I’ve learned over the years that people change. When I left college, I was done with school. I had had enough! Sixteen straight years of school was enough. I had to get on with my life, stop learning and get a job. Boy, did I have a lot to learn. My degree was in Accounting, but I had begun work in a much more exciting (to me) field, computers. Even though I thought I was done with school, 18 months later I was back in school, at night, for a Masters in Business Administration. I wanted more out of life and I realized that I was going to have to work for it.
Twelve years after I completed my MBA, my career was moving along in a mid-level management position in a great company. My boss was taking courses at Penn in an interesting (to me) field of Organizational Dynamics. We discussed it, and I applied and was accepted to the program. Six years later, I completed the program with a certain sadness. I was glad to have reached my goal, but sad that it was over. I loved everything about the Organizational Dynamics program!
I have continued my career in Information Technology management. I have said many times, to be a leader in Information Technology, you need to know 3 things. First, technology – I have well over 20 year experience in that. Second, business – my schooling in Accounting and business administration has given me that. Third, people – I believe Penn Organizational Dynamics has given me that. It has been 14 years since I graduated from Penn, and I have reached a senior level of management. A few weeks ago, I was in a meeting with my organization’s CEO. We were discussing a particularly difficult situation that I was currently solving and she asked me “how much of your job involves the skills you learned at Penn in Organizational Dynamics?”. I quickly replied 80%! That should tell you how much I value the education I received at Penn.
– Dave Kelble
