Colorado Tech Online Students and Alumni
Meet Linda Dodds
Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Project Management
Linda Dodds has the experience that is necessary in order to keep pace with the dynamic profession of information technology, but according to her, that's not enough. "I am responsible for IT management and end user support, serving as the liaison between our corporate office and seven offices in three locations. I love what I do, but after seven years of being a one-person IT team, I felt my career was at a standstill, so I began to look into other opportunities."
Inspired by her father, who once told her, "As long as you continue to learn you will feel young and be able to move ahead," Linda began to look into continuing her education. "At first I considered earning a Master's degree because it would enable me to make a career change to the educational profession. I looked into online learning because it was my only option, considering I have family responsibilities as well as a full-time position that often requires travel between offices in several cities and sometimes, if necessary, spending the night working. When I contacted Colorado Tech Online, the staff took the time to listen to what I had to say about my educational and career goals. An Admissions Advisor assessed how my educational opportunities could best fit my career goals and suggested a Master of Science in Management degree with a concentration in Project Management. I enrolled and in less than two years both my career and my life changed in a very positive ways."
The Master of Science in Management degree program with a concentration in Project Management currently offered through Colorado Tech Online was a perfect fit for Linda in many ways. "I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems, so earning a Master's degree in a similar discipline enabled me to build on my prior educational experience as well as my work experience. It validates what I have learned through experience working in my profession and in a sense, documents my knowledge and skills. My Master's degree is a testimony to my value as an IT professional."
Despite reassurance from her Admissions Advisors, Linda had some apprehensions about online learning before she began her courses through Colorado Tech Online. Any doubts she had were quickly put to rest. "I am a very outgoing person and I thought online learning could be too impersonal for me, but that was not the case at all. The interaction with my classmates and instructors was more personal than I ever imagined it would be. The live chat sessions were very personal and informative, with many helpful interactive tools put to use by the instructors."
Linda had contact with the staff at Colorado Tech Online throughout her degree program. "The instructors I had have real-world experience in the subjects they teach. They are readily available through e-mail, instant messaging and will even give out their cell phone numbers in some cases. It was also easy to keep in my touch with classmates. No matter when I logged in to the Virtual Campus, there seemed to be someone in my class also logged in and eager to discuss assignments. The flexibility of online learning fit my schedule perfectly and enabled me to advance in my career without missing a beat. Overall, Colorado Tech Online was a great experience!"
Linda got immediate returns from the investment of continuing her education. "When I informed my supervisor that I had nearly completed my Master's degree program and was seeking employment elsewhere, he had a question for me that I will always remember: 'How many days do I have?' I replied 'two days' and within 48 hours I was given a promotion and a significant increase in salary, with a request from my supervisor to upper management for an additional raise for me within six months! I calmly accepted the raise and my promotion."
After earning a Master's degree through Colorado Technical University, there have been many positive changes in both Linda's professional and personal life. "The critical analysis and problem-solving that I learned through my courses have helped me gain more independence in my profession. I am no longer required to report to the Controller at our corporate office before making decisions that affect the networks in the offices I am responsible for. My increased productivity and my increase in income led to more time and freedom in my personal life. I am happy with my company and my current position and I hope to continue working here until my retirement. I give thanks to Colorado Tech Online, because earning my Master's degree led directly to my promotion and many other improvements in my life."
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