Welcome to the American College of Education (ACE) Alumni Spotlight, where we highlight our alumni and share how choosing smarter education leads to meaningful outcomes.
Eric Sogomonian is a case manager experienced in assisting clients with medical, behavioral health, housing and employment support. He earned an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from ACE in 2024 and is passionate about creating inclusive experiences for diverse communities. We were thrilled to learn more about his career.
ACE: You’ve worked in impactful, service-oriented roles, including your current position as a case manager assisting barriered communities to achieve economic mobility and wellness. Tell us about your journey to this career field.
Eric Sogomonian (ES): I came across case management after the COVID-19 lockdown, where it simply clicked. At one point, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, so I took any opportunity that crossed my path. This ultimately led to my passion for working with communities who need support the most.
I was hired as a life and skills coach, where I worked with a teenage boy diagnosed with cerebral palsy to develop social skills, take him to community events and assist with school-related issues. I then became a transition specialist where I assisted individuals living in nursing homes with establishing housing and applying for community support services.
Before I knew it, I was supporting individuals with benefits that created employment opportunities for them, and I discovered that every step I took was meeting individuals where they were and serving as an advocate for them. Case management is a special career field and a true labor of love.
ACE: You also provide independent case management consulting services for those navigating services including federal programs and home healthcare. What do you enjoy most about assisting clients with reaching their goals?
ES: By doing all of this work, which I loved, I was very curious about working for myself. Connecting with New York State Medicaid to help people obtain these community services seemed amazing.
However, after months of different methods to approach this, mixed with my current role, I decided to pivot towards something within my degree: organizational development. While I was working as a transition specialist, I was also starting as an independent case manager.
My favorite part about my career is helping others apply for SSI or social security disability insurance, because, while sad, it was the only source of income for most. As a person with a disability, I have found it very easy to connect with individuals and get them the help they need.
ACE: How has your master’s degree from ACE supported your career growth?
ES: My master’s degree from ACE helped me better understand different leadership methods, the best way to apply them and the proper ways to detect what kind of leader someone is. It also helped me obtain new job skills and opened doors that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
All of the organizational development jobs that I aspire to require a master’s degree, so better earlier than later. Once I continue growing my certifications, having this master’s will provide me with leverage over other candidates, better pay options and advancement opportunities.
ACE: What led you to choose ACE for your master’s degree?
ES: Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to get my master’s degree, but I kept pushing it off. When I was with a previous employer, it seemed to be the perfect time. I had a good job, working full-time hours, still under 30 – everything lined up, so I went for it.
Upon exploring different colleges, my attention was brought to ACE due to its reasonable cost, and the fact that it’s fully online. With my full schedule, this seemed like a no-brainer. Also, the structured, asynchronous way of learning helped me better understand, since I was not rushed for class.
ACE: What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a case manager?
ES: If you would like to become a case manager one day, there are two rules that I live by that have helped so far:
- Be empathetic. Imagine yourself in your client’s situation and assist them as you would want someone assisting you with this issue.
- Build people skills. This is very crucial because for a client to trust their information with you, understanding them is a must. Personally, I do this by being myself, which works 97% of the time. Joke with them and laugh with them.
Be mindful, this career is emotionally and mentally demanding but worth it at the same time. Overall, if you enjoy helping, you’ll like it as a case manager.
Being an American College of Education alum has its perks. When you return as an alum for another program, you receive discounted tuition with the Alumni Continuing Education Grant.
