Meet Detra Wright, a Sr. Claims Resolution Analyst with Anthem, Inc., working mother, and recent College for America graduate.

Detra Wright, B.A. Student

Detra Wright, a Sr. Claims Resolution Analyst with Anthem, Inc., has been working in all aspects of the healthcare field since she graduated from high school 20 years ago.

A college education was something that she always wanted to pursue, but had to put it on hold when she had her son at a young age. Detra put her family first and joined the workforce with only a high school diploma. In the past 20 years, Detra has transitioned through several jobs including front office positions, being an administrative assistant, and now working on the claim side at Anthem.

All throughout her journey, Detra felt that not having her degree was holding her back from advancing in a competitive workplace. “I did feel that it was important for me to acquire a bachelor’s degree, at least to really be competitive in the workplace,” she said. “I’ve stayed in pretty good financial standings to be able to take care of myself and my family. But I know that it has limited me by just having a high school diploma.”

After her son left for college, Detra decided it was her time to pursue a college degree too. She was in the process of enrolling with another school when Anthem announced its education partnership with College for America at Southern New Hampshire University— a nonprofit, fully accredited college built specifically to help working adults succeed. With the partnership between Anthem and College for America, employees are able to pursue a higher education at no cost through their tuition reimbursement program.

“The tuition was going to be reimbursed at 100%. That was the biggest draw, and, it was just the perfect timing.,” she said. “So I went ahead and dropped the other program with the other school and enrolled in the CfA program.”

Anthem’s 100% tuition reimbursement made the decision for Detra to go back to college an easy one.

“That was the biggest draw, and, it was just perfect timing.”

Detra found being a part of College for America within the Anthem community to be very rewarding. She bonded with colleagues in her office and in other offices around the country over their connection to College for America. She has also felt a greater connection to her own work, “[Anthem] really likes to develop employees personally and professionally,” she said. “That helps me utilize my degree in my current place of employment.”

Detra graduated with her Associate of Arts in General Studies and has since enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Management with a Concentration in Global Perspectives program. Along with her decades of experience, Detra attributes her ability to work through the programs to her family. “My son’s ecstatic about it. He checks in with me all the time to make sure that I’m staying on point and I’m studying and getting my homework done,” she said. “My husband, he is my number one support. He really has pushed me along the way.”

After graduating with her associate’s degree, Detra was promoted to a senior level position. With her new degree, Detra feels like she can take on new challenges like being a team leader and even being less camera shy. “All of the videos and presentations that I’ve had to do have really gotten me over that hump. I’ve become really a social butterfly now.”