Finding Balance: Brittany Leibenguth’s Path to Graduation at Empire State University

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — May 27, 2025) For students with children, juggling classes alongside the demands of parenting can be tricky. Such was the case for Brittany Leibenguth, a Navy veteran and mother of two who has been working toward a B.S. in business administration at Empire State University.  

“Having a [7-year-old daughter], sometimes my attention can get pulled at the drop of a hat,” says Leibenguth, who also has a 22-year-old son. “At first, it was hard for me to get pulled away from schoolwork and try to refocus and come back.” 

Her solution? Completing assignments in tandem with her 7-year-old.   

“She was given homework for the first time this year, so we would sit at the table together and she would work on her homework packet while I would work on my assignments. We would encourage each other to give it our best efforts and not let the exhaustion from the day get to us before we completed our tasks,” Leibenguth explains. “Some nights when she didn’t have actual homework from school, she would ask me to just make up things for her to do so we could still do it together.” 

Now, as the spring semester comes to an end, it’s safe to say Leibenguth’s efforts have paid off: The Macedon resident has just finished her degree and will attend the university’s Rochester commencement ceremony on May 29.  

For Leibenguth, who currently holds an associate degree in medical administration, the walk across the graduation stage has been more than two years in the making. She began her bachelor’s coursework at Monroe Community College and Roberts Wesleyan University before ultimately enrolling at SUNY Empire last summer. 

“[I] have been so grateful with how easy the school made it for me to jump back in and complete the degree.” says Leibenguth, who has been working full-time as a practice coordinator for Rochester Regional Health while attending classes. “My goal is to become a practice manager in the near future and, ideally, a VP down the road. My degree has given me the tools to be an effective leader in these roles by allowing me to gain knowledge of HR requirements, strategic leadership, and business management. I think with the skills I have gained from the degree program, I am prepared to handle the difficulties of a leadership position.” 

After graduation, Leibenguth plans to continue her education at SUNY Empire, where she’s just been accepted as a graduate student in the MBA program.  

For now, though, Leibenguth can enjoy what she says have been the most rewarding parts of her experience at the university: “the feeling of accomplishment and the pride that was shining on my daughter’s face when I told her I graduated.”