“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.”

In 2022, the four sisters embarked on an educational journey together, setting out to be the first in their family to earn college degrees. Fast forward two years, and they can proudly say they are members of Purdue Global’s Class of 2024.

The Minaise sisters started pursuing bachelor’s degrees in the Purdue Global School of Business and Information Technology at the same time. While Cynthia, Mary-McNeil, and MargaretEllen pursued business degrees, Jessica looked to obtain a degree in finance.

Thanks to the work of some Purdue Global staff, the sisters were allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies together even though they didn’t all finish at the same time—a cherished memory for such a close-knit family.

“I am very proud of what we have accomplished in earning these degrees,” Mary-McNeil says. “The workload was manageable, and while not always easy, it pushed us and taught us what it takes to excel.”

The Minaise sisters grew up participating in all aspects of their family’s business, SignCraft Premier Identity Solutions.

An architectural sign, lighting, and awning company, SignCraft was launched in 2004 by their father, Elias, as a real-estate signposting company. It expanded over time and is a true family business—both parents and all 12 siblings work there to this day.

In fact, it was their parents who recommended Purdue Global as the next step in the sisters’ educational journeys. As Purdue’s online university for working adults, Purdue Global offered a flexibility that allowed them to study and still work at the same time.

“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 wanted to pursue,” Mary-McNeil says. “Purdue Global checked all those boxes.”

The decision to attend Purdue Global together was not only a way to grow the family business but also a way to support each other through the adventure of college studies.

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

In addition to graduating together, all four sisters cherished the opportunity to study in London for a week in March 2024, which allowed them to gain knowledge and appreciation for the world outside their own community.

 “Participating in the education-abroad trip provided us with exclusive access to information and experiences that we would not have had otherwise,” Cynthia said. “The trip provided a great opportunity to interact firsthand and apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. It was truly enriching.”

As they continue to apply their knowledge to the family business, the sisters are excited for what the future holds—both professionally and as a family.

“I have already begun applying my newly acquired knowledge to my responsibilities within the company,” MargaretEllen said. “It has been pretty incredible to take the skills and concepts that we learned and apply them in real time. In retrospect, I am even more grateful for my professors and their insistence that we think through the process until we can ask good questions and recognize right answers. Golden!”

Jessica says she found value in the learning process at Purdue Global and the practical application of her studies, now applying everything she learned to her role on the financial side of the family business.

“We all agree Purdue Global challenged us and better equipped us for real-world challenges and the hurdles of business management, while also inspiring us to go forth and do,” Jessica says. “One thing pursuing a degree at Purdue Global especially taught me was the art of time management. I wasn’t just doing college, or just working, or just learning to manage life. I was into all of it and had all of it to manage. Purdue Global’s accessibility allowed me to learn how to make it all a cohesive whole.”

For the Minaise sisters, their Purdue Global journey exemplifies the power of collective determination, family support, and a commitment to lifelong learning. As first-generation college students, the siblings feel like they are not only achieving academic success but also paving the way for future generations.

“I appreciated the resources and flexibility Purdue Global provided for studying while working full time and participating in family life—everyone was incredibly supportive and committed 100% to seeing my sisters and me through the process,” Cynthia says. “It’s definitely been a family project. 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.”