These alumni have found success in their respective career paths. Their La Salle journey helped build the foundation. 

As told to Meg Ryan

Where can a La Salle University degree take you? Anywhere. Just ask these six graduates.

La Salle Magazine spoke with six alumni who graduated within the last decade, with careers ranging from the financial sphere, to nursing and broadcasting. They represent all three of the University’s schools—the School of Business, School of Arts and Sciences, and School of Nursing and Health Sciences.

And, in their words, they explain what La Salle means to them. It’s where they earned a degree with one of the nation’s strongest returns on investment, according to a study from Georgetown University’s Center for Education and the Workforce. It’s also the institution that gave their careers a foundation. And they share advice for future La Salle grads.

Sierra S. Applegate, ’14

Today, she is an assistant city solicitor in the real estate and development unit of the City of Philadelphia Law Department. Previously, Sierra Applegate was an associate attorney at Kleinbard, LLC, in the business and finance department, as a member of the firm’s trusts and estates group. Her practice primarily focused on estate planning and estate administration, including drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare powers of attorney documents.

Prior to joining Kleinbard, she clerked in the Orphans’ Court Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas for the Honorable Sheila Woods-Skipper. While working as a law clerk, Applegate served as a volunteer attorney for Philadelphia VIP, representing tenants at eviction hearings in Municipal Court.

What led you to pursue a criminal justice degree from La Salle?
I am a Philadelphia native and I wanted to stay close to home. Also, I participated in a few summer enrichment programs when I was in high school, and I spent a summer at La Salle and loved it. I enjoyed the campus, the programming, and the culture.

How did your time at La Salle prepare you professionally?
While attending La Salle, I learned what it means to stay the course. There were so many distractions in college, but I had a vision and my colleagues and professors supported it. 

What does your day-to-day look like?
My unit serves as corporate, real estate, and transactional counsel to clients such as the Free Library, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Public Property. I spend my time working on transactional matters including reviewing and drafting leases, license agreements, deeds, grant agreements, and other agreements. I also research and analyze legal issues that involve real estate law. My favorite part of my work is the positive impact it has on the City of Philadelphia.

What advice would you give to current La Salle students?
Pursuing a legal career requires commitment and discipline. Be sure it is something you want to do. Intern at a law firm or legal organization. Only by working in the field will you know if it’s something you want to pursue.  

Ashley Fuller, ’19

Expanding her education and climbing professionally were always objectives for Fuller, who today maintains a leadership capacity as Accounting Principal at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia—one of one of the world’s largest and oldest children’s hospitals, and the first in the U.S. dedicated solely to the health care of children.

What led you to pursue a La Salle MBA?
I began working at La Salle as a junior accountant in the Office of Finance and Administration in 2016 and I learned about the amazing programs the University offered through the tuition exchange opportunity for eligible faculty and staff. I was eager to further my education.

How did your time at the University prepare you for your career path?
In many ways, actually. I was able to provide service to students as well as the departments around campus. My time at La Salle exposed me to many new environments and cultures and afforded me a degree that has allowed me to excel in my career. I couldn’t have gotten here without my career and education from La Salle University. I am grateful for my new leadership role and the impact La Salle has contributed to my career at CHOP. 

What does your day-to-day look like?
It involves performing month-end analysis for over 30 balance sheet accounts, implementing changes to current processes, and coordinating and streamlining month-close board summary packages, among other duties, as well as working with our accounting team to provide leadership and oversight to various internal and external projects. I enjoy being able to help support the mission of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I have so much determination, passion, and creativity, and during these incredibly challenging times, I am grateful for the opportunity to be an asset to my department and the entire hospital.

What advice would you give to current La Salle students?
Never give up. I finished my MBA when I was six months pregnant with my daughter. I never stopped or let anything get in my way. I gave birth March 30, 2019 and walked across the stage at Commencement on May 19, 2019, to receive my degree. My education from La Salle has shaped me into the person I am today. Obtaining a degree at La Salle will give you a chance to experience all of the joy the world has to offer to thrive personally and professionally in your career.

Trans “RJ” Lualhati, ’16

The earliest days of the pandemic required immediate action. That’s why Lualhati leveraged access to available technology and began 3D-printing face shields to support under-resourced health care workers in a time of need. Today, he’s an additive manufacturing manager and head of 3D printing with Branch Medical Group, a subsidiary of Globus Medical.

