General Reflections on UMUC MDE Program Sept 2010 to December 2012.
I began the University of Maryland University College Master of Distance Education program in September of 2010 very apprehensive about the work load,
time requirements and my own fears of learning at this higher level. For years I would hear from my peers and acquaintances how demanding the graduate school
work load is and the requirements of time to pursue a master’s degree. However, I realized that all those people I spoke with had all received their higher level degrees
from the traditional face-to-face teaching and a bricks and mortar institution. That meant going to night school, inclement weather cancellations, classes
missed do to work or travel requirements and on top of that family and community commitments. To me online learning meant my time learning and I would
make my personal and business calendars work around the online requirements of the MDE at UMUC.
Business improves
In the next two years my business and income grew while enrolled in six credits in the fall and spring terms and 3 credits in the summer term. Despite
all the woes about national economic down turn, I empowered my employees to do more by themselves and less with me and it proved to be effective and profitable.
My customer loyalty did not change and my customer base, that is new clients, increased while enrolled at UMUC. I learned to manage my time differently. I had the support of a loving and caring spouse that gave the time to pursue my goal of master of distance education. By the way, this reflective essay was composed on a Thursday morning while my phone is not ringing, nine employees are about their craft and tasks of the day, all my clients are happy, and I am pursuing and continuing in my academic goals. In
conclusion, better time management when engaged in a career goal like obtaining a master’s degree can actually improve market share and profitability while
proper leadership is enacted.
Vocabulary increases
My vocabulary increased in the past two years also. Over the years, many of my clients commented on my professionalism and my preciseness of my
communication skills, especially orally. Some of my clients told me that the reason they did business with me and not a competitor was not because of a
cheaper price or a better product but because it was clear to them in my communication from the start of the sales process and through completion of the
contract terms they knew exactly what they were getting. I was learning new vocabulary mostly from UMUC’s faculty and also from some of my classmates. When doing course work, readings, conference postings as required by the MDE curriculum, I constantly had a dictionary at my side to look up the definitions of new words. As my vocabulary increased, I would use some of my newly learned words in conversations with my clients. Many of my clients are very sophisticated and have multiple degrees. In
conclusion, during my sales process I was using a broader more sophisticated vocabulary than my competitors and it seemed to resonate with my clients. Yet, I
never told my clients I was active in graduate school. I did not think it was their business to know I was a student. Therefore, I did not want them to think that our agreed upon
business relationship would take second place to my education pursuits.
Vision improves
Another interesting change in my life was my eye vision. Because of the reading requirements at the graduate level, I spent a lot of time reading. In
the beginning of the fall of 2010, I was a contact lens wearer for distance vision and would put on reading glasses to focus on anything within 18 inches of
my face. After a few weeks of wearing contact lenses and reading glasses simultaneously to read, I began to remove all the corrective vision wear and sit
and read with adequate light and a yellow highlighter. Sometime later, I visited my optometrist for an annual eye exam appointment. The doctor identified
that my eye sight has changed. I was expecting the optometrist to say this and anticipated her writing a prescription for stronger contact lenses’ prescription or bi-focal eye glasses. She asked me what I had been doing different in the past 8 months that may have had an effect on my vision. My response was to say that I turned off the TV and
started reading a lot. I was surprised when she said that my vision has improved and she further stated that my increase in reading and focusing on more up close
functions with my eyes, that I had in fact, retrained my eyes and improved my vision. She suggested that I continue reading and prescribed glasses for driving
an automobile and for distanced vision only. In conclusion, reading at the graduate level, may improve one’s eye sight.
Better thinker
The UMUC faculty challenged me with the MDE curriculum to reach beyond what I thought were my limits intellectually. Now it seems they have broadened
those limits and stretched them to a new intellectual comfort zone. My level of critical thinking has improved as a result of my work as a graduate student. A
deeper level of critical thinking has made me a better student and businessman. Some of those closest to me personally have said, “Stop thinking! Can’t you turn
off your brain?” I don’t think of this as an affliction but an asset. I find great joy when a problem is discussed and solutions are presented and someone
says to me, “Thanks I never would have thought of that as an option.” I contribute some of my time participating on the board of directors of a
non-profit organization and I am one of the more mature members of this board. I have notice recently that the board members have come to me more often than before with very complicated scenarios and have asked me for analysis and advice. I believe that is in part because of my increased awareness of my improved level of critical
thinking as a result of being a graduate student and challenged by the faculty at UMUC School of Management and Technology. Many times these board members have
thanked me for my insightful solutions and recommendations. In conclusion, being a graduate student can improve one’s critical thinking processes.
