Haddon went back to school because she saw how integral technology was in healthcare and wanted to earn a degree that would complement her previous experience. UNC Asheville, with its interdisciplinary structure and strong community connections, was just the place.
“I'm a part of this local community, I'm a product of Western North Carolina. It was really important for me to continue my education in Asheville,” Haddon said.
“Working with a small business, I had an opportunity to explore career interests I might not have had within a larger company.”
Alontree is located at A-B Tech Community College, in the small business incubator, which rents space to small, start-up companies. Addie Cooper, a business major and intern at Alontree, said working in this environment is extremely beneficial for local networking.
“We've gotten to talk to a lot of different people, Jill Sparks being one, who told us a lot about the incubator itself,” Cooper said. “Pretty much everyone we have reached out to has been eager to help. It's been really rewarding to see that a lot of people really do just want your success.”