A Graduate’s Story

Success Came Early for IT Grad

Pedro Garces Tamayo was only 21 when he enrolled in Sullivan’s Graduate School; his Bachelor’s in Telecommunications Systems Management from Murray State under his belt. While his bachelor’s gave him technical expertise, Pedro wanted to further his education and learn how his field could contribute to a business’s bottom line.

Pedro was working as an IT Manager for King Southern Bank, a local community bank, and while he had evaluated other graduate programs in Louisville, he found that “Sullivan’s M.S.M.I.T program was an excellent fit.” He liked the convenience of Sullivan’s evening courses and that the “graduate program covered all the relevant IT Management areas that I needed to be successful.”

 

Sullivan’s Graduate School is geared towards students’ success

Pedro knew he made a wise decision about enrolling at Sullivan. “From day one, I experienced the staff’s dedication to ensure my success. The Associate Director for Graduate Admissions, Beverly Horsley, assisted me during the enrollment process and even followed up after my first quarter. Throughout the program, I noticed that the graduate faculty not only had the academic expertise, but also the business experience to provide the real world perspective.” He appreciated that “the faculty was also available even via cell phone."

Career Services was a great resource

Pedro earned his Master’s in Information Technology degree from Sullivan in 2009 and was ready to put his new skills to good use. He was intrigued with a career opportunity with a utility company based in Charlotte, North Carolina and felt that “combined with my work experience and education from Sullivan, I was equipped to face any challenges the opportunity brought.” Pedro contacted Career Services for negotiating tips.

“The Career Services office did a stellar job during my interview preparation and job search. Career Services Specialist Melissa Shockley provided me with the job search tools I needed. As a new graduate, it can be difficult to find opportunities during an economic recession and utilizing Sullivan’s Career Services expertise made it possible to get employed.”

Pedro’s career search paid off at a Fortune 500 corporation

Three months after graduation, Pedro began working at one of the largest electric power companies in the United States. Less than a year later, Pedro’s skills had earned him a promotion; today he is a Telecommunications Network Analyst III at Duke Energy’s corporate headquarters. But Pedro isn’t resting on his laurels. He now is pursuing his MBA from Sullivan. Believing that “a combination of expertise from the M.S.M.I.T and MBA degrees will provide me with a leader’s holistic perspective of all business operational areas.”

Sullivan’s flexible schedule helped his decision

“I have enjoyed the flexibility provided in an online setting. Sullivan has dedicated staff members that have made it their goal to be available after hours to ensure students’ success. Furthermore, I have been able to expand my expertise beyond IT Management to operations strategy, finance, accounting and other vital segments of a business. I believe that a combination of both degrees will strengthen my marketability.”

For those thinking about increasing their marketability with a master’s degree, Pedro shared, that “taking this first step to pursue a graduate degree is the best investment you can make in your life. Even though a graduate degree does not guarantee employment, it will provide you the opportunity to stand out within your industry and increase your success with lifelong career opportunities.”

At the age of 25, thanks to his drive, imitative and impeccable Sullivan credentials, Pedro Garces Tamayo will have lifelong career success!