McLain Ford always dreamed of finishing her degree but never about helping lead the family construction business.

With a bright smile, McLain Ford eagerly positioned herself in front of the camera, her excitement and genuine desire to tell her story evident from the start. 

The wife and working mother of two young children is one of more than 100 adult students enrolled in Texas Tech University’s $10K Degree Completion Program, a hybrid of online learning and microcredential courses held at the Texas Tech DFW site in Irving, Texas. 

The middle child of three girls, McLain was raised in Plano, Texas, a 30-minute drive from Dallas. She grew up around her father Brian Grant’s contracting and commercial construction business, Caliber Commercial Group. Early on, tagging along with him on job site visits and witnessing the sacrifices he made in his life to give her the opportunities she has today.

The Lone Red Raider

One of those opportunities for her was to attend Texas Tech. McLain laughingly confesses her older sister went to Texas A&M University, as did her parents and grandparents, so she says she was the “chain breaker” when she decided during her senior year of high school to choose Texas Tech.  

“A friend of mine was doing a college tour of Texas Tech and invited me along,” McLain explained. “I thought, ‘Why not? We’ll go for a weekend trip.’ But it ended up making all the difference in my path.”

McLain knew she wanted to do something in the medical field, and she enrolled at Texas Tech in 2011, pursuing a degree in biology. She spent her free time involved in several faith-based campus organizations, including the Christian sorority Raider Sisters for Christ, where her favorite memories are meeting her best friends. One of them nudged her into better knowing her future husband, Tanner Ford, from their larger group of friends.

The two met on a trip from Lubbock to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival in 2014. Being in a smaller group of friends gave McLain and Tanner time to have in-depth conversations. 

“We ended up staying up way too late that night with all of our friends around a bonfire, and we had to drive back to Lubbock the next morning,” McLain related. “He offered to drive my car back to Lubbock, and we talked the whole car ride back.

“The funny thing is, when he dropped me off at my house, he forgot to ask for my number. He had to figure that out through our friends. And we were inseparable after that.”

Learning to Pivot

During her major courses, she ran across and fell in love with respiratory therapy, which she previously knew nothing about. She left Texas Tech during her junior year, to pursue an associate's degree in respiratory care through a local college partnership with Texas Tech. 

By the time she changed course, Tanner had graduated from Texas Tech’s Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering in 2015 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and took a job in the DFW area. McLain completed her respiratory therapy program, and they were married in 2016.

For about seven years, McLain worked as a Registered Respiratory Therapist in Fort Worth. 

“I covered the ER and ICU units during COVID-19, which really put a lot of things into perspective for me,” she said, solemnly remembering that part of her life. “It was a time of reflection and doing some serious soul searching.” 

McLain ended up having a deep conversation with her dad about life decisions, with him providing a possible solution. 

“Dad suggested that I come work with him at Caliber, he'd teach me the business and I could learn under him. He said, ‘You can see if this is something that you want to pursue,’” McLain said, picturing the conversation like it was yesterday. 

It was a unique opportunity. Brian had started his general contracting business 27 years ago and had no sons – who might typically consider the succession of the business. McLain described the situation as a fork in the road during the pandemic, wondering if she should stay home, as she was pregnant with their daughter while also working and raising a toddler son with Tanner at the time.

Moving from Healthcare to Construction

In 2020, McLain moved from health care to take a position within her family’s company. She never anticipated pursuing a career in construction, but she quickly fell in love with the business operations side of it. Now her hope is to grow into a position where she can carry it on.

Most of the clients have been lifelong friends of the family since McLain was a little girl – attending birthday parties, graduations, weddings and such. She admitted growing up around the family business played a vital role in forming her own passion for the work Caliber does. 

“It’s more than just a family business. Our lives are weaved throughout it, and we take pride in our success because it means success for our clients and friends as well,” she said. “It’s been really neat to see the progression of not just passion for the business, but passion for what my dad has built.”

“Then getting to grow together in personal lives and professional lives; you know, working with family can be a toss-up. A lot of people work with their family members, and it doesn’t work out, and of course it’s not perfect. No relationship is perfect, but we’ve really learned to communicate well between work and school. It’s just been invaluable.”

In Pursuit of the Degree

McLain recognizes how fortunate she is to have the professional opportunity of working in business leadership, despite not having a bachelor’s degree. Her enthusiasm for defining organizational structure and streamlining construction management processes grew, and her position expanded into a diverse role. Now, McLain feels the lack of a degree has held her back.

“I have always felt like an honorary Red Raider because that [Texas Tech] is where the majority of my college experience was,” McLain said smiling. “It’s been a personal goal of mine for a very long time to complete my undergraduate degree. I’m a working mom with two small children, and I want to lead by example and show them that it’s never too late to accomplish your dreams.”

