In the speeches we listened to during our commencement, we were showered with the advice of others. Everyone from Tom Brokaw to Theodore Roosevelt:
You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.
-Tom Brokaw
and…
To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.
Theodore Roosevelt
Let me offer my own quote for posterity. Please, somebody, quote me on this view of education:
Give a man a fish and you’re out one fish; teach a man to fish and you can charge him for the education.
- Burton Simmons
… it’s a business model.
And I officially have my MBA. It started in August of 2006 and, this morning, ended when I was hooded and handed my diploma.
I’ve been asked several times if it was “worth it”. I can’t answer - I simply say that there has not been enough time to put the experience in its proper historical context. I can say, however, that I would not have finished had it not been for the support of my family and friends - and that I’ve made even more good friends while being here. To all of them, I can say “Thank you.”
Next step in the adventure: Find a job, which has thus far been eluding me.
As I mentioned in my Final Grades post, I’ve achieved some level of scholastic awesomeness. I thought I would take the time to post a couple of the certificates that I’ve received.
Yes, I was given these, a couple pins, and a couple sets of colorful ropes to wear at graduation last night at a nice little reception. There were great hors d’oeuvres, fun stories, and - the staple of any successful event - free bottles of beer and glasses of wine.
In other news, graduation is on Sunday (just two days away) and I’m eager to get my diploma. Unfortunately, however, Sunday is when I go from “being a student” to “being unemployed”.
My final final grades have come in:
Data Mining: A
Operations Management: A
Leadership: A-
GPA for this semester: 3.90
Cumulative GPA: 3.76
This means that, on average, I have received slightly better than an A- in all my classes. I’m pretty happy with that, especially considering my undergraduate performance oh-so-many years ago.
I have also been invited to join two separate “honor societies”: Pi Alpha Alpha, which requires a 3.7 GPA for graduate students, and Beta Gamma Sigma, which requires one to be in the top 20% of his or her class.
Sweet.
I’m done with my classes.
I just gave my last school presentation for my Data Mining class. We finished successfully, and now I’ve just 9 days until graduation - but I’m done with all my schoolwork. Provided that I pass all my classes (and I should) I’ve taken 22 classes in the last two years, and done an incredible amount of work. Barring any strange unforeseen circumstances, I’ll receive my Masters degree soon (and get a job at some point after that.) This, as they say, is the end.
What will I do with myself now?
As the end of the year rapidly approaches, there are two school traditions that I’ve participated in.
The first is Brownwater. Named (I believe) in reference to the inner-tubing that usually takes place down the mill stream creek that runs next to the school, it’s a weekend-long party with multiple events. This year I went to the casino night (not at a real casino; fake money, but real prizes), the comedian night, and the barbeque (where the float happens.) I did chose not to float down the stream, however, as the 40-degree weather (with hail) was a full-on indicator of a “bad idea”.
Then there’s Blackwater. An unofficial event, completely unsanctioned by the school, it’s best described as a “raging party”, and everyone’s invited. With a couple kegs, plenty of drinking games, and a “it’s not fun until the police tell us to shut up” mentality going around, you can bet it was a good time. (And yes, the police did come by to tell us to shut up.)
Below are two pictures, one from Brownwater, one from Blackwater. I leave it to you to decide which is which.
Fun times!
We’re down to less than three weeks from graduation. In terms of classes, I have merely this week and next week left. You’d think I’d be thrilled, but I still haven’t found a job yet and that’s a major source of stress.
Still, I’m looking forward to being done. This has been a major adventure in my life. I’ve made some great friends and gained a huge amount of highly relevant knowledge. I’ve been supported by loving friends and family, which has made a huge difference.
Before graduation I have - at this point - a presentation to give in Leadership and a ton of work and presentations for Data Mining. I’m pretty much done with Operations Management - but for an off-site visit. The end it is sight!
I was a few graduation invitations to send out from the school. They look pretty snazzy… I’m just not sure who I should send them to. I mean, aside from my family, everyone else has something better to do at 9:30 AM on a Sunday! Anyway, here’s a sneak peek:
And, of course, the inside:
Please, come if you’d like. If you can’t, feel free to send money… or just pledge to my student loans. (E-mail me if you need my address for this task.)
The end is in sight!
I just got the results for my Operations Management midterm that I took just before Spring Break… 99/110 (90%), which is, apparently, the highest grade in the class. This is probably the best school-related news I’ve had in a while. Woohoo!
Graduation day - May 11th - is rapidly approaching. A mere 40 days remain before the conclusion of this program* and I’m ejected back into the harsh, cruel reality of the professional world.
In terms of classes, I believe I’ve taken all the tests I’ll be taking as part of this program. In my leadership class there remains only a large presentation (and the background research.) In my Operations Management class there also remains only a presentation. And, to keep with the trend, in my Data Mining class, has two projects to complete. Classes are technically over on the 29th, with finals afterwards; since I have no finals, I have less than a month of classes left.
What does this mean? I’m searching for a job with painful intensity, yet still trying to stay engaged in classes. It’s difficult since the pace of the two necessities is vastly different. Yet, I will figure it all out… for better or for worse.
*barring, of course, unforeseen events.
Next »
