Oct 15
Warehouse operations manager jumpstarted her career with business degrees
Oct. 15, 2025 - Warehouse Operations Manager Samantha Usher enjoys the fast-paced environment and daily challenges that come with her position at Railroad Friction.
“The best thing about managing the warehouse is guiding my team. Together we keep things organized and make sure things run efficiently to achieve our goals,” Usher said. “It’s rewarding to see the impact that my leadership has on productivity and customer satisfaction.”
Usher, of Laurinburg, began her career working in industry as a customer service representative. After a few years, she realized the only way to advance in the company was to pursue a college degree, so she enrolled in Richmond Community College’s Business Administration program.
“I felt that business was a natural fit for me and gave me the most opportunity for promotion,” Usher said.
While she chose RichmondCC initially for convenience and the affordability, she quickly discovered there was much more to her hometown college.
“Shortly into my first semester, I realized that the local community college setting provided teachers that truly cared about me and helped me to understand how the business world operates. Through my classes, I gained essential knowledge on skills such as personal finances, working with people, and problem-solving,” Usher said. “Closer to graduation my global perspective had changed, and I had peers, professors and industry professionals in my network.”
Usher returned to RichmondCC to complete an Associate in Arts degree that provided her with a seamless transfer pathway to the University of North Carolina-Pembroke to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.
Her degrees in business have been the ticket to a rewarding career.
“Business Administration gives you the opportunity to unlock a career path in a wide range of industries, whether it’s in the corporate world, non-profit or entrepreneurship,” Usher said. “My degree has given me leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, and financial literacy skills that have set me up for success.”
If you would like to pursue a degree in Business Administration, RichmondCC is now accepting new students for the spring semester. Classes begin Jan. 9. Call Student Services at (910) 410-1700 or text (910) 518-9685 to schedule an appointment with a student advisor. Walk-ins are welcome at either campus in Hamlet or Laurinburg. Applications are free and are completed online.