McLain remembers coming across information about Texas Tech’s degree completion program on LinkedIn. 

“It honestly was just me stumbling upon an article about Texas Tech starting this program at the new DFW site.” McLain said. “When I saw it, it truly was just like a God thing. It was the perfect timing. This is the perfect season of our lives because it’s a lot to consider, to go back to school.”

After submitting the interest form, McLain heard back quickly. She commends Bonnie Cordell, senior director of Microcredentials, for calling her back within 12 hours, and it felt genuine.

“It just felt like the people behind this program are champions for people like me who really want to go back and complete (the degree). We’re so close, and we just need that little extra support,” McLain said.

Tanner agrees that her re-enrolling at Texas Tech was the best path to that end, having transitioned from the medical field to business.

“When Texas Tech didn’t offer a bachelor’s in respiratory therapy, she decided to switch to a partner program after her junior year. It made a lot of sense for her to go back and finish up her bachelor’s degree,” Tanner said. “The self-paced online courses are great for helping her prioritize and manage time effectively. There have been a few late nights, but overall, Texas Tech has done a great job balancing the content and timing of assignments.”

The Supportive Spouse

When talking about people who have supported her journey, McLain eagerly speaks of her husband. 

“Tanner’s just been my rock, the perfect teammate and partner, and he has his own career – he’s dedicated to his career and also to our family,” McLain said, her eyes sparkling again. “It’s just a continual reminder of why I’m doing this, and just having his support and encouragement has been life-changing.” 

Tanner is Vice President at Vulcan Industrial, a leader in the engineering and manufacturing of advanced equipment for the energy and aerospace sectors. He describes his wife as incredibly selfless and caring. But also, he talks about her natural gift for getting the best solution for maximum impact, whether it’s a big business deal or finding the best way to connect with their son, Andrew, and daughter, Tessa, who are now 5 and 3, respectively. 

“We’re incredibly proud of her,” Tanner said. “She sets a great example for our kids, showing them that it's OK to take a different path and to not give up.

“She adapted to the (business) role with remarkable ease and speed. Having been around the family business her entire life, she quickly assembled the pieces to form a complete picture. Her fresh perspective allowed her to introduce new ideas immediately, significantly improving productivity of the team and communication.

What’s Next

From that first phone call in the spring, McLain and Bonnie planned to get the eager new student started in the microcredential courses and subsequent classes that make up her Bachelor of Science in Leadership Studies, which is comprised of three concentrations.

McLain’s focuses are integrative studies, organizational leadership and integrative studies in Health Care. She described the organizational leadership and integrative studies options as having a strong emphasis on teamwork and team building, which are especially transferrable to her current career.

She also talks about a mindset of not being afraid to go back to school (after 11 years) and sharing that she is graduating this December with an undergraduate degree; it is a huge accomplishment, and she truly sees it as an opportunity of what's next.

“There are a lot of challenges to overcome, and I want other people to be encouraged as well. That it’s not just about where you know you're going but how you get there,” McLain offered thoughtfully. “And it all always looks different for each person. Each of us has a unique journey and a lot of wisdom and knowledge to share.”

She even found something encouraging in one of her microcredential course textbooks that she has shared not only with colleagues, but with her family and friends, too. 

Transitions can be wonderful opportunities. The most resilient people can see changes as an opportunity rather than something to fear.

“That is so applicable to what I’m experiencing currently; it’s a fast world that we live in,” McLain said. “And I think it’s easy to think ‘I just need to get to the destination.’ And what this quote is saying, or at least how it resonates with me, is that it’s not just about getting the degree. It’s not just about getting the credentials. It’s about the journey along the way, which, for me, is filled with a lot of growth.

"It’s just like From Here, It's Possible™ captures the idea that regardless of where you start, there is potential for growth and achievement. Success doesn’t always adhere to a single definition or path. My journey into respiratory therapy and then into leadership studies, where I focus on strategic planning in my career, illustrates that success can be achieved through non-traditional paths. It’s really neat how all of these diverse experiences have come together for me. Timing is everything, and I’m glad the time is now! Texas Tech has really fueled my progress and given me the platform for success.

McLain pauses and thinks a few moments on the reality of what is next. She goes back to what it’s like to be working with her father and his legacy, as the subject of him retiring has certainly come up. 

“A lot of who he is has shaped who I am,” she added wistfully. “Professionally, his mentorship has been invaluable, when you get to see someone on a daily basis and observe how they manage relationships, how they handle conflict, and how they navigate really challenging circumstances on a job site.”

To her, it’s an honor to not just be a fly on the wall, but to witness somebody do all of this from a front row seat.

“As his daughter, it’s my hope and my goal that I not only continue to carry on what he has built, but also build upon it and ensure that the legacy that he leaves behind is one that we both dream of.”