Aaron McNiel
Plano, TX
Certificates in Executive Leadership & Finanacial Management, eCornell
Not sure if he was ready to plunge into an MBA program, Aaron McNiel wanted to consider options before making his decision. The Certificate in Executive Leadership from eCornell offered a great way for Aaron to ease himself back into the world of education.
“I finished my undergraduate degree in 1998. I wanted to test the waters before going back to get my graduate degree. So, in 2008, I signed up with The College Network® and earned my Certificate in Executive Leadership through eCornell,” Aaron said.
The experience proved to be just what he needed to feel prepared for graduate school, and he didn’t stop there. “I was so inspired that I decided to go get my MBA. After receiving my MBA, I went back to The College Network and eCornell to expand my financial knowledge with a Certificate in Financial Management,” he said.
While the process wasn’t easy, Aaron kept his eyes on the goal and never gave up. “Working a 10-hour day and finding two hours to read the material was hard. It was challenging from a time management aspect and hard to keep quality in my work. It was great to learn new concepts but sometimes hard to put them into practice,” he said.
Aaron feels that receiving further education changed his thinking not only professionally, but also in many other ways. “Continuing my education made me look at a lot of things differently. Killing yourself 12 hours a day at your job isn’t enough. You have to work smarter. My education has affected all aspects of my life. This process has also made me want to be a better father and husband as well as employee,” he said.
Aaron is grateful to The College Network for the opportunity to find the inspiration and flexibility he needed to continue his education. “In many ways, The College Network and eCornell helped me overcome more challenges than just my program. They are very flexible for the working adult,” he said.
For those starting out, he warns that it won’t be easy, but you must stay upbeat to make things work. “Optimism and confidence are the two most important qualities. Not even an education will mean anything if you don’t have the confidence to back it up,” Aaron said.
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