Minaise sisters on the journey of a lifetime, together at Purdue Global

Oregon sisters drawing support from large family, each other as they work their way toward Purdue Global degrees

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — “There’s 12 of us. We have three older siblings and five younger ones.”

Those are the words of sisters Cynthia, Jessica, MargaretEllen and Mary-McNeil Minaise as they talk about living, working and taking college courses through Purdue Global together from their home in Oregon.

“Most of us were born and raised in Oregon,” Cynthia says. “Our father is Lebanese, born in Nigeria. Our mother is American. They met and married in Niger and eventually came here to Roseburg, Oregon, from West Africa about 30 years ago. And this lovely little burg is where we’ve spent our whole lives.”

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A businessperson by trade, Elias Minaise, a first-generation American, brought his family to the U.S. for new opportunities. He opened a business, SignCraft, in 2004, originally as a real estate signposting company. Over time the business, SignCraft Premier Identity Solutions Inc., has expanded into a general electrical construction company specializing in outdoor advertising, including designing, manufacturing and installing monument and pylon signs, franchise signage and more. The company embodies the definition of a family business, where Elias, his wife and all 12 children work alongside each other.

The decision by Cynthia, Jessica, MargaretEllen and Mary-McNeil to attend Purdue Global together is a way to not only grow the family business but also support each other through the adventure of college studies.

Gaining experience and a degree
Growing up in western Oregon, the Minaise sisters were educated at home, where their education was more focused on the arts, history, music and literature. In addition, they participated in all aspects of the family business. In 2020 the sisters decided to pursue higher education, becoming the first in the family to attend college.

“It was right when the pandemic happened, and we were not working as much, and there wasn’t a lot going on,” Mary-McNeil says. “We decided to start looking into furthering our education and collecting credits.”

“It was kind of a furtherance of the business,” Cynthia says. “We all work in the company in executive positions, so we wanted to take the next steps in our studies and expand our skill set.”

Before enrolling at Purdue Global, the sisters started with another online college program where they were able to earn their associate college credits in science, English and math. While there, their academic advisor recommended a Bachelor of Science in business. He suggested such a degree would better position their careers and further their educational goals.

“We started to collect our credits for college to establish a basis before we went on to see where we actually want to end up,” Jessica says. “So we did all the general education courses to obtain those basic credits while getting more accustomed to a stylized curriculum and online, college-structured studies.”

Their parents recommended Purdue Global to the sisters as the next step in their educational journey. As Purdue’s online university for working adults, Purdue Global offered a flexibility that allowed the sisters to study and still work at the same time.

“But, more essentially, Purdue Global was recommended because of the academic caliber of the degree we could receive,” Jessica continues.

The family recognized Purdue Global’s program as a perfect fit for them, especially with a rigorous curriculum tailored to their aspirations.

“We did a lot of research and had a lot of discussions, looking at our options for working adults and what schools had to offer in terms of prestige and the degrees we want to pursue, and Purdue Global checked all those boxes,” Mary-McNeil says.

Sisters collaborate, rise to the challenges

Having embarked on their Purdue Global journey together in the fall of 2022, all four sisters are working toward Bachelor of Science degrees in the School of Business and Information Technology. Cynthia, Mary-McNeil and MargaretEllen are pursuing business degrees, while Jessica looks to obtain a degree in finance.

Now, more than a year into it, all four sisters have thoughts on how the experience has been so far. They all agree that the courses are both challenging and stimulating as their studies help push them to their career goals.

The Minaise family of Roseburg, Oregon. (Photo provided by the Minaise family) Download image

The sisters recognize how fortunate they are to have each other in this journey together, noting that taking some of the same courses has helped them each stay on track and provide some encouragement for one another along the way.

“It’s been a privilege to be able to do this together and have the support of our family and each other. We’ve been able to take a couple of classes together too, so discussions become a whole family exchange,” Cynthia says.

The siblings expressed their appreciation for the Ethics in Law course, highlighting professor John Berube’s impactful teaching. The course, combining ethics and business, brought a perspective to their studies, making it a memorable and enjoyable learning experience.

“It was probably our favorite course,” MargaretEllen said. “Challenging, but very interesting, and Professor Berube was amazing.”

Paving the road for the future
This March, the sisters will journey to London, where they will spend a week as part of their cultural intelligence coursework in the School of Business and Information Technology. During this trip, they will have the opportunity to tour some of London’s most vibrant business hubs, including West End shops, Silicon Roundabout and Tech City, in addition to more attractions like Kensington Palace and Westminster Abbey.

“In this course we will be investigating the intercultural skills necessary to relate and work effectively in a globally oriented context,” MargaretEllen says. “We will be studying cultural values and norms, navigating cultural adaptation experiences, and learning to communicate effectively across cultures.”

Calling this education abroad trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the sisters say they are excited about the itinerary for the entire course, as it allows them to visit and experience businesses that have been around since the 16th and 17th centuries.

“We have the chance to explore a new country, immerse ourselves in a different culture, and gain valuable academic and personal experiences,” Jessica says. “The university has been amazing in making it possible for the four of us to have this experience together, and we are really grateful for all their help and encouragement.”

“This opportunity will be a memorable experience, and an investment in our degree work that will enhance our perspectives, plus we will have the added benefit of doing it with each other,” Mary-McNeil adds.

In all, six Minaise siblings are attending college. A younger sister is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Pepperdine University, and a younger brother is just completing his electrical journeyman apprenticeship and will be going on to acquire his signing supervisor’s/master electrician license and apply to the Oregon Institute of Technology for his degree. Having all these siblings pursuing higher education and sharing the Purdue Global experience with some of them, is a privilege, and they do their collective best to cheer the others on, the Minaise sisters agree.

Cynthia, Mary-McNeil and Jessica all plan to graduate in summer 2024, while MargaretEllen is on track to graduate in November 2024.

Their educational journey at Purdue Global exemplifies the power of collective determination, family support and a commitment to lifelong learning. As first-generation college students, the siblings are not only achieving academic success but also paving the way for future generations. Their story is a testament to the transformative impact of education and the unwavering support found within a close-knit family.

“It’s definitely been a family project,” Cynthia says. “It’s totally our parents’ and each other’s encouragement and support that has helped us get to this point. To do this together has been a tremendous experience.”

Writer: Adam Bartels, adam.bartels@purdueglobal.edu

Sources: Cynthia Minaise, Jessica Minaise, MargaretEllen Minaise, Mary-McNeil Minaise