\u201cI had everything that I had wanted early in my career,\u201d Glenn said. \u201cBut there was this lingering question, should I go back and finish school? It was a question that kept popping up, and eventually I decided that, yes, I did want to take that leap.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Glenn found the perfect starting point at Purdue Global, Purdue\u2019s fully online university for working adults who want to start or finish college degree programs. Through Purdue Global, Glenn was able to complete his undergraduate degree on a flexible schedule and figure out his goals for the future. As a member of the Purdue educational system, he became familiar with the Purdue community and the opportunities that Purdue offers its students. After graduating with a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in marketing, he decided he wanted to continue his education at Purdue \u2013 but this time through Purdue University\u2019s prestigious flagship campus in West Lafayette.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBeing familiar with the Purdue system, it seemed like the next logical step would be to challenge myself with a rigorous graduate program,\u201d said Glenn. \u201cI knew going to Purdue\u2019s flagship campus would challenge me to grow, so I started looking into programs.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Because Glenn was still working, he needed to find a graduate program at Purdue University that he could complete fully online. When he found Purdue\u2019s online <\/span>Master of Science in Communication<\/span><\/a>, it seemed like the perfect fit \u2013 a rigorous, challenging degree, taught by <\/span>some of <\/span>the same faculty as the campus program, that would fit his busy schedule and help him achieve his career goals.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCommunication is a huge part of what I do in sales,\u201d Glenn said. \u201cGood communication is often the difference between success and failure when making a sales pitch, so I figured that developing my communication skills more would make me a more valuable asset \u2013 having an advanced degree can also open new doors.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n No stranger to completing courses online, Glenn adjusted quickly to his online graduate studies. He was blown away by the quality of Purdue\u2019s online courses, and getting to work directly with Purdue\u2019s experienced and accomplished faculty was a highlight. Though he wasn\u2019t studying on campus, he still had the opportunity to visit West Lafayette to meet with his cohort and attend a football game. The experience, he said, solidified for him what makes Purdue so special.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial author=”Andy Glenn” job_title=”Purdue Online MS in Communication Alumni” portrait_url=”https:\/\/cla.purdue.edu\/communication\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Andy_Glenn.jpg” _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cGood communication is often the difference between success and failure when making a sales pitch, so I figured that developing my communication skills more would make me a more valuable asset \u2013 having an advanced degree can also open new doors.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Glenn also appreciated how customizable his degree was. As a Marine, Glenn has long been interested in the intersection between communication and leadership, and how leaders can use communication to foster a transformative relationship with their teams. At Purdue, Glenn was able to add a Communication and Leadership <\/span>concentration<\/span><\/a> to his degree program and learn new skills like crisis communication.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven something as simple as writing an email, I think about more deeply and intentionally now because of the program at Purdue,\u201d Glenn said. \u201cCommunication is something that\u2019s so common people take it for granted but being skilled at it \u2013 especially as a leader \u2013 is actually very challenging. My studies helped me appreciate that and really push myself to communicate in a transformative way.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Through Purdue University, Glenn also developed a renewed interest in continuing his education. At the start of his academic journey, he figured he would stop after completing his bachelor\u2019s degree, but the positive experiences he\u2019s had with the Purdue system have inspired a change of heart. Now that he\u2019s completed his master\u2019s degree at Purdue, he hopes to start another graduate program this fall.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI really want to continue and get an MBA degree, so I\u2019m looking at schools where I could complete that,\u201d Glenn said. \u201cMy company, Aflac, has offered to sponsor my next degree, so I\u2019m in a good place \u2013 I know getting these advanced degrees will open a lot of new doors in the future. A decade ago, I didn\u2019t think I would be here, so committed to going back to school, but Purdue has shown me the value in continuing your education, and what\u2019s possible on the other side of that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cla.purdue.edu\/communication\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Vet_stock_435x290-300x200.jpg\")
As a veteran and a full-time professional, Glenn knew that to make going back to school work for him, he would need to find a program that was supportive of veterans and flexible enough to accommodate full-time workers. When he came across Purdue University, he was instantly impressed by the school\u2019s rich legacy, history of innovative research, and award-winning academic programs. But he had been out of school too long to jump right back into an on-campus degree program \u2013 he needed a good steppingstone to ease himself back into the experience.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n