Better researcher
My research work as a graduate student has enabled me to be a more thorough researcher than before. Previously when business clients asked for specific products, I would spent countless hours driving around town until I founder a supplier that had such an item. My research training in the past two years has allowed me to spend more time with research involving the internet and no time driving around town. This technique has improved the quality of my search and provided a better use of my time. I was a creature of an old habit and being a student of UMUC and its USCP 611 Graduate Research Course helped me to develop research skills I currently use in my business practice today.
More intelligent
As a graduate student at UMUC I feel I am a smarter, more intelligent, individual then I was before. I’m still the same person I was two years ago, yet I believe I can walk with just a little more self-confidence now than I ever did. I am not better than anyone else, but for me, just a little smarter. I was told some time ago by someone I respect very much that sometimes I was too quick to make decisions and that I ‘shoot first and aim second’. With the graduate work I have competed so far, I feel I am better equipped to ‘aim first before I shoot’. I will always remember that quote and be able to respond more intelligently then before as a result of studies at the graduate level. What I learned was to perform in depth research to identify solutions and facts before making conclusions that may be inaccurate or incomplete. I learned to be respectful of the time necessary to search for correct, viable, accurate, pertinent, and timely information through credible resources way beyond Wikipedia. In conclusion, graduate studies can help to increase one’s intellect.
Summary
In the grand scheme of things, being a student at the graduate level has provided me personal development and insight in several things beyond obtaining
the Master of Distance Education degree. I will recommend to anyone willing to listen, to enroll in UMUC’s graduate school and pursue any higher level degree. You
will be enriched, enhanced, and a better person far beyond the credentials of the graduate degree itself. I did not enroll in UMUC graduate school to get a better
job. I enrolled to be a better person, enhance my current career, to pursue new entrepreneurial aspirations, and finally say, “I did it!” I got a master’s
degree now you go get one!
Steve Klitsch
I began the University of Maryland University College Master of Distance Education program in September of 2010 very apprehensive about the work load,
time requirements and my own fears of learning at this higher level. For years I would hear from my peers and acquaintances how demanding the graduate school
work load is and the requirements of time to pursue a master’s degree. However, I realized that all those people I spoke with had all received their higher level degrees
from the traditional face-to-face teaching and a bricks and mortar institution. That meant going to night school, inclement weather cancellations, classes
missed do to work or travel requirements and on top of that family and community commitments. To me online learning meant my time learning and I would
make my personal and business calendars work around the online requirements of the MDE at UMUC.
Business improves
In the next two years my business and income grew while enrolled in six credits in the fall and spring terms and 3 credits in the summer term. Despite
all the woes about national economic down turn, I empowered my employees to do more by themselves and less with me and it proved to be effective and profitable.
My customer loyalty did not change and my customer base, that is new clients, increased while enrolled at UMUC. I learned to manage my time differently. I had the support of a loving and caring spouse that gave the time to pursue my goal of master of distance education. By the way, this reflective essay was composed on a Thursday morning while my phone is not ringing, nine employees are about their craft and tasks of the day, all my clients are happy, and I am pursuing and continuing in my academic goals. In
conclusion, better time management when engaged in a career goal like obtaining a master’s degree can actually improve market share and profitability while
proper leadership is enacted.
Vocabulary increases
My vocabulary increased in the past two years also. Over the years, many of my clients commented on my professionalism and my preciseness of my
communication skills, especially orally. Some of my clients told me that the reason they did business with me and not a competitor was not because of a
cheaper price or a better product but because it was clear to them in my communication from the start of the sales process and through completion of the
contract terms they knew exactly what they were getting. I was learning new vocabulary mostly from UMUC’s faculty and also from some of my classmates. When doing course work, readings, conference postings as required by the MDE curriculum, I constantly had a dictionary at my side to look up the definitions of new words. As my vocabulary increased, I would use some of my newly learned words in conversations with my clients. Many of my clients are very sophisticated and have multiple degrees. In
conclusion, during my sales process I was using a broader more sophisticated vocabulary than my competitors and it seemed to resonate with my clients. Yet, I
never told my clients I was active in graduate school. I did not think it was their business to know I was a student. Therefore, I did not want them to think that our agreed upon
business relationship would take second place to my education pursuits.
