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Marquita Weddle-Marshall ’26 did not receive her master's degree alone at commencement last May. In her arms, dressed in cap and gown, was her beloved service dog, Jazmone, a schnoodle—a schnauzer and poodle mix—known as Jazzy.

Family members often play an important role in helping University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) students reach graduation. For Weddle-Marshall, Jazzy was as important as any human family member in helping her complete her degree.

A partner in success

Jazzy was trained to perform tasks that assisted with specific medical needs. Weddle-Marshall said her service dog was as responsible as anyone for helping her complete her degree.

“I have panic attacks. I have anxieties,” she said. “On top of that, I rarely sleep, so I'm always multitasking. While I was in school, I was also working and doing an internship and growing a business. I was always moving, and she's always there with me.”

At times, Weddle-Marshall would work beyond the point where she should have taken a break.

“Jazzy actually got on my computer and lay across the keyboard, and then when I tried to type, she was like, ‘Nope, nope.’”

The dog, she said, could sense when she was about to have a panic attack.

“In her own way, she would look at me and say, ‘I'm going to tell.’”

The dog would run to get Weddle-Marshall’s husband or one of her children to alert them that she needed help.

“She was pretty much everything to me,” said Weddle-Marshall. “She was more human than a dog.”

Learning while building a future

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Weddle-Marshall still lives in Ward 8, where she runs her own consulting firm, The Weddle-Marshall Consulting Firm.

After earning a bachelor's degree in management and marketing from the University of the District of Columbia, she decided to pursue a master's degree in management, specializing in information systems and services, to help take her firm to the next level.

“UMGC allowed me to take everything I have done prior and helped me to restructure the business,” she said, including changing the firm's name from Creative Intuitions to one better suited to the international business she hoped to build.

“I learned certain things like that from the courses at t ɫ��ֱ��������ȫ,” she said.

Today, she helps nonprofits, startups, and small businesses strengthen operations, elevate performance, and build systems that drive sustainable growth through customer relationship management. This summer, she worked with the Salvation Army to create a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) camp for Ward 8 students. She has also worked with organizations in Namibia.

The UMGC program expanded her perspective on working in a global environment.

“I had plenty of classmates that we had to figure out the time zone just to get projects done because we were in different areas of the world,” she said. “That has changed my life.”

She also credits UMGC's support network with helping her stay on track.

Among UMGC staff dedicated to student success Weddle-Marshall credited success coach Chelsea Byer with helping her the most.��

“She listened to my pain points and helped develop a plan of action.”

Weddle-Marshall said UMGC's flexibility helped her balance school, work, and family responsibilities.

“Whatever you do,” she advised, “utilize the early access week. It will be very helpful during the most difficult times. It will help you get ahead and stay ahead.”