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Post University
Sharon Raymond
Class of 2006, bachelor’s degree in business
Current student, master’s degree in business administration
Post University
Sharon Raymond has been a student at Post University since 2003, has already completed a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in marketing, and in 2006, began working towards an MBA with a concentration in leadership. “I have three classes and my capstone remaining in order to obtain my MBA,” Raymond said, and she’s looking forward to the expansion of career opportunities that the degree may afford.
Raymond is one of many Americans who have been negatively affected by the economic downturn. After working in the property and casualty insurance industry for more than 30 years, she was laid off and is still looking for work. “I am the mother of two grown sons and have been married for 36 years,” Raymond said. “Unfortunately, the economy has affected not only my job, but my husband’s as well.” With the United States unemployment rate at 9.1% as of August 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics this is a harsh reality for many Americans, even those who have been gainfully employed for years and have, as Raymond put it, worked in their industries in many capacities. But instead of simply waiting the economy out, Raymond is taking action to ensure career success, down economy or not. By completing an MBA while she searches for her next employment opportunity, Raymond is “hoping to be back in the industry soon,” she said.
Raymond chose to pursue her education at Post University because of the flexibility of the programs and the online class format. She already had a positive experience pursuing her bachelor’s degree online through Post, and decided that the same school would also be the best choice for her MBA. “I checked other online colleges, but I liked the course requirements of the MBA program and the many choices for my concentration,” Raymond said, which included corporate innovation, entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, marketing, project management, and a multidisciplinary option. “Post was also close enough for me to be able to attend a class on campus if I desired,” she said. Raymond lives in Connecticut with her husband, and, according to the university, Post is the largest provider of online degree programs in the state. It was the combination of strong course offerings and proximity with the option to take courses on campus that made Post the best choice out of all the universities online for Raymond.
Compared to her bachelor’s degree, Raymond has found the master’s work to be more extensive and intense. “We are digging deeper into what we have learned to gain a better focus on management in today’s society,” she said. “There is a lot more communication required on the class ‘threads’ or in the form of written papers,” Raymond said. “It is those papers that prove we have read and comprehend the topic,” she said. She has found that it is “generally easy to juggle work, school, housework, and social activities while attending school online,” she said. However, Raymond said, “the challenge is to be on the class thread daily, complete your papers ahead of schedule, and hope that your final paper is not due during your dream vacation!” All in all, though, Raymond said that the flexibility of online courses outweighs any added responsibility. “Taking classes online allows me to go to class when it is convenient for me to do so,” she said. “It gives me the flexibility to do my work during my lunch or in the evening without driving to class, dealing with traffic, or inclement weather.”
Another perk of her online MBA experience is that, in addition to taking courses online, Raymond now has the opportunity to teach courses online as well. As a recipient of an online degree, she will have the ability to connect with online students with an understanding of where they may be coming from. “My goal is to be able to teach online classes at Post and [possibly] other online colleges,” she said. This will most likely be a beneficial career move, as she will have the opportunity to teach courses online while continuing to search for a position within her original career industry. “I am hoping to obtain a leadership role of some sort before I retire,” Raymond said. “If that does not happen, I will at least be able to share my experiences with my online students once my degree is completed.”
As far as whether or not her degree will help her in her career, Raymond maintained her level-headed optimism, considering the current economic situation. “I am not convinced that it has helped me to this point,” she said, but conceded that this may have been because she was already in an established career as opposed to starting anew. “I believe it will help me to obtain a new role. I will not be turned away because I do not have a college education,” Raymond said. “I find that I [apply] the skills I am taught to the type of management [that was practiced] at my company, or in my department,” Raymond said, and mentioned that one of the most beneficial aspects of thinking about management in new ways is the fact that she has expanded her definition of success and advancement. “I have found that there are many ways to achieve success and that we shouldn’t be afraid to challenge the status quo,” she said. According to Raymond, as the economy takes turns in any given direction, beginning to think about management and leadership in new and modern ways will surely be a positive step for professionals in all industries.
