Technology Alumni Profiles

I had never finished college the first time around and my son was 4 years old. I felt it would be hypocritical to talk to him about the importance of college having not finished myself. I also believe that seeing me go the extra mile to get top grades while still working full time might instill an increased sense of dedication in him. We’ll have to wait and see how that turns out!

In addition, I wanted to learn about programming since I was interacting with programmers on a daily basis. The great thing was they started to accept me as one of them when I was able to talk about my various projects. I think this respect helped when it came time to manage them when they were assigned to my teams. I believe the commitment necessary to complete a degree while working increased my confidence and helped to make me a better manager. I really value the time I spent at University of Phoenix and hope to one day return for my master’s degree.

I was constantly searching job postings to improve my financial condition but the postings that I felt qualified for all read "bachelor’s degree required." I refused to rest until I met that requirement and now I am hooked on the thrill of accomplishing even more.

My initial goal was to obtain a bachelor's degree. Once that goal was realized, I knew in my heart that I needed a graduate degree. Hence, a new goal was born. After realizing that goal, I see a better business understanding as the next important step, which is why I'm pursuing my MBA and I have a desire to reach the doctorate level. University of Phoenix is here for me to continue my quest and become the best that I can be through a lifelong learning process.

My University of Phoenix degrees have changed my frame of mind from barely educated to well educated. I've learned the value of communication and acquired the tools to work efficiently as a team player.

As a child, I was not sure where my daily food was going to come from. I knew as I got older, I was going to work hard and achieve great goals in my life. I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school. What an amazing accomplishment! Next, I was off to college. Then after being out of college for 12 years, I decided it was time to achieve an even greater goal in my life and I set out to earn my master's degree online at University of Phoenix. I was technically savvy with networking, servers, security, etc., but I lacked business knowledge on how to grow companies or the department I was working with. By earning my master's degree, I've learned how to build better relationships and create new ideas. I've become more business conscious overall. These traits are invaluable in the information technology department. IT interacts with several different departments and being able to build firm relationships and open communication between those departments and IT will continue to build success within the entire organization.

During my degree program, I worked full time and traveled domestically and internationally. I was amazed at how well I could keep up with school, regardless of the country and time zone. At first, I was skeptical about whether I would like the online learning format. After my first class, I was hooked!

When I realized that my extensive experience was not always enough for current or future employers, I knew adding a degree to my experience would be an excellent combination for success. University of Phoenix was a perfect solution for advancing my education and balancing my job and family life. Earning my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree at the University has given me greater confidence in my abilities, improved my written and verbal skills and made me a more well-rounded professional. At first, the task seemed daunting—and then you’re done! Time flies by. I had fun and met and worked with some great people. The more you put into the program, the more you get out of it. Recently, I was recommended and received a promotion in my department and this can be attributed to improving myself technically and impressing management with my desire to continue my education and take on more difficult challenges.

I always wanted to complete my undergraduate degree and get an advanced degree. It was just a matter of finding a school that was accredited and that I could fit into my life. University of Phoenix fit the bill. While completing my degrees, I found that the instructors made themselves available and really participated in the learning environment. They didn’t just hand out assignments. The classroom team assignments were also very beneficial. My classes constantly provided new experiences and new ways of approaching things—not only at work but in my personal life.

My degrees have given me the opportunity to advance at my company to a position with more responsibility and challenges. Having not one but two degrees has allowed me to open and walk through doors that I would not have previously been able to even look at. While I had exposure and experience, not having a degree put me out of range for many professional positions. Having experience and now education to back that experience is wonderful!

Initially, I wanted to complete the education I started several years back. But it quickly became clear to me that I needed this education more than I had imagined. Not just for the sake of graduating or getting a diploma or job, but for seeing options in today’s business world and society. University of Phoenix has had a great impact, not only for pursuing my career goals, but also evolving personally. I have achieved a much broader perspective than I had before.

The tools, techniques and real-world cases during my learning were far from theoretical case studies. They had an impact on the businesses and marketing strategies I was involved with. University of Phoenix helped me learn how to obtain the information I need and excel in my workplace without losing focus on the company’s essential goals.