With he and his wife expecting their first child, Bill Maloy decided to return to The University of Toledo and complete the bachelor’s degree he had started nearly two decades earlier.
“I originally thought I was doing it for my daughter and to prove something to her,” said Maloy, who will graduate Saturday with a bachelor of science degree in respiratory care with wife Paige and 14-month-old Addison looking on. “I think in the end I proved something to myself.”
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2023 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at fall commencement.
Maloy first came to UToledo in 2004. Fresh out of high school, the self-described burly former offensive lineman half-heartedly selected a major in the College of Health and Human Services.
“At 18 I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. Everybody said I’d make a good cop or lawyer because of my physical presence,” he said. “I just sort of threw a dart at the board and went into criminal justice.”
Maloy had sailed through high school with minimal effort and expected college to be the same. He rarely went to class, devoting much more attention to his volunteer firefighter gig than his coursework.
The result was academic probation. Eventually, he dropped out.
“I thought I wasn’t cut out for college. Looking back, it was an application and maturity problem,” he said. “I just wasn’t ready to go to college.”
A job at ProMedica transporting patients, however, sparked a new interest for Maloy and exposure to nurses and respiratory therapists showed him a pathway to the healthcare field.
After careful consideration, Maloy enrolled in a respiratory care associate’s program. He earned his degree and began working as a respiratory therapist at ProMedica, where he has since risen to a supervisory role.
Bill Maloy and his wife, Paige, and their daughter, Addison. He decided to return to UToledo to complete his degree two decades after he began.
Earning a bachelor’s degree remained in the back of his mind, particularly as he looked to continue to advance in his career.
With the encouragement of a friend and support from his wife and parents, Maloy finally made the leap in 2022, enrolling in the 100% online Registered Respiratory Therapy Program.
“Bill is exactly the kind of student this program was designed for,” said Dr. Nicole McKenzie, director of the UToledo respiratory care program. “He had his associate’s degree, accreditation and years of experience. Returning to UToledo for a bachelor’s degree opens doors for graduates like Bill to advance to leadership roles, research opportunities and specialized areas within our field.”
After getting over the initial jitters of returning to college following a lengthy absence, Maloy settled right in.
“The program itself was easy to navigate,” he said. “It was very user friendly for someone who hadn’t gone to college in 15 years. All the professors were easy to communicate with. Dr. McKenzie was polite, prompt and would answer any questions I had. You could tell she’s really passionate about what she does.”
After earning his bachelor of science degree in respiratory care, Bill Maloy plans to apply for UToledo’s M.B.A. program.
Beyond the sense of pride for having completed his bachelor’s degree, Maloy said he found value in the additional skills and knowledge he gained, particularly the courses on healthcare law and healthcare ethics. The program also provided him a broader perspective on the entire patient care continuum.
As one of the first graduates of the newly formatted associate’s to bachelor’s degree program, Maloy also served as something of a trailblazer, McKenzie said.
“Bill has not only excelled in his coursework but has actively contributed to shaping the future of the curriculum. Bill exemplifies the collaborative spirit that defines modern education, proving that students can be active partners in refining and optimizing their academic journey,” she said. “With this academic milestone, Bill is poised to shape the future of respiratory care and make lasting contributions to the healthcare landscape.”
Maloy liked his return to UToledo so much that he’s going to be sticking around. He plans to take two undergraduate courses in the spring and then apply for UToledo’s M.B.A. program.
In the meantime, Maloy, who now has a baby boy on the way, is soaking in the joy that this accomplishment has brought him and hoping that others can find inspiration in his story.
“The biggest thing I would share with somebody is just because you didn’t know what you were doing then doesn’t mean you can’t do it now. It was a scary thought process going back. I probably considered it for two years — do I have the time, do I have the money, is it something I can accomplish? It’s attainable for anybody. I wish I would have done it sooner,” he said. “It’s hard to believe it’s almost 20 years later. I hope my kids see that someday and it motivates them to chase their dreams and passions.”
Bill Maloy and his wife, Paige Maloy, and their daughter, Addison.
