Purdue Global grad: ‘Dreams really do come true. This was my chance to make it happen’

With newly earned degree, this Disney performer is moving forward

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. —

Kerry Bruso has always been a performer. She started dancing when she was 3 years old and says it’s always been the thing that lights her up. 

“It’s extremely empowering,” she says. “It fills your whole soul.”

Bruso, who earned her MBA from Purdue Global in May, was an academic force to be reckoned with. The Bel Air, Maryland, resident graduated from a highly competitive magnet high school program, the Science and Mathematics Academy. She went on to get her bachelor’s degree in dance performance from Oklahoma City University in 2017 and became a dancer at Walt Disney World.

While most people wouldn’t think of a master’s in business administration as something that could advance a dancer’s career, Bruso saw an opportunity.

When she learned about what a Disney World choreographer does and how it could be in her future, she knew this was the smart way to look ahead. But it wouldn’t be a simple path and definitely not an easy one. 

Soon after graduating from Purdue Global — where she sang the national anthem at her commencement ceremony — she was promoted and moved into the choreographer role.

“I am absolutely loving my new job and feel so grateful to be living a dream of mine,” she says. “It’s hard to say goodbye to performing, but hopefully, it’s not necessarily a goodbye. I have so many other dreams and passions other than dance. At this point in my life, my passion and drive to help empower others is much stronger than my passion for performing.”

Read more of Kerry’s story on The Persistent Pursuit website.

Media are welcome to share, post and publish these stories, photos and videos.

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://stories.purdue.edu/purdue-global/

Writer/Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-496-6160, oatesw@purdue.edu; @mo_oates

Research News

Researchers stand with mass spectrometry platform in lab.

Purdue researchers work to accelerate cancer drug discovery with next-gen tech platform

June 17, 2026

Researchers work with equipment in lab

Purdue Institute for Cancer Research secures $9.4M in renewal of its National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant

June 11, 2026

Researchers stand beside an open mass spectrometry system.

Faster chemical reactions made possible by tiny droplets

June 1, 2026

Screenshot of the terrain and military operations in Virtual D-Day: Pointe du Hoc simulation

Purdue-affiliated startup launching educational D-Day simulation

June 1, 2026