Firsthand Experiences

Meet Mark Meddleton
U.S. Navy Veteran
BBA with a concentration in Management
MBA with Dual Concentrations - Management and Accounting/Finance

Before retiring from the U.S. Navy with over 21 years of service, Mark Meddleton recognized the need to earn a college degree in order to make an easier transition from the military to the civilian sector. "I completed several college level courses before I left the Navy, but I was unable to complete enough credits to earn a degree."

Mark's experience training sonar technicians in the Navy helped him obtain positions performing computer-based training design and development, technical writing and finally, consulting in the information technology field. Working as a corporate trainer in a consulting firm motivated him to continue his education. "My income was not at the level I wanted it to be and I was passed over for promotions. I had a wealth of technical knowledge and skills, but I knew very little about business administration, management or finance. Nearly every one I worked with at the time had either a Bachelor's degree or an advanced degree that worked to their advantage. However, due to my work and travel schedule, as well as family responsibilities, I was unable to attend college courses in a traditional classroom setting. Then one evening I logged on to military.com and discovered AIU Online. Since then my life has changed in many positive ways."

Mark was somewhat skeptical about online learning at first, so he did a lot of research before deciding to enroll in an online degree program. "I looked into several universities that offer online degree programs. I checked accreditation, read testimonials, talked to admissions advisors and took virtual campus tours. AIU Online beat the competition for several reasons. The Admissions Advisors are professional, knowledgeable and gave me prompt, honest responses to my inquiries. The Virtual Campus is very user friendly. But most of all, AIU Online offers accelerated degree programs and is very military-friendly."

Mark enrolled in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program with a concentration in Management. Despite some initial apprehensions, he was "pleasantly surprised" with AIU Online. "I was somewhat concerned that the completely online format might not provide me with the tools I needed, but with the help of a tutorial I soon found that the Virtual Campus was easy to navigate and offered a vast array of resources. I found that the instructors were very experienced in the subjects they teach and very accessible. Anything I needed to help me learn was only a click or two away, and I was able to set up individual chat sessions with my instructors when I felt the need for additional help. Working with fellow students on the Virtual Campus turned out to be very useful preparation for working with virtual project teams in my profession. The course materials were very much in line with my work and as I acquired more business management knowledge through my course work, I was offered more professional assignments relating to business analysis and finance."

Educational success and career success soon began to work hand in hand for Mark. "As I increased my knowledge of business through both education and experience, my responsibilities increased. In addition to developing curriculum and training clientele staff, I began performing business analysis, developing IT solutions to meet business objectives, participating in project planning and negotiations, and creating financial models from statements of work. My educational experience put me in a position to gain more professional experience, which led to many positive changes in my life."

Mark's courses with AIU Online proved so valuable that he decided to continue on to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with dual concentrations in Management and Finance. "When I earned an MBA through AIU Online, even more doors of opportunity opened for me. I was promoted to Principal and now manage large cross-functional project teams. My income increased dramatically. I also feel I have gained more respect from my peers and my family, which gave me an incredible boost of confidence. That confidence, along with my knowledge and experience, has enabled me to set goals for myself that I would have never thought possible before enrolling with AIU Online."

Mark is extremely pleased with his current position and hopes to climb further up the career ladder. "The next step for me is a promotion to senior principal, then perhaps a vice president position within the firm. That would have been unthinkable before I earned my master's degree. I am also looking into earning a CPA certification so I can start an accounting business. I am very pleased with what I am doing right now, but I also realize that there are many more opportunities within my reach before I retire. Thanks to AIU Online, I went from worrying about making ends meet after retiring from the Navy to deciding how far I want to go in my profession. My advice to both current and potential AIU Online students is to take full advantage of the educational opportunities before you, because earning a degree can lead you to a level of career success beyond your wildest expectations."