Alec Faryniarz
Norwich’s MBA program prepared me for the challenges of my current job but also gave me the skills I’ll need later in my career.
Q: “Tell us about yourself, Alec.”
A: “I currently work as a proposal specialist for Collins Aerospace company. I was born and raised in Vermont, and I spent the first 29 years of my life there before moving to Hattiesburg, MS, where my fiancé attends medical school. We live with our dog Hazel, and we love being active and outside.”
Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: “I knew that for my career in aerospace or any sort of business development, I would need a master’s degree to keep rising in the corporate ladder. Norwich’s Master of Business Administration program prepared me for the challenges of my current job but also gave me the skills I’ll need later in my career.”
Q: “What are your future professional plans?”
A: “I’d like to manage a sales team and ultimately an entire business unit; maybe even open my own company. I want a career where analytical skills and people skills both have their place.”
Q: “Why did you choose Norwich, how did you learn about the university? What makes Norwich unique? What made Norwich’s program stand out?”
A: “I learned about Norwich’s program through friends and colleagues who went through the program. I heard nothing but rave reviews, and the program’s flexibility and rigor fit in with my goals and time allotments.”
Q: “Prior to beginning your courses, what were some of your expectations for an online degree program and how were those met or challenged based on your experience with Norwich?”
A: “I knew I would be challenged and responsible for my own work with limited oversight. I did not expect how engaged and communicable my professors and fellow classmates would be, that was a very pleasant surprise.”
Q: “What is one piece of advice you would give to future students enrolling into one of Norwich’s online programs?”
A: “You will take from the program what you put into it, so work hard and make yourself proud. I also encourage everyone to reach out to their professors, who are not just knowledgeable, but extremely passionate about what they do and very approachable. My professors wanted me to succeed, so if I needed anything they were always willing to help me out.”
Q: “How do you plan to use your degree in your career?”
A: “I plan to continue building on the skills I acquired at Norwich, and I believe my time with higher education is not over yet! Ultimately, I feel the degree helped me get my current job, which I started after completing my MBA, and I know it will continue to open doors for me in the future.”
Q: “What has been your biggest personal or professional success since starting your degree?”
A: “I won multiple awards at my workplace for helping streamline activities and reports through excel and other collaborative tools, much of which I learned at Norwich. Still, the biggest success was just completing the program I had started 18 months ago.”
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: “I met with our finance team regularly while working through my managerial accounting class, and was able to have informed opinions and thoughts on our cash flows, net present values and other accounting documents that many of my colleagues failed to understand. Being able to speak finance’s language wasn’t just helpful for those meetings, it allowed our whole business unit to streamline work and cut back on meetings.”
Q: “What aspects of your Norwich experience will you carry most strongly with you?”
A: “I met some talented, amazing people who will no doubt be leaders in their industries and their communities. I learned so much at Norwich, but the most important takeaway was the connections I made and people I met.”
Q: “Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your experiences at Norwich or the impact of Norwich on your life?"
A: “I can’t say enough about how great my professors were. Some of these people had dominated their industries for decades, or taught in schools all over the world, yet I could still call them up or send an email to get their feedback within a reasonable time. Having talented people as professors makes my own career goals seem attainable, and I thank Norwich for that.”