What led you to pursue an integrated science, business, and technology (ISBT) degree from La Salle?
I was introduced to ISBT from my mom, Josephine Lualhati, who has been an employee for the University since 1999. That was when I was attending Central High School. I decided that La Salle would be my home after high school. The small school atmosphere with a big heart is what made me ultimately decide to pursue a degree from La Salle. I knew, with the right attention and the focus I needed to succeed, that the instructors there would match my needs to help me accelerate my career.

How did your time at the University prepare you for your career path?
Starting my freshman year, I engulfed myself with so many things to try out what would be best for me. After an introductory business course, I started to tap into my business interest more. I even started a company out of my residence hall to 3D-print medical models for surgeons and physicians in Philadelphia. La Salle gave me the skills and foundation in the sciences, paired with my strong sense of business acumen, that allowed me to fully live out my major in something that I created on my own. My time at La Salle was a design of experiment because every variable that I knew or came across, I integrated it somehow. It ultimately gave me the credentials to do more things that pushed me outside of my comfort zone, while knowing that, if I fail, La Salle would pick me back up again and let me do more wild things in the name of learning and personal growth.

What does your day-to-day look like?
Sporadic. Every day is different, but to me, this is a good thing. My day can range from floor meetings with operators and engineers to presenting and guiding research and development with the tools they need in order to successfully 3D-print implants. I know that every 3D-printed implant that I make and see every day will impact an individual to make them better. 

What advice would you give to current La Salle students?
Don’t downgrade your dream just to fit your reality. Upgrade your conviction to match your destiny. Be rich in the mind, not just the pockets. Your self-worth reflects who you surround yourself with. Be the person that your younger self would have been inspired by.

Corey Alan Summers, ’20

The pandemic has brought a significant degree of attention upon the work and compassion of health care workers around the world. A cardiac intensive care unit nurse at Temple University Hospital, Summers has earned three Daisy Awards—two individually and one with a team– in the last two years. These national recognitions celebrate top nurses who embody their hospital’s mission and values.

What led you to pursue a nursing degree from La Salle University?
I have always wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember. I chose La Salle for its flexibility. With La Salle’s ACHIEVE program, I was able to work full time and take classes on weeknights while attending clinical on weekends. I chose La Salle because of how well-known its program is across the Philadelphia region. Affordability was important, too, as well as the ability to change career paths to become a nurse with a non-nursing degree.

How did your time at the University prepare you for your career path?
My first medical surgical clinical was at Jefferson Cherry Hill in a medical stepdown unit. I was able to develop a relationship with the nurse manager at the facility, who offered me a job as a clinical technician on the unit. La Salle offered me the ability to network with my clinical instructors to obtain employment, which helped me transition from my previous non-nursing field to nursing. Additionally, La Salle thoroughly prepared me to be a critical thinker and to master the art and science of nursing. I also served as the ACHIEVE Student Nurse Ambassador for our cohort, which helped me develop leadership skills and prepared me for my first nursing position at Johns Hopkins Hospital as a Cardiac Stepdown Nurse.

What does your day-to-day look like?
I care for cardiac patients, both surgical and medical. Every day is different, and no patient is ever the same. I take care of patients who have had open heart surgeries, heart or lung transplants, and experienced heart failure. Over 12 hours, I troubleshoot cardiac devices, round with the cardiac surgery and cardiac medical team, and assist with bedside procedures that may be necessary during the shift. I love being an advocate for my patients when they are unable to advocate for themselves. Additionally, I love being able to use my critical thinking skills daily and using them to do the best clinical action for my patient.

What advice would you give to current La Salle students?
Approach nursing with an open mind. There are endless career paths for nurses, and keeping an open mind will show you those many areas while developing a passion for your specialty. Also, it is so important to network with your clinical instructors at La Salle and the floor managers and leadership. Being a La Salle nurse is well respected and desired in the Philadelphia area.

Andrew Thum, MSN, ML, RN, NE-BC, ’13

Improving the lives of others drew Thum to the nursing profession. In 2018, he became one of the youngest nurse managers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, the flagship hospital in one of the largest and continually expanding health networks in the Philadelphia region.

