Online MBA program a good investment for recent CSC graduate

James completed a Master of Business Administration degree at CSC in December 2017 without ever having set foot on the Chadron campus.

James already had an undergraduate degree and was working full time for a small start up company when she decided to pursue a master’s degree.

“I felt, down the road, I would be in a job market with new graduates and they are all getting master’s degrees,” she said. “I thought it would be hard to find work and if I want to grow in my position, I’ll need it.”

Chadron State’s MBA course, which is offered entirely online, and the program’s cost were key factors in the decision to enroll, James said.

“I selected the school for the ability to take classes online,” she said. “And, it’s an affordable program.”

Completing the degree was a big confidence builder, and proved its value during a job search, said James.

“When I was looking for a job, I was much more confident. I have all the education anyone could ask for,” she said. “(The MBA) makes me highly employable. It’s one of the reasons I got the call back for the job I have now.”

James said much of what she learned for the degree has proved useful in her new job as an office administrator with a different, high tech start up company.

“We were working on an evaluation of the company and I used a lot of what I went to school for in that,” she said.

Just the experience of taking classes online was valuable as well, because so much business these days is conducted over the internet.

“I work with people all over the world in my career. It’s a good lesson in creating with others in group projects,” James said. “It’s good real world experience.”  

The internet also allows James to remain in contact with some of the people she got to know in her classes. 

“I was always interacting with my classmates,” she said. “I still talk to them because of the chat line. It’s just virtual.”

James said her interactions with Chadron State staff are part of why she highly recommends the college to others.

“What stood out was the staff. Every time I called, I spoke to someone friendly and more than happy to help me,” she said. “Everyone I worked with, from Admissions, to Financial Aid, to helping me graduate, was really amazing and the teachers, as well.”

The decision to get an MBA from Chadron State was a good one, both financially and personally, James said.

“I feel like I got an excellent education,” she said. “Definitely for the rates Chadron State charges, you will get a return on your investment, and there is some pride in having a master’s degree.”

And James is happy with the job that the CSC degree helped her obtain. 

“I love this job. I like that I get to do accounting, I get to do HR, and running the office administratively. It’s very fast paced, with a lot of good people,” she said. “I like the work we do.”