University of Phoenix Axia College
Now that I've earned my degree at Axia College of University of Phoenix, I feel so much more confident in my abilities. Each time I completed a course, I felt stronger and wiser. Before delving into the adventure of going back to school, I always thought it would be too much to add college to my schedule. My job alone has always brought on plenty of stress. However, I had encouragement from colleagues who completed their degrees through University of Phoenix, and deep down, I felt a strong need to earn my degree. It always has been important to me to get an education. The feeling of accomplishment I get every time I look at my diploma is so rewarding. I just think, "Wow. As busy as I was while earning my degree, I still managed to get it done." Along with helping me accomplish my personal goals, obtaining my degree has helped in reaching my professional goals. It’s an amazing feeling and when the time is right, I'll be back for my bachelor's degree.
Donna Beavers Associate of Arts in Business
The online courses allowed me the flexibility to take classes, work full time, facilitate classes for the State of Iowa part time, guest speak and spend valuable time with my family. I've met instructors and other learners just like me from around the world. I would never have been able to achieve this goal in life without the ability to learn online. This format was invaluable!
John Carney Bachelor of Science in Business/Management
My experience as a University of Phoenix student was excellent. My fellow MBA students were a diverse group, but we immediately connected. However, the faculty members are what really made University of Phoenix an outstanding learning environment. One of my teachers had current international experience negotiating large contracts for a major airplane manufacturer, another worked intimately with a well-known investment expert, and another was a published author. Earning my MBA wasn't easy, as the courses and requirements were rigorous. But I enjoyed every moment and am proud of my achievement.
Paul Corens Master of Business Administration
My experience with University of Phoenix was really good. I learned more than I thought I would in an online environment. The instructors made me think and made me work! I had to earn my degree, and once I did, it sure felt great.
I believe completing my degree at University of Phoenix has helped me to stay focused on attaining my goals. It's made me a well-rounded person in terms of my education. In my current job, critical thinking is often needed and that is a skill I cultivated while at University of Phoenix. I have been with the same company for seven years in many different capacities, the latest being the best and most challenging. Earning my degree has shown my peers and supervisors that I want and can do more.
Karina Cotter Bachelor of Science in Business/Management
In high school, I took an interest inventory that showed my top two interest areas were naval officer and army officer. So I enrolled in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point—joining only the second class that allowed women cadets. Today I’m a military leadership professor at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In this position, I believe my doctoral degree from University of Phoenix has given me additional knowledge, understanding and patience, as well as added respect from my colleagues and military officer students. In fact, obtaining my doctoral degree has added to my self-awareness and improved my confidence level in all facets of my life.
The benefits of my educational journey such as new learning, greater understanding of leadership theories and processes, better writing skills, and newfound friendships with fellow learners, committee members and professors far outweigh the time I spent reading, preparing for class, writing and researching my required papers and my dissertation. The professors were extremely professional, competent and focused on expanding learner growth, while the computer tech support was exceptional.
Yvonne Doll Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership Dissertation: "U.S. Army Women General Officers: A Phenomenological Study of Their Career Ascension and Leadership"
My experience with University of Phoenix has been part of an amazing personal and professional journey. In 1997, I began a bachelor’s program in business at the same time I started a real estate management company. A week after I completed my bachelor’s degree, I began an MBA program. With the knowledge I gained at University of Phoenix, the business grew. I sold the business in 2003 and began the Doctor of Business Administration program. Later, I began developing curriculum and teaching for several online universities. Recently, I joined a company as leader of a new business unit that is developing a knowledge management system for the next generation of the Internet.
University of Phoenix’s motto of applying what you learn was certainly true for me. The classes were stimulating and the group work and projects added a great deal of practical knowledge. I was constantly challenged and grew professionally as I grew academically. The knowledge gained and the discipline necessary to succeed in the classroom contributed greatly to my success.
Stephen Elmore Bachelor of Science in Business/Management Master of Business Administration/Global Management Doctor of Business Administration Dissertation: "Ethics Codes and the Leader’s Role as Arbiter of Ethical Conduct: A Qualitative Study"
Completing the master's degree program at University of Phoenix helped me achieve the education requirement needed in today's military. My degree also has given me effective management tools that I utilize in my senior leadership position. My experience as a student at University of Phoenix was great. I had the flexibility of working on my assignments on my own time. Additionally, learning with other full-time professionals was very rewarding.
Tammie Otukwu Master of Management
Actually, I did not intend to seek an additional degree when I started the doctoral program at University of Phoenix. Having never been involved in online learning, I was eager to determine the value of this educational approach for myself. Once I started the courses, I found the information and learning to be of increasing value to my own work and simply couldn’t quit.
During one course, my learning team created an innovative model related to prediction, adaptation and change. We decide to pursue publishing the model in a recognized journal, and to our great delight, the journal editors found our model relevant to contemporary leadership and published it. Since then, a number of heath care organizations have referenced and used our model. Besides the thrill of being published, my learning team was excited that what we had developed as students at University of Phoenix had relevance and value to organizations outside our program.
Tim Porter-O'Grady Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership Dissertation: "Comparative Nurse Executive Leadership Practices in U.S. Magnet and Non-Magnet Hospitals"
Earning my degree at University of Phoenix exposed me to the world of business from a global perspective. I have used the information I learned to develop and implement programs within my career in strategic and global purchasing. Earning my degree at University of Phoenix also gave me the confidence to work with people from many different backgrounds and perspectives. I met a diverse group of professionals through the learning team interactions. The learning team approach to education has helped me work on cross-functional teams.
Andre Rho' Dess Master of Business Administration/Global Management
Earning our MBA degrees together from University of Phoenix was a great decision for our careers and our family. We were able to keep our jobs and really liked being able to collaborate with our classmates and instructors—to learn from what they do in their fields and apply it to ours.
Our goal was to open our own architecture business and we did, midway through our MBA program. The company has been hired for several projects and we look forward to growing.
We're not the same people we were before we started our MBA program. For starters, our family is three kids bigger. But beyond that, University of Phoenix helped us get our own business off the ground and made us more strategic thinkers with a wider array of job skills. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.
Nikki and E.J. Sandoval Master of Business Administration
Before starting my MBA program, I felt like I needed a new, fresh education in business. I had earned my bachelor’s in marketing more than nine years earlier but never really had a chance to apply it. Most HR magazines stress the need for HR professionals to understand finance, marketing and management, as well as HR.
At University of Phoenix, the faculty members were real-life professionals, not just academicians. They came to class right from their day jobs and we could relate to them. Collaborating with fellow students on papers also was a great experience in time management, patience and project management. The Human Resource core courses have helped me contribute to the short- and long-term planning for my department.
Sean Sauntry Master of Business Administration/Human Resource Management
Earning my doctorate has taught me to look deeper and become more discerning. I question what I previously assumed to be true.
I retired after 22 years in the military, and began working in the area of counterintelligence. I was seeking out the enemy in Afghanistan while writing my dissertation. I spent my days visiting local police stations and villages and searching caves. My nights were spent putting the final touches on my dissertation. I gave my oral defense from a rooftop in Afghanistan, while other doctoral learners listened in during one of their residencies. They were so excited for me and the results of my study!
My research offers a guideline for security leaders to help employees more effectively use information technology to catch criminals. I use the results every day in my full-time job and consulting business. I plan to continue to make a difference in today’s world by sharing the results of my model in a book and expanding my side businesses.
Freddy B. Wilson, DM Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership Dissertation: "A Qualitative Case Study of Employee Effectiveness Using Information Technology"