[Z-man]

Two years and nine months ago, I started on a journey. At 6:40pm today, I submitted my final paper for my last class. I have completed my coursework at Excelsior College and will be graduating on July 12th with an MBA with a concentration in Technology Management.

It has been a long journey - many weekends and late nights writing papers, completing homework assignments, and studying for exams. It has also been an incredible journey where I learned so much about the business world.

I completed my undergrad degree in 1989 from Messiah College (BA in Computer Science). While I did well back then, I honeslty did not focus on my studies as much as I should have. I can proudly say that was not the case in my MBA studies: I have given my all for this degree. I have a 4.0 thus far, and while I don't have my final grade for the class I just completed, I have a 98% average thus far in that course.

I have sacrificed much for this degree: I've missed many social functions, including all and any PCA activities. I can't remember the last time I just hung out with my friends. I have missed spending time with my loving and patient wife, who has been extremely supportive of my educational endeavor. It is time to get my life back!

All things considered, this experience was worth it! They say people have three main reasons for pursuing an MBA: to move up in the company they work for, to move to a better position in a different company, or simply for personal growth. My company's organizational structure is relatively flat, so there is little or no room for me to move up here. But I really enjoy where I work, and have no intentions of seeking employment elsewhere. So I guess the reason for getting my degree was to better myself. For that reason alone, the sacrifices I made have been worth it.

So, I have already begun to ask myself, "What's next?" Some of my professors have suggested that I pursue a PhD degree. Perhaps, but not right now. This year, I will likely take courses to pursue certification in EMC storage. We are in the midst of converting our SAN / Storage environment to new EMC hardware and software, and as the SAN / Storage architect, this certification would be helpful. Additionally, I will also look into PMP (Project Management Process) and ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certifications, since those are most aligned with my current career path.

But for now, my studies are over -- time to enjoy the summer and get back to living a 'normal' life!

-Z-man.