College was formative for Steve Benelli — socially and artistically.
So, when finances forced Benelli to leave the 51Ƶ with his bachelor’s degree unfinished in 2003, he went to work and he made the best of it, but he never gave up on the idea of college.
“I kind of always had that chip on my shoulder that I needed to go back and finish,” says Benelli. “But I just never had the money or the time.” 
Then, in early 2020, his unfinished degree became a major obstacle. Benelli suddenly faced unemployment and a crushing job search.
“I was applying for all sorts of stuff and getting passed over for positions I was qualified for by experience and knowledge because I didn’t have a degree,” says Benelli.
As frustrating as the job search was for Benelli, he saw an opportunity to finish his bachelor’s degree at last.
By enrolling in the Bachelor of General Studies online through the CompeteLA program, Benelli was able to formalize his professional qualifications and give his 22-year-old self the resolution he’d been missing.
Finding a Better Fit
Benelli was nervous initially about re-enrolling.
“I’d been out of school for so long, like 17 years,” and he had no online learning experience.
Soon, Benelli found the structure of online classes suited him better than on-campus classes had.
“I felt like, if on a particular night I couldn’t focus on something, I could set it down and come back later,” says Benelli.
Compared with his memories of in-person classes when he had struggled to focus, the flexibility of online learning was a huge help.
“Also, taking two or three classes at a time online versus five or six on-campus made a difference,” he says.
Benelli started a new job and his first semester of online classes around the same time, but it did not change his resolve to finish his degree.
Not only was he still committed to the peace of mind he would have as a graduate at last, but his new position and schedule were easier to work around.
“It’s a steady schedule so I could set aside a couple nights a week and once I got home just hammer out schoolwork,” he says.
Engaging Both Sides of the Brain
Benelli built his career in retail, but the performing arts are where his interests and passion projects live, which traces back to his original undergraduate experience.
His college roommate, Zach Walls, introduced Benelli to improv in the process of co-founding the Cult of the Stage Monkey improvisational theater troupe.
“Zach was bored, and he wanted to start an improv troupe,” remembers Benelli. “He asked me one night, ‘Hey Steve, do you want to join an improv troupe?’ and my answer was ‘What’s an improv troupe?’”
Since the Cult of the Stage Monkey, Benelli has continued performing improv, performed in local theater, and plays in two bands, Whiskey Bay Rovers and The Acoustapunks.
Completing his General Studies degree with an Arts and Humanities concentration made for a satisfying juxtaposition for Benelli.
Professionally, he was earning his bachelor’s degree to secure access to career opportunities. Personally, he got to explore classes in subjects such as film history, philosophy, and political science.
In his last semester, a social media communications class proved particularly useful for Benelli.
“It’s pretty interesting understanding how social media works and how to optimize reach,” he says. “I have been taking notes on techniques and whatnot that I’m going to use for publicity for my bands or improv groups.”
Preparing For the Big Finish
As Commencement approached, Benelli felt years of emotions stir up to the surface and feed his desire to celebrate this once-delayed accomplishment.
In his cheering section were his wife and son, family visiting from out of town, and old roommate and improv mentor, Zach Walls, in from Washington, D.C.
He and Benelli have stayed in touch since their dorm days, and it was a perfect flourish to have his old roommate cheering him on at graduation.
“I got kind of emotional,” says Benelli. “After 25 years, I’m walking across that stage.”