MC Spotlight: Heather (Sanders) Luckett

Metropolitan College alumna, Heather (Sanders) Luckett, graduated from Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville, KY. Like many Metropolitan College participants, Luckett needed financial help to pay for college. “Because of the UPS/Metropolitan College program, I was the first person in my family to graduate with a [bachelor] degree,” said Luckett.

Luckett’s shared that her father did not graduate from high school, but received his GED. Her mother went to college but stopped attending because it got too expensive. “I didn't want money to be the reason that I would not have a college degree,” said Luckett.

Luckett attended the University of Louisville and worked third shift as a part-time package handler at UPS Worldport in Louisville, KY to qualify for the company’s tuition benefit. Luckett later worked in management at UPS and had the opportunity to lead a great number of people in the small sort areas.

In December 2014, Luckett graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Today, Luckett works as a health claims auditor for The Rawlings Company (LaGrange, KY), a recovery services for health insurance company clients, and has been with the company for the past three years. “I wanted to find a job that paid well, continued to challenge me, and allowed me to have quality time with my family and friends. I found this in The Rawlings Company,” remarked Luckett. In the next five years, Luckett hopes to advance at her current company.

In the meantime, Luckett has decided to volunteer for the Metropolitan College Online Career Guide Program, a new initiative and online mentoring program, which connects current students and recent graduates with experienced professionals for career advice and one-time feedback in one or more of the following areas: resume review, LinkedIn Profile review, or online career portfolio review. Luckett is excited to give back to the Metropolitan College program through volunteering her time to network with and help students navigate the professional world.

“I am proud to have once worked at UPS,” recalls Luckett. “It's amazing the connections you easily make when you meet someone that has also worked there!”

Luckett concluded the interview by sharing that she met her husband through the UPS/Metropolitan College program. “We met in the new hire class at UPS right after high school graduation,” said Luckett. Luckett and her husband, Sean Luckett, an alumnus of the UPS/Metropolitan College program, both graduated together from the University of Louisville (see photo below) and got married a few months later. Now both work at The Rawlings Company and they have an 18-month old son.

Learn more about Heather (Sanders) Luckett’s Metropolitan College experience and career advice in this Q&A.

Q: How has your degree or credential shaped your career or supported your success? How have you applied it to your field?

Surprisingly I have used the knowledge from my degree significantly in the field that I work in in a variety of ways. I deal with a lot of customer service and a lot of medical terminology/knowledge. In the customer service aspect, I use what I have learned in the field of psychology when I deal with the people that I work with, whether it be a co-worker or a customer. By understanding the way someone's mind works, it makes it a lot easier to relate to them in a more meaningful way. In my field I am also dealing with a lot of medical terminology and the health care industry. Using the knowledge that I have gained through the health science classes in my degree, it has helped me assess my cases in a more understanding way of what the situation is for our members.

Q: What professional skills and qualities do you find to be most valuable in the workplace and why?

Customer service and efficiency. You have to have good customer service to get the business and you have to work efficiently to keep that business satisfied.

Q: What is the best career advice that you ever received?

You can always make more money; you can never get more time so use your time wisely.

Q: What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your field?

In any field you go into, I feel that it is important to always be yourself. People can sense when you are not being authentic and it's not going to get you to a place that you want to be.

Q: What were your biggest challenge as a MC participant? What contributed to your success with balancing academic, work, and personal life?

I feel like my biggest challenge with the Metro College program was balancing sleep and extra-curricular with my classes. Working at nights, being forced to sleep during the day, doesn't allow you a lot of time to interact with the world when the rest of the world is awake. However, with my faith and the determination I had to be the first person in my family to receive a college degree, I was able to push myself to finish!

Q: What advice do you have for incoming MC participants who want to make the most out of the program?

Prioritize your time!! Make sure that you make time for what's important to you to meet your goals. Know your limits. Don't take on more than you know you should handle. It's all about how you spend your time!

Q: What is your favorite quote/life motto?

There are four ways God answers prayer: 1) No, not yet. 2) No, I love you too much. 3) Yes, I thought you would never ask. 4) Yes, and here's more... ~ Anne Lewis

---

We are proud of our current students and alumni and their incredible accomplishments! The MC Spotlight is a way for us to highlight the amazing things our current students and alumni are doing. As you read their stories, you will learn how their Metropolitan College experiences helped to shape their futures and influence their careers.

We are always on the lookout for inspiring MC Spotlight stories. If you or someone you know is interested in sharing a story with us, contact us at askmetro@kctcs.edu.

Note: At Metropolitan College, we consider our alumni anyone who has ever completed coursework and received tuition benefits with us.