Education is not one-size-fits-all. Technological advances, pressure from the pandemic, and shifting cultural views toward schooling have opened the door for more people to attend college in a way that works for them. These “non-traditional” students often have unique experiences that shape their educational journeys. As a wife, mother of three, and industrial entrepreneur, Carly Nevious broke the mold. Nearly 20 years after leaving her education starting blocks, she’s back at CU Denver. Brick by brick, she’s determined to build her best future.

Nevious grew up in rural Sandwich, Illinois. Although her parents didn’t see the value of traditional education, she prided her academic achievements. Respecting her roots, she used her parents’ opinions as fuel to “grow her own way.” Nevious’s interests varied from horseback riding to cardiovascular surgery, but come college, she settled on biology. 

Unfortunately, soon after her starting college, the passion and rigor that followed her through high school now left her grappling with burnout. With fatigue and wanderlust, Nevious eventually dropped out of college and traveled across Europe. 

After leaving school in her 20’s, Nevious still desired to achieve her professional goals. At 39, she re-entered the world of academia. Once again, opposing views on education caused Nevious and her family members, who believed her chance to return to school had passed, to clash. “I said to myself, ‘Part of what they say is true, but is that my limit? Is that my full potential? I’m ready to explore my full potential, my real potential, I haven’t even started.” Despite the dispiriting remarks from her parents, Nevious recognized her career capability; her husband and children’s encouragement spurred her initiative.

Currently, Nevious is a full-time student, mother, and business owner. Scholarships offered a springboard to success and allowed her to balance her life with her studies. She uses the skills and knowledge she has gained at the CU Denver Business School to shepherd a new era for her and her husband’s business. “Literally, daily, I take something I’ve learned, and I apply it to my business.” Recently, she attended an angel investor meeting to pitch their idea: The Omniblock, a hemp bio-composite building block that has the potential to disrupt and revolutionize construction. While the cannabis space is often ill-shadowed, Nevious has crafted the initial crop into a product that will build communities. OmniBlocks “are fire resistant, self-healing, temperature regulating, and they provide superior insulation with resistance to mold and pests, while reducing material costs by 17% when compared to traditional wood, cement and steel.” This work is meaningful for Nevious, who spent 12 years in the cannabis industry. “The cannabis space is my passion and love; OmniBlock is full circle for everything I’ve done, and UCDenver has helped me put it all together.” 
Nevious would rather “build up” than back down. Her crucial advice for new, returning, and non-traditional students and their naysayers? “When you start doing things for yourself and prioritizing your long term, and what you want for yourself, a lot of people are going to say that you can’t do it or that it’s not worth it. They’re going to try to take that from you. My advice to you is to let them have that, and then go and do it anyway.”