Balancing act: Joy Riley has taken a non-traditional path to multiple degrees

Most people would struggle to balance a full-time job, college coursework and raising a young child. Jocelyn "Joy" Riley managed all three while earning a bachelor's degree from Western Carolina University and an associate degree from Central Piedmont Community College at the same time. 

Now, the working mother is back in the classroom pursuing a second associate degree, proving that determination and flexibility can turn even the busiest season of life into an opportunity for growth.

Originally from Atlanta, Joy began college in the traditional way at an institution in Georgia after she graduated from high school.

“I was a kid and I just wanted to kind of do my own thing,” she said. “I did not take anything serious, but as you grow up and time goes by, I said I want to finish my education. I made that a priority.”

She moved to the Charlotte area in 2014 when she got a job as a flight attendant and worked in the sky for six years. However, when the COVID pandemic deeply affected the airline industry, she decided it was time to do something different. She started as a bank teller and ultimately discovered an unexpected passion for fraud-related work.

"The research aspects of looking into people's transaction history, account habits and detecting fraud were really exciting for me,” Joy said.

With an interest in both finance and the legal system, it was around this time that she also decided to return to school.

“I went back to school in January 2022 and started taking classes at Central Piedmont later that year,” Joy said. “Western Carolina is a great university, but its distance-learning program didn’t offer everything I needed at the time. I began to take courses at Central Piedmont and loved it.”

As she neared her bachelor’s, supplemented by transferable Central Piedmont credits, she also learned from her Central Piedmont advisor that she was close to an associate degree. As a result, Joy earned both degrees concurrently in the spring of 2026, benefitting from the Reverse Transfer program. The program allows eligible students to combine credits from their university with those earned at Central Piedmont to complete an associate degree. 

To continue her education, Joy recently enrolled in the Paralegal Technology program at Central Piedmont. She hopes to eventually work in criminal law and focus on the research aspects of the profession. She comes by that interest naturally, with an attorney and judge in her family. 

The convenience and flexibility of Central Piedmont’s online system have helped Joy as she balances her job and the responsibilities of rearing a toddler. A Merancas Scholar, she has also worked closely with the Office of Financial Aid.

“The financial aid department will really work with you to try to find the best option to help you because they want you to succeed,” Joy said. “They want you to take your classes and get your degree and do whatever it is that you need to do.”

While Joy is undeniably driven, she also notes the importance of self-care. In fact, as a karaoke fan, she made time to go to karaoke nights once or twice a month to offset some of the pressure from school as she earned her first set of degrees.

In the future, she wants to stay connected to the Central Piedmont community through the Alumni Leadership Council and hopes her story can inspire others.

“I would like to take advantage of an opportunity to pay it forward, pass it on, because there are so many people in the same situation I am,” Joy said. “They have families; they're taking care of little ones while trying to log in to classes. I want to be part of something that encourages and inspires.”