How one mom of three manages college and family life
How one mom of three manages college and family life
Mattie Dieken’s day starts a little earlier than her classes. As the campus of the University of Northern Iowa begins to stir, Dieken is already in the Curris Business Building, checking her email and preparing for her first class. It seems like a typical day for a college student, but Dieken's story is anything but ordinary.
On top of managing a full-time course load, Dieken is a mother of three, with two children under the age of four, whom she raises with her husband, Jon. This unique balancing act defines her journey as a non-traditional student at the Wilson College of Business.
At UNI, you are an individual, a person,” Dieken said. “Everyone wants you to succeed.
Dieken, a Waterloo native, graduated high school in 2006 and pursued degrees in English Literature and American Sign Language. Her career began in the service industry, where she worked as a server and restaurant manager. In 2015, she welcomed her first child. Later, she transitioned to an office assistant role at a local engineering firm and also worked as a customer service representative at Powers Manufacturing, a local textile manufacturer. During this time, she started taking online business classes through DMACC, showcasing her drive for continuous learning and professional growth.
There, she learned about manufacturing, business, logistics and operations. Dieken found a mentor, who helped her learn and grow at the company. Eventually, Dieken made it to the production planning division, organizing logistics and operations at the local plant and abroad in the Dominican Republic and El Salvador.
"All the pieces of the manufacturing and business puzzle were laid out in a way I’d never seen before,” Dieken said. “That experience just opened up to the breadth of scope that was involved in that industry.”
Dieken wanted more. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit the company hard and her second child came in June 2021, Dieken decided it was time to go back to school and earn a business degree. UNI was the No. 1 choice, not only because it was local, but because of the renowned business school, which she researched extensively online. She chose supply chain management as her major and started in the fall of 2021.
Today, Dieken, who will graduate in summer 2024, calls it one of the best decisions she’s ever made.
The thing I love the most is the core competencies courses like accounting, marketing, operations, human resources and more. You gain so much education from those courses that you’ll be able to utilize in any position you get in the future.
Faculty have been accommodating as well, helping Dieken balance schoolwork, family life and sometimes-tough personal circumstances.
Dieken's second child was in and out of the hospital several times during first few months of life. In one instance, during an exam, Dieken explained she needed access to her phone in case her husband called with updates. She didn’t perform well on the test, but the professor noted her story, then offered extra credit opportunities to the entire class. That way, the points were fair for everyone and Dieken could make up some ground during a trying time.
“it meant a lot to me because it provided me an opportunity to illustrate my own knowledge of the course, while allowing the same chance for my classmates,” Dieken said.
Without the Wilson College of Business, Dieken said she doesn’t know where she’d be. She credits the school for helping her learn, grow and even just making it through the program.
“The faculty just help you see your potential and help you understand the importance of lifelong learning,” Dieken said. “That is valuable for anyone of any age.”
