Learner Stories: Sidney Wynn

Captain, U.S. Army Reserve

With over 20 years of service in the Army Reserve, Sidney Wynn's dedication to military service is unquestioned. But when the latest call to active duty pulled him away from his career as a network administrator, Wynn knew the clock was ticking on his marketable skills.

"When I chose to enter the master's degree program at Capella University, I saw it as a way to better myself and provide an edge when I return to civilian life," he said. "I designed computer networks for Sprint, but the technology has changed so much in the three years I've been deployed that I knew I would need more training to stay current."

Deployed since 2003 as an engineering brigade training officer in South Carolina, Wynn acknowledges that his military job has little crossover with his civilian IT career. As a learner in Capella University's MS-level network architecture and design specialization, Wynn said the focused online curriculum enables him to maintain his technical skills while sharpening his business and communications acumen.

"My writing skills have improved immensely since I started this program," he said. "I've gotten a lot of what might be called 'tough love' from the instructors on my writing because in the online format, things need to be clear and concise."

Like most armed forces learners, Wynn has occasionally needed to balance the increased demands of his military role with personal academic goals. On at least one occasion, that meant withdrawing from a course that was more than halfway complete, knowing he would need to start over when time permitted. But Wynn said he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Some people just want a piece of paper and don't want to learn," he said. "That's certainly not what you find at Capella. The instructors are demanding, and the programs are intense, but you will learn from the experience."