes on the lives of Jesus and the apostle Paul. But what really tied it all together was a seven-day trip to Greece that traced Paul’s journey. Weems credits a MACU scholarship for making that trip possible for her.
“We went to Corinth, Thessaloniki, Philippi, Lydia, and all sorts of different places you can read about in the Bible,” Weems says. “We went from the very southern tip of Greece to the very north end. It was amazing.”
One of the moments that impacted her the most occurred during a visit to the jail cell where Paul and Silas were imprisoned.
“Dr. Justin Key did a speech there about how God won’t give you more than you can handle,” Weems says. “I was going through a lot at that moment and it was the most moving part for me.”
Between those formative experiences and her shift in career trajectories, Weems was often faced with the unexpected. But to her, that’s the beauty of her whole time at MACU and in her life in general. “Our plans are just kind of funny, you know? It’s not always going to go how we plan it to go,” she says, noting that, long term, she hopes to make a difference in her community.
For individuals who are considering pursuing a degree while also balancing other responsibilities, Weems advises they push themselves through the challenges and do the best they can. “It can feel like a really heavy load,” she says, “but it is really rewarding once you actually get the degree, for all the hard work that you’ve put in.”
Discover What’s in Store for You at MACU
With its customizable curriculum, the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies program at Mid-America Christian University is designed for students like Tori Weems whose goals don’t fit neatly into one specific discipline or who are still discerning their passion.
“I think the variety of programs they offered was really helpful,” Weems says of pursuing her bachelor’s at MACU. “I have definitely strengthened my communication skills, and a lot of the classes focus on leadership. Understanding how people develop and work differently than others, I’ve been able to apply more empathy to how I deal with people.”
Whether students choose to major in some combination of education, psychology, accounting, cybersecurity, marketing, healthcare management, or anything else, they have the support of MACU’s impassioned faculty along the way.
To find out more about Mid-America Christian University’s program formats, life experience credits, or anything else, reach out today.
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