Sean Freitag
The way the SSDA program was tailored to the Special Operations community appealed to me because the courses were all applicable.
Q: “Tell us about you – where you live, your family, and hobbies.”
A: “I live in Virginia Beach with my wife and two sons, ages one and three. I enjoy outdoor activities including mountaineering, adventure racing, and mountain biking.”
Q: “What is your current employer?”
A: “I am a Navy Chief E-7.”
Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: “The importance of education was instilled in me by my parents when I was growing up. I had been taking classes through the military, but it lacked a formal degree plan. Norwich gave me a way to map out my education so that I could clearly see the road map I needed to take to finish my degree.”
Q: “How did you select Norwich and where did you learn about it?”
A: “I learned of Norwich and specifically the SSDA program through a work associate who was also enrolled in the program. The way the program was tailored to the Special Operations community appealed to me because the courses were all applicable. I could use the first-hand knowledge I gained from working in the Special Operations community and apply it directly to my studies and class discussions.”
Q: “What do you believe makes Norwich unique?”
A: “The tradition that Norwich has held with the U.S. military continues through its spectacular support of its military members. Everyone, from the program directors to the professors teaching the courses, makes an effort to work with the military members to ensure their success. They are very understanding of our dynamic situations and allow as much latitude as possible.”
Q: “Describe any memorable experiences with faculty members or your classmates.”
A: “During a group discussion for an assignment, my group met in the online chat area of the classroom. There were five of us in the group, spread over four different countries, with up to a 12-hour time difference, but we successfully made it work and were able to get the assignment completed.”
Q: “In what ways have you grown personally or professionally as a result of your education?”
A: “I have grown both personally and professionally as a result of my education. I believe that would be true for most anyone, but what was unique about the SSDA program was that I gained an enriched awareness because the course work so closely mirrored what was happening in my professional life.”
