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Interviewer:
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What prompted you further your education?
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Lance Platt:
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When I completed my Masters degree in 1996, I believed I was finished forever with formal education. In 2005 I was looking for a new challenge and the thought of a PhD intrigued me. I researched several program options and before I knew it I found myself back in school.
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Interviewer:
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Please tell us a little bit about the degree you are pursuing.
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Lance Platt:
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I am pursuing a business oriented PhD. Typically, when you get beyond a Masters degree most of the emphasis is on education or psychology. I wanted to further my education, but I wanted it to be specific to the business world. I found a degree in Organizational Management with an emphasis in Leadership. It has provided the right balance of real world business application and scholarly research.
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Interviewer:
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So far has your degree program lived up to your expectations?
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Lance Platt:
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Yes, it has. I expected it to be challenging, yet rewarding. It has been both. The challenge has been balancing the work/life aspect of the program and the rewards have already started to surface in terms of my career development. This program has forced me to learn and apply leadership principles that I would not otherwise be learning.
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Interviewer:
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Why did you decided to pursue a distance learning degree as opposed to traditional campus based degree?
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Lance Platt:
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I travel extensively with my job ruling out any opportunity to enroll in a traditional campus program. The distance learning environment has allowed me to “attend class” while traveling. It has also provided some limited flexibility with the other areas of life.
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Interviewer:
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What are the biggest benefits to earning a higher education degree via a distance-learning program?
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Lance Platt:
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I completed my Masters at a traditional brick-and-mortar school before distance learning was an option. It was a great experience, but I knew after finishing it that I would never be able to go back to a classroom environment. This distance-learning program has provided an opportunity for me to pursue a degree that I would otherwise not be able to attain.
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Interviewer:
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What where the criteria you used for selecting a distance learning school?
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Lance Platt:
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My selection criteria included the following:
1) An accredited university.
2) The school must have a business oriented PhD degree.
3) Was not a school where I had completed one of my previous degrees.
4) Reputable and easy to work with.
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Interviewer:
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What would you tell others considering an online or distance learning degree program?
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Lance Platt:
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I would advise others that distance learning programs require a high level of self-discipline. Don’t think that just because the distance learning program takes place outside of a classroom setting that it is self paced. Distance learning programs are well organized, structured and demanding. Although I am not finished yet, I would encourage others to see the end from the beginning and don’t quit. A higher education degree requires an “enduring to the end” commitment.
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