As an Army soldier in Iraq, Major Rick Jensen lived a life filled with
uncertainty. Day-to-day military operations and harsh conditions
made it difficult to focus on the future, but he was determined to
plan for life after the military. Throughout an 18-month deployment
overseas, Jensen pursued a master's degree that would prepare him
for a civilian leadership role in business.
"Capella offered the flexibility I needed. I didn't have the freedom of
a 9 to 5, Monday through Friday schedule, and the Internet wasn't
always available to me. My instructors understood the situation, and
I was able to deliver my course work despite the challenges I was
facing."
Jensen had been out of school for more than 12 years, and he found
it a challenge to get back into the habit of studying and the civilian
style of writing. He took advantage of Capella's Writing Center
and found the support he needed to adapt. He was also surprised
at the breadth of knowledge he acquired from other students in
the courseroom. "I don't have any civilian business experience,
so I appreciated exchanging information with fellow, non-military
students. What I learned from them will help set me up for success
later on."
He's also found his Capella course work valuable in his stateside role
as a program manager in the Minnesota Army National Guard. "I'm
using the leadership, management, and marketing skills with my
statewide training team. Later, I can transfer that knowledge into a
civilian career."
Jensen remains on track to complete his master's degree on his
planned timeline, but he knows that life in the military can be
unpredictable. "I've had to take a few leaves of absence, but
Capella's Armed Forces and Veterans Support team always keeps
in contact, going out of the way to ensure I can stay on track. That
shows me Capella wants the very best for its students."