Real World Experience Enhances A Master's Degree
As Vice President and General Manager of NetApp's Central Enterprise and Service Provider in America, Jon Mellon runs a team of consulting, business development and sales managers that are responsible for selling, installing and managing storage and data systems for large companies. Mellon has close to 30 years of experience working in the technology hardware, software, IT Cloud and Cloud Security industries.
Mellon earned his undergraduate degree in Business Analysis from Indiana University. He also has a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Economics and Marketing from the University of Dayton and completed the Aresty Executive Development Program at the Wharton School of Business.
Why did you pursue a master's degree?
"I pursued a master's degree for career advancement to fine-tune my work experience with broader learning in a controlled environment and for great networking opportunities."
What would you tell someone who is considering returning to school to earn a master's degree?
"Get real world experience first – you might also consider a non-business undergraduate degree as I found a good portion of the material to be a bit redundant. The road toward a graduate degree without having mastered the undergraduate curriculum would increase the rigor of the MBA quite substantially."
What was the biggest challenge you faced when pursuing your master's degree?
"Time management. I was newly married, had a full-time job, traveled to Europe on a quarterly basis for my job and finished in three years. My wife's name should have been on the diploma as she carried our lives almost single-handedly during this time."
What was the biggest reward for earning the master's degree?
"It checks a box that (more often than not) qualifies you for a broader range of opportunities in your career. It also exposes you to a broader range of perspectives, relationships and learning that is valuable throughout life."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com