Matthew Higbee
I wanted to earn an advanced degree; I always want to learn more and Norwich offered me an advantageous way in which to enhance my understanding of the field.
Q: “Tell us a bit about yourself, Matthew.”
A: "I am from Columbus, OH and moved to Golden Valley, MN in 2013. I have my parents, an older brother and younger sister (all out of college); interests include but not limited to history (medieval to 1800’s), reading, swimming, running."
Q: “Briefly describe your professional life.”
A: "I work at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage as a Loan Documentation Specialist 3 where I am responsible for performing a variety of loan documentation assignments, using comprehensive knowledge of policies and procedures to ensure tasks get completed in a timely manner, and tasked with processing, closing, and compliance for loans for quality review."
Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: "I’ve always wanted to work in a historical/museum/library setting (I am also involved with the Minnesota History Society). My girlfriend’s cousin is a retired West Point graduate who knew of Norwich and motivated me to pursue a higher education in conjunction with increasing my passion to know history and pass it along to others."
Q: “Why did you choose Norwich?”
A: "I wanted to earn an advanced degree; I always want to learn more and Norwich offered me an advantageous way in which to enhance my understanding of the field. The courses are unique (small class size so there is naturally a lot of attention given to each student); intriguing topics and controversies from ancient history to modernity are covered each week; and the online was ideal (on my own time which means I have a more flexible schedule)."
Q: “What makes Norwich unique?”
A: "Flexible schedule; you can call professors (or email) and talk to them whenever. Some students are members of the military, so reading their responses whether it was about amphibious warfare or naval warfare or army disposition was always exciting to communicate/debate with them."
Q: “Please tell us about any examples where you were able to put your knowledge to work immediately at your job.”
A: "Similar to history, working at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage allows me to enhance my critical thinking, attention to detail, and problem solving. In general, I’m more confident in being tasked with a tremendous amount of work and being able to prioritize and execute my assignments."
