Danessa Bredicean

Affordability

By Daniel P. Smith

Soon after earning her associate’s degree in criminal justice in 2018, Chicago area native Danessa Bredicean began her law enforcement career. Working with the public, including vulnerable populations, accelerated her longstanding interest in fostering healthier, more resilient lives. 

“As a police officer, you’re dealing with people’s emotions, often in charged environments, and those situations intensified my interest in how the mind works,” she says.  

Through her police department, Bredicean earned a specialized credential in dealing with mental health crises. It was a satisfying start, one enabling Bredicean to deliver calm amid stressful moments on the street. Yet, she hungered for deeper insights into the mind. Even more, she believed she could do more to improve the human condition. 

“I got into law enforcement because I wanted to help people, but I wasn’t doing that to the extent I thought I was capable,” Bredicean says. “It made me think harder about a career in medicine.” 

Enrolling at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) in early 2024 offered Bredicean a gateway to fulfill her lofty ambitions.  

In her first meeting with SCPS academic advisor, Uriel Robles, Bredicean defined her goals. She wanted to earn her bachelor’s degree in applied psychology, then an advanced degree before pursuing a career in medicine. Robles provided encouragement and guidance, laying out a concrete plan for Bredicean to pursue her objectives at SCPS while also connecting her to an academic advisor at Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine to understand potential post-SCPS endeavors.  

While Bredicean’s police department offered reimbursement for a limited number of classes, the volume of courses Bredicean intended to take each semester meant she would have to work overtime to cover all expenses. Bredicean grew concerned about how the added hours spent policing might impact her studies. 

When Bredicean received the SCPS Fellows Scholar Award, she gained much-needed relief. The largest scholarship offered at SCPS, the Fellows Program matches the contributions of a corporate tuition assistance program up to $5,250. 

“Having the Fellows Scholarship meant I wouldn’t need to burn myself out by working so much and could keep my focus on school,” Bredicean says.  

And focus she did. 

Every lecture, every reading, every assignment expanded Bredicean’s knowledge base and amplified her desire to learn more. Her self-confidence soared. 

“My time at Loyola has been one long, continuous journey of wanting to know more,” says Bredicean, who even powered through readings of ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle to investigate some of life’s most complex questions. 

SCPS faculty, she says, were welcoming and understanding. Recognizing her work schedule brought unpredictable hours and cancelled off-days, teachers were quick to answer questions and suggest workarounds, which allowed Bredicean to continue charging ahead.  

With Bredicean now on the cusp of graduation, Robles celebrates her devotion to being a “full and active participant in her educational journey” while balancing a demanding full-time job. 

“Danessa has consistently focused on learning, reflecting, and communicating her goals, which pushes everything forward,” Robles says. “Her high-level of preparedness and commitment is apparent in every interaction I’ve had with her since she arrived at Loyola.” 

Inspired by her SCPS experience, Bredicean stands ready to take her next steps toward a career in medicine. She has honed critical time management skills and embraced full responsibility for her academic performance. 

“I feel like SCPS has given me a ladder to reach my goals and they’re climbing along with me, encouraging me to keep moving up so I can achieve the dreams I have,” Bredicean says.