Colorado Tech Online Students and Alumni

Meet Mwaba Chisenga
MSM with a concentration in Information Technology Management

Taking Opportunities as They Come

Growing up in Lusaka, Zambia, Mwaba Chisenga never thought he'd end up a self-professed "computer geek" in Nebraska. But here he is, in Ogallala, a small town on the Nebraska plains, working as a Support Engineer for Clear Channel Communications. While Mwaba enjoys Clear Channel and Nebraska, he wasn't happy to rest merely on his self-taught computer skills. That's why he found Colorado Tech Online, where he is currently getting his Master's degree in Information Technology.

"I'm already working in the IT field, but I don't have any degrees to back that up. I have a Bachelor's degree, but it is in another field. I thought it was time to get a degree that can help me progress in what I want to do."

At a traditional school, you are in the same class for a whole semester. Here, each one is six weeks. Before you know it, the class is over and you start a different one. It makes the time fly and no subject matter ever gets stale. —CTU Alumni Mwaba Chisenga, School of Information Technology

Unfortunately, despite the immediate practicality of his Colorado Tech Online classes for his work at Clear Channel, the company doesn't have a tuition reimbursement program. "My bosses know what I'm doing and they appreciate it, but I think they also anticipate that I'll be leaving shortly after I graduate. I have no problem paying for the degree myself, though. I know that eventually it will pay for itself."

Education That Fits His Lifestyle and Schedule

Even if Ogallala had a traditional college offering a Master's in IT (the closest such school is several hours away), Mwaba would have still gone with an online program. "It's been five years since I've been in a traditional school, and I didn't want to go through all the hassles of going back to that lifestyle. I wanted to go back to school without changing my schedule and life that much. My situation is a little different now. I have expenses I need to take care of; not working full-time wasn't an option."

Not having to change his schedule much isn't the only benefit Mwaba sees in Colorado Tech Online's program. He likes the accelerated nature as well. "At a traditional school, you are in the same class for a whole semester. Here, each one is six weeks. Before you know it, the class is over and you start a different one. It makes the time fly and no subject matter ever gets stale."

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