The English Channel The English Channel Volume 17 Issue 2 Spring 2017 | Page 5

...To Online Learning
Expert
Since I was at the university all the time
for work, I decided to get more degrees.
The first was a Masters of Arts in Eng-
lish.
After completing the Meadow Brook
Writing Project, I became a Teacher Con-
sultant and facilitator for the Summer
Youth Writing Camps, specializing in digi-
tal storytelling. More recently, I started
teaching in the school of business, allow-
ing me to use both my English and tech-
nology backgrounds.
The rigor and intensity of that program
was like nothing I’d ever experienced.
Every course was intellectually stimulat-
ing. Graduating only left me wanting to
learn more. Since I couldn’t get a Ph.D. in
English at OU, I chose a Ph.D. in Educa-
tional Leadership, with a specialization in
Higher Education. I went into the doc-
toral program right after my masters, and
I felt like I was the most prepared in
terms of reading and writing. I even set
records in the department by defending
my dissertation ten months after the
coursework, far ahead of the three-year
average. Reading and writing had become
so second nature to me that it was a
pleasure to complete the dissertation.
At the end of the day, I’ve enjoyed in-
credible success thanks to the invaluable
things I learned as an O U English major.
I was recently named one of Oakland
County Executive Elite 40 Under 40
Class of 2017, an award honoring excep-
tional individuals under age 40 who excel
in their fields and improve the quality of
life in Oakland County.
And I’m proud to
say that I met my
wife in the Eng-
lish Master’s pro-
gram. Our first
son Hawthorne
(future writer?) is
happily awaiting
the birth of his
baby sister this
fall.
Now that I’m in charge of the e-Learning
department, I look for similar liberal arts
backgrounds when hiring employees. I
can teach someone the technical aspects
of the job, but teaching them to read and
write effectively are no easy task. I should
know, I was invited to teaching writing
courses at OU once I finished my mas-
ters.
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