entrance essay

I remember the day well when I was first introduced to computers. I was a wide eyed eight year old who was on spring break, my mother didn’t have anyone to watch me so off to work with her I went. As she led me thru the doors into the Tektronix CPID hardware engineering division I was mesmerized. I knew that day that I wanted to know everything I could about how these machines worked and what I could make them do.
I have always had a passion for learning, but for most of my life that passion was fulfilled by educating myself. Either by reading fieroucously about a subject on my own or jumping in with two feet and learning something new. After spending nearly a decade working in and around technology, I realized something was missing. I had hit a ceiling, I knew there was more to know, more that I could learn. I wanted to take my hobby, and turn it into a career. A career that could blend together my passion for technology, and my skills in customer service and communication. It was then that I decided to pursue a degree in Information Technology. When I decided it was time to go to school, I went looking for someplace local, that I could work at a steady pace towards my goals and still work a full time job. This led me to Pioneer Pacific. I received an associate’s degree in Information Technology, which I had already planned to continue thru to a Bachelor’s degree, but between my underclassmen classes and moving on to the second half of my Bachelor’s degree I went forward with obtaining a second associates degree in Web Design. I am glad I made that decision, it helped introduce me to other programing languages and helped guide me towards my favorite aspects of programming.

A Buddhist proverb says “When the student is ready, the master appears”. I like to think that is what has happened for me in finding this program. I have searched for a Master’s program that fits me since I finished my Bachelor’s Degree over three years ago. So many I found seemed to have such a narrow focus, be it strictly software development, business administration or Information Technology security. None seemed to take a holistic approach to Information management until I discovered the AIM program. . I hope to continue on with my education within the Applied Information Management program. From the reading and research I have done on the program it appears to follow the same path as my past education of courses relevant to the path I have chosen for myself. I am excited to be a part of a program that is on the leading edge of the future, where education will evolve into a wider offering, and more accessible and available then in the past.
No matter what the career goal may be, an education is key to achieving it I have several academic and professional goals that will result in my success in my career and in life in general. Change is the only constant, be it in everyday life or in a profession. With the change and growth in business, it is only natural that one would have to constantly upgrade and enhance their knowledge and resources that he or she offers to the business or to the client. Therefore, upgrading one’s knowledge and resources to grow as a professional is another important career goal that one should pursue. Another important career goal would be to be satisfied with whatever you are doing. Of course, that does not mean that you should stop experimenting or impede your enhancement process. You should make sure that you are completely satisfied with whatever job you are doing. A

continued education can only bolster the chances of success in getting hired and in meeting long-term goals. I hope this program will enable me to grow and adapt to the ever changing aspects of my professional field.
Going thru a very accelerated pace program for my bachelor degree prepared me for what was to come in the fast paced business world. One thing I have come to realize is I work best without someone standing over my shoulder. In business as well as in learning, procrastination can be your greatest hobble. One skill that has served me well in the past and I believe will continue to do so thru this master’s program, would be my reading comprehension. To truly succeed in anything, be it learning or just living, you must have a passion, a passion for what you are doing and Use that passion to become a ferocious researcher. Become the type of student that studies academics instead of one who simply attends classes. Take the initiative to study on a daily and regular basis without requiring instruction to do so. Make learning a priority. Have a habitual critical mind. Analyze, critically evaluate and be able to understand what you are learning. Be humble and realize that you can always learn more regardless of what you may already know and understand. Listen to and learn from your instructor. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. Be engaged while in class and work well with your classmates.
The fact this program is designed for real world professionals, to learn an all-encompassing approach to information management. This isn’t solely an IT program or a Business administration degree; it envelops multiple disciplines to produce well rounded professionals. I believe these factors will help expand my knowledge and approach in the professional realm. . I currently hold a Lean Six yellow belt and am a current candidate for green belt certification. So I see a lot of this programs core component seem very similar to the Lean Six approach that I have been trained on in the last few years and could help expand the knowledge and use of the Lean practices. I also look forward to more in-depth training and education in project management; I have lead some initiatives in the past and have thought of becoming PMP (Project Management Professional) certified.