Vision improves
Another interesting change in my life was my eye vision. Because of the reading requirements at the graduate level, I spent a lot of time reading. In
the beginning of the fall of 2010, I was a contact lens wearer for distance vision and would put on reading glasses to focus on anything within 18 inches of
my face. After a few weeks of wearing contact lenses and reading glasses simultaneously to read, I began to remove all the corrective vision wear and sit
and read with adequate light and a yellow highlighter. Sometime later, I visited my optometrist for an annual eye exam appointment. The doctor identified
that my eye sight has changed. I was expecting the optometrist to say this and anticipated her writing a prescription for stronger contact lenses’ prescription or bi-focal eye glasses. She asked me what I had been doing different in the past 8 months that may have had an effect on my vision. My response was to say that I turned off the TV and
started reading a lot. I was surprised when she said that my vision has improved and she further stated that my increase in reading and focusing on more up close
functions with my eyes, that I had in fact, retrained my eyes and improved my vision. She suggested that I continue reading and prescribed glasses for driving
an automobile and for distanced vision only. In conclusion, reading at the graduate level, may improve one’s eye sight.
Better thinker
The UMUC faculty challenged me with the MDE curriculum to reach beyond what I thought were my limits intellectually. Now it seems they have broadened
those limits and stretched them to a new intellectual comfort zone. My level of critical thinking has improved as a result of my work as a graduate student. A
deeper level of critical thinking has made me a better student and businessman. Some of those closest to me personally have said, “Stop thinking! Can’t you turn
off your brain?” I don’t think of this as an affliction but an asset. I find great joy when a problem is discussed and solutions are presented and someone
says to me, “Thanks I never would have thought of that as an option.” I contribute some of my time participating on the board of directors of a
non-profit organization and I am one of the more mature members of this board. I have notice recently that the board members have come to me more often than before with very complicated scenarios and have asked me for analysis and advice. I believe that is in part because of my increased awareness of my improved level of critical
thinking as a result of being a graduate student and challenged by the faculty at UMUC School of Management and Technology. Many times these board members have
thanked me for my insightful solutions and recommendations. In conclusion, being a graduate student can improve one’s critical thinking processes.
Better researcher
My research work as a graduate student has enabled me to be a more thorough researcher than before. Previously when business clients asked for specific products, I would spent countless hours driving around town until I founder a supplier that had such an item. My research training in the past two years has allowed me to spend more time with research involving the internet and no time driving around town. This technique has improved the quality of my search and provided a better use of my time. I was a creature of an old habit and being a student of UMUC and its USCP 611 Graduate Research Course helped me to develop research skills I currently use in my business practice today.
More intelligent
As a graduate student at UMUC I feel I am a smarter, more intelligent, individual then I was before. I’m still the same person I was two years ago, yet I believe I can walk with just a little more self-confidence now than I ever did. I am not better than anyone else, but for me, just a little smarter. I was told some time ago by someone I respect very much that sometimes I was too quick to make decisions and that I ‘shoot first and aim second’. With the graduate work I have competed so far, I feel I am better equipped to ‘aim first before I shoot’. I will always remember that quote and be able to respond more intelligently then before as a result of studies at the graduate level. What I learned was to perform in depth research to identify solutions and facts before making conclusions that may be inaccurate or incomplete. I learned to be respectful of the time necessary to search for correct, viable, accurate, pertinent, and timely information through credible resources way beyond Wikipedia. In conclusion, graduate studies can help to increase one’s intellect.
Summary
In the grand scheme of things, being a student at the graduate level has provided me personal development and insight in several things beyond obtaining
the Master of Distance Education degree. I will recommend to anyone willing to listen, to enroll in UMUC’s graduate school and pursue any higher level degree. You
will be enriched, enhanced, and a better person far beyond the credentials of the graduate degree itself. I did not enroll in UMUC graduate school to get a better
job. I enrolled to be a better person, enhance my current career, to pursue new entrepreneurial aspirations, and finally say, “I did it!” I got a master’s
degree now you go get one!
Steve Klitsch