CCC Newsletter December 2013 | Page 13

MEMorandum

13

Life Long Learning

My experience includes over 20 years of experience as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. During that time, 4 years were designing and managing civil engineering construction projects, 9 years in facilities engineering management, and 5 years in naval engineering. I have earned my professional engineering license in civil engineering, my project management professional license, and my certified facility manager license. So why go back to school in the Duke Master of Engineering Management Program (MEMP)? There are three primary reasons for my selection to attend Duke MEMP. The first reason was the outstanding academic reputation of Duke University. The second reason was to gain a broader understanding of business finance, marketing, and management and their impact on organizational decision making processes. The third reason is my belief that we should all be life long learners.

Duke University is an outstanding academic setting and over the past semester has met and exceeded my expectations. Getting back into the routine of studying has been challenging, but fortunately the faculty, staff, and my classmates have been there to assist anytime I had questions. I have also been impressed with MEMP’s focus on diversity within the program. It truly is a global program and has provided me the tremendous opportunity to work with team members from all over the world.

Incorporating the Duke MEMP program into my experience will provide the Coast Guard with an engineer who can merge corporate business practices with government process to provide a more efficient product. As a government employee, operating efficiently and providing the best value for taxpayer dollars has always been my goal while managing projects. In order for projects to be successful, the contractors doing the construction need to be successful. Understanding the economics that drive their revenues will enable me to be a better business partner. The engineering management program provides a terrific blend of engineering and business.

I believe we should all be continuous learners throughout our lives, always striving to grow and improve. While speaking at graduations for Coast Guard students graduating apprentice level training, a key topic that I always discussed was their continued development and education. A majority of them were just beginning their careers and some of them were experiencing their first formal education since high school. I tried to instill upon them the concept that the moment we stop learning and improving is the moment when we stop becoming productive members of society. As a leader, what better way to show the importance of continuous education than to demonstrate it.

My first semester in the Duke MEM program has been a great experience. Everyone has proven to be true professionals who are always available to assist and answer questions, whether that is helping to better understand course material or to provide career guidance and assistance. My classmates are talented, motivated, and great team members (and did I say really smart.) I have learned more about different cultures than I have in my previous 20 years of experience. I really look forward to my second semester and GO DUKE!

Jeff Good

Candidate

MEMP, May 2014