What led you to pursue a nursing degree from La Salle?
I chose La Salle because of its commitment to education, faith, service, and community and for its influence in the Philadelphia region. As a nursing major, I identified with the University’s dedication to improving the lives of the disadvantaged through service. I liked the numerous opportunities for students to give back to the local community and to communities across the country and the globe. I chose La Salle for its University Honors Program because it offers a unique curriculum not found at other colleges. And as a liberal arts university grounded in the Christian Brothers’ teaching tradition, La Salle’s mission includes providing a well-rounded education for its students and that really attracted me to the University. In La Salle, I found a University that allowed me to grow and to call home at such a formative time in my life, and I am grateful for it every day.

How did your time at the University prepare you for your career path?
My experiences and preparation in the nursing program wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated faculty at La Salle. Perhaps it’s their inherent caring attitude as nurses, or maybe it’s their unique gifts as educators. Either way, La Salle has a special group of nursing faculty who do more than just teach material; they care about your success and your future, and they take real pride in your achievements. I felt the curriculum and clinical training prepared me well for a career in health care. More importantly, the support I received challenged me to think differently and to overcome challenges in my work through innovative problem-solving.

What does your day-to-day look like?
I manage financial, human, and other resources for the provision of patient care on a 39-bed acute care medical-surgical telemetry nursing unit. I collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to develop and pilot new models of care, processes, equipment, and creative solutions for quality and service. I find joy when I reflect on the growth of my team members and when I witness their successes and the outstanding care they provide. When the outcomes are uncertain and all else fails, what works in health care is nursing. Nurses represent the largest health care workforce, often closest to the patient, and we innovate on the frontline to improve lives every day. 

What advice would you give to current La Salle students?
The nursing profession provides so many different opportunities. Your experiences and career choices as a nurse will, at times, present a path you are unsure of, but you will not be misled. Take a chance on something different or something new. It just may be the choice that will allow for a fruitful career.

Justin Walters, ’12

Some avoid the bright lights. Walters leans into them. Today, he’s a sports anchor and reporter at New York City’s PIX 11 and a sideline reporter for CBS Sports Network. On occasion, he even finds himself working nationally televised La Salle men’s basketball games.

What led you to pursue a communication degree from La Salle?
Dr. Lynne Texter played a huge role in me coming to La Salle. She probably doesn’t remember this story, but my mom sent her an email inquiring about the communications program. Dr. Texter went the extra mile and offered to let me spend a day on campus shadowing some students and getting a general sense of what my freshman year would look like. Oh, and did I mention that Dr. Texter did this before I was officially accepted into La Salle? I thought, ‘If the chair of the department is this responsive and helpful, I can only imagine what the student to teacher interaction would be like.’

How did your time at La Salle prepare you for your career path?
There was a wide range of options at La Salle for me to get my feet wet. Although I’m knee deep into broadcast journalism, once upon a time I was a co-editor for The Collegian’s sports section. I also tried radio for a little bit. Some schools specialize in just one medium. I’m thankful that I could spread a wide net and find out what I do and don’t like. And at La Salle TV, I was able to hone my on-air skills and behind the scenes. That studio was gold. There are so many shows that are produced in that studio.

What does your day-to-day look like?
No day is the same in this business. I’ll do my best to offer a sneak peek of a weekend during football season. On a few Saturdays, I’ll fly out to a game and do sideline reporting for CBS. The main objective of that role is being the eyes and ears down on the field for the team. If a player gets injured or something interesting is happening away from game action, it’s my job to share this with my producer so we can inform viewers. The amount of TV hits I have on the broadcast vary from game to game. Once I’m done with my sideline role, I’ll fly back home to New York to cover a Giants or Jets NFL game for PIX 11. Sometimes it feels like a lot. Hard work is required, but I’m certainly grateful that I’m truly passionate about what I do for a living.

What advice would you give to current La Salle students?
Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s OK if you don’t get a job straight out of school. It took me even longer to get my first on-air gig. It’s OK to make mistakes. They’re inevitable in this business. The path that I’m still on is my path. There are different ways to achieve success as well as more avenues for young journalists to get started. You don’t have to drive millions of miles away from home to get your foot in the door like I did after graduating.