Aimee Plude

Q: “Tell us about yourself.”
A: “I'm a single mom to two kids (ages 11 and 8), and we are always on the go. Both kids play sports each season, and I play in adult softball and broomball leagues. We enjoy going out with our friends but also love a good family game night at home.

I graduated from Saint Michael's College in Colchester, VT, in 2009 with a BS in Accounting and minor in Finance. After college, I worked as an Audit Associate for one of the Big 4 firms. After auditing, I moved into Treasury and Senior Accountant roles for an insurance company, then became a Financial Analyst for a small community hospital. In the accounting roles, I focused heavily on creating and analyzing budgets and analyzing and explaining financial results to senior management.”

Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: “I felt like my professional experience was specific to certain industries, and getting my MBA could open more doors for me in my career. I also didn't sit for the CPA exam after graduating college and before the credit requirements changed, so if I want to sit for the exam for a future job, I'd like to have all the credits needed.”

Q: “What are your future professional plans?”
A: “I'd like to move into management-level roles and continue to grow and learn as much as possible. I hope to use this degree to both advance my career and to also potentially open doors to different industries.”

Q: “Why did you choose Norwich?”
A: “Growing up in Central Vermont meant I was already familiar with Norwich University. I've been to many Northfield Labor Day parades and attended exciting hockey games at Kreitzberg. I learned about Norwich's online graduate degree programs through friends who worked for the program. When I started looking into getting my MBA, Norwich was a top choice since it is a well-known and respected school, and the online program is built for busy professionals who have families and full-time jobs. The program's flexibility meant I could work classes into an already busy schedule.”

Q: “Did you have any uncertainties with choosing an online program?”
A: “My main uncertainty was about which program I wanted to pursue within Norwich. I had to decide if I wanted the general MBA track, a finance concentration, or a Master of Accounting. In the end, an MBA with a finance concentration was most in line with my goals, so I went that route.”

Q: “Prior to beginning your courses, what were some of your expectations for an online degree program?”
A: “Having never done an online degree program, I wasn't sure what to expect. I quickly learned that online courses require a lot of self-motivation and time management. Since there are no set in-class times and due dates were at the end of each week, it was truly up to me to manage my time effectively and ensure everything was accomplished. The Moodle classroom setup was very helpful in seeing what was due each week and what I could expect each week for the course. Some professors would even add assignments of items we could work on during the week to help us get ahead for future weeks if we wanted.”

Q: “What is one piece of advice you would give to future students enrolling into one of Norwich's online programs?”
A: “If you're on the fence about committing to Norwich's program, now is the time to go for it. The program and everyone involved truly want to see each student succeed, so there is plenty of support along the way. You'll get out of the program what you put into it - so be ready to work but understand that it's worth it!”

Q: “What has been your biggest personal or professional success since starting your degree?”
A: “Completing this program as a single parent with a demanding full-time career is a personal success. The support I received from the student advisors, my professors, my classmates, and my family all helped me get here.”

Q: “Please tell us about a time in which you could put your knowledge gained in the classroom to work immediately at your job.”
A: “As a financial professional, I spend a lot of time utilizing Excel spreadsheets and formulas. After completing different assignments in the managerial finance course, I started using more complex formulas and formatting to improve the presentation of my work.”

Q: “What aspects of your Norwich experience will you carry most strongly with you?”
A: “The drive to learn more – an online degree requires a lot of self-motivation and a lot of time that comes from curiosity and the desire to keep digging into a subject. This has truly been an eye-opening experience for me. I feel more capable than ever, and I'm proud to show my children what can be accomplished if you just put your mind to it and work hard.”