When Mark Tucker was deciding whether to go back to school for his MBA, it all came down to which university would give him the support he needed. Rather than returning to the University of Memphis, where he received his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1992, Mark decided to give WGU Tennessee a shot.
Mark had heard about WGU from friends in the education degree programs. He began to see the workforce change around him as his company hired younger professionals who would stay with the organization for one to three years, rather than hires who would be “lifers” at the organization. Mark chose to pursue his Master of Business Administration degree from WGU Tennessee in order to “level the playing field.”
“I worked for a company for 17 years, and I started to see a pattern develop … if it was between two candidates with a bachelor’s degree, they would be going with the younger person,” Mark said. “With my master’s degree from WGU, I can stay on top of my profession in a new job that better suits my professional goals.”
While working a full-time job and completing a master’s degree can be overwhelming, Mark says the guidance from his student mentor, Lisa Pringle, helped him finish his degree and keep him engaged with the curriculum.
“If there was anyone that was the biggest help start to finish, it would be Lisa. The one thing I know for sure is that Lisa cared – she was excellent, and I will always be grateful for her time,” Mark said. “When someone looks at my diploma and asks ‘who was the source of your success,’ other than my brain, I would say Lisa. Make sure to listen to the student mentors because they understand the curriculum, and will keep you on schedule to graduate on time.”
After graduating in August, Mark started a new job where he’s able to use his degree to help move the company forward.
