Randy P.
Meet Randy P.
The consummate overachiever, Randy demands a lot of himself. He likes to work at his own pace…fast. In Western Governors University he finally found a school that could keep up with him.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in IT Security in 2006 from WGU. He was so impressed with the school's competency-based model that he immediately began to pursue his MBA. When he completes his degree in May 2007 it will be in record time—about one year.
The not-for-profit university's format is truly unique. There is no physical campus. There are no professors. And no classes.
But the 19 governors of western states who founded the university, and the 20 corporations who support it, can attest to the high quality education and competency of its graduates. The extensive personalization allowed by the university was an ideal fit for Randy, now in his mid-thirties, who is not a one-size-fits-all student.
The fully accredited university's programs are not based upon attendance in set courses. Rather, students demonstrate competence through a series of assessments.
"It is a better model," he asserts. "It demonstrates what you are capable of achieving. [It proves] I am competent at that level. I didn't choose to go after a degree for just a piece of paper."
Randy, like all other students, worked with a mentor to develop an Academic Action Plan. Together they were able to evaluate which competencies he already possessed, and identify the areas where he would need more knowledge to successfully demonstrate the required competencies to earn his degree. In the cases where Randy was not ready to take the assessment, the tool used to determine competency, he was directed to outside learning resources to gain the knowledge.
For Randy, that meant taking courses offered online by other schools. That is not unusual. Many e-learners take courses offered by other schools. However, his online learning experience differs from other e-learners in that he was not necessarily focused on the grade or designated number of course credits.
As a student at Western Governors University, Randy enrolled in the courses solely to learn the material, not to receive a particular grade to be submitted on a transcript for a graduation requirement. He was still required to pass the WGU competency assessment.
Competency is measured in a variety of ways including proctored essay assessments, exam assessments, and work proposals, he explains.
"Although I've worked in upper level management, there was a lot I had to come up to speed on," he says of pursuing his MBA in Information Technology Management. He identifies finance and quantitative analysis as two areas that were especially challenging.
As an IT security manager in the healthcare industry, he has not had a pressing need for microeconomics or macroeconomics on a daily basis either. His degree program allowed him to devote less time to areas where he already had a "firm grasp" and to concentrate on those areas that required more attention.
He contributed to his learning experience by forging relationships in the business community, attending seminars, and reading everything from Harvard Business School case studies to annual reports.
Finding time to delve into the material required a great deal of focus. His day job is very demanding. He arrives at the office before 6 a.m. most days to do research on his profession, write reports, and take care of other administrative tasks before his co-workers arrive at 8 a.m.
From then until the late afternoon he conducts assessments and training, develops and reviews standards and procedures, and advises executives in the end-user community on proper handling, storing, and placing the proper mitigative technologies to safeguard sensitive information.
Throughout the day he may also be called upon to switch gears and work with the architecture staff and developers to ensure that code is developed without introducing risk. Aside from occasionally doing some reading at lunch, he does not do schoolwork at work.
"If it is not specifically to benefit the organization I try restrict it to home," the Utah native says of his studies. When feasible, however, he has been given approval to take work projects and turn them into school projects.
Yet, he has not permitted the demands of his schoolwork to wreak havoc on his family life either.
"My wife has been completely supportive," he says. His children have not made a fuss either. "There has been no impact on their daily lives."
Indeed, the father of three has managed to keep up with his extracurricular activities. However, he does look forward to the day when the eldest of his three active daughters, now aged 10, 12, and 14 is able to drive. "Then she can become part of the transportation pool."
As it stands, his evenings are packed. He is a soccer referee officiating between 5 and 8 games per week.
He also works at the council level of Boy Scouts of America, and volunteers with the American Legion at the state level.
The former naval intelligence specialist has been able to successfully navigate his roles as husband, father, employee, student, and volunteer by maximizing his time. Most nights he is not able to begin his studies until 10 or 11 o'clock. It does help, he admits, that he only requires 3½ to 4 hours of sleep per night. Distance education was particularly conducive to his unusual sleep pattern and commitment to his outside activities.
"I was able to work one hour one night, and 10 hours the next as time permitted. The ability to increase my pace as my motivation was high, and then the ability to take a few days off when workload or personal pressures interfered with my studies was fundamental."
The flexibility of his distance education program also relieved him of the possibility of being penalized for time off. "[I was] without fear of a failing/lowered grade for a particular assignment that would have been rushed to completion in a traditional setting."
If distance education had not been available, Randy seriously doubts he would have pursued higher education at all.
Now with the Certified Master's Administration Exam already behind him, and just the capstone project left to complete and submit to earn his degree, he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Accelerating his workload to earn his degree in about half the time of his peers had the added benefit of reducing the total cost of his education. He estimates the cost of earning his MBA to be around $7,000 or so. He financed his education with federal student loans. He deems it well worth the investment.
"My level of attained education now matches my responsibilities I have had in the workplace from the perception standpoint."
He can already see that his education will make him a more valuable player at his current job.
"I believe that the quality education ... will also strengthen my ability to support the business leaders in my organization, as I understand some of the inherent challenges they are experiencing and can help to produce better technical solutions to resolve or smooth those rough areas."
His plans for the future might include following an interest in law or someday becoming a Ph.D. candidate.
"Regardless, I have a strong desire to continue my educational pursuits."
