Chicago public servant Brian Mueller went from digging water lines to leading the team that keeps the city running—and he did it while earning two WGU degrees late at night after his kids went to bed. He shares how a career-altering injury pushed him toward education, how competency-based learning fit a union schedule, and how real-world field experience became the backbone of his leadership style.

Brian’s journey is proof that late-career pivots are possible: 50% higher pay, greater impact, and sons who watched him cross the stage twice. If you’re thinking about your own “not too late” moment, this episode will give you the questions, habits, and mindset to start.

Michelle Mills joins us to share how she finished her WGU degree while living in an RV during deployments—and how that experience fueled her mission to fix underemployment for military spouses and veterans. She talks about building a firm that uses location-agnostic, role-based compensation, tripling pay for military-connected talent, and how returning to school helped her rebuild confidence, identity, and direction.

WGU Senior Director of Alumni Engagement Robert Sullivan joins the alumni podcast to explore what happens after graduation—how a WGU degree becomes real momentum through lifelong career support, community, and connection. He walks us through the services alumni can tap into at any stage, from resume reviews and interview prep to region-based events and local networks that help graduates stay relevant in a changing job market.

Robert also pulls back the curtain on WGU’s AI-powered Ask-a-Grad tool, which gives learners and alumni fast, practical insights from people who’ve walked the same path. He shares why commencement remains such a powerful milestone, how community shapes resilience, and what it means to build an alumni ecosystem that supports every learner for life. His perspective is a reminder that the WGU journey doesn’t end at graduation—it expands.