Why would a busy small business owner in San Rafael, California, enroll in Indiana University? So she can complete her college degree while still actively growing her business.
Vicki Kung, co-owner of KungDesign, a Web development studio, says, "Between working on design projects and managing a business, traditional classes were impossible to fit into my schedule. The distance option makes it possible for me to complete my degree.
"It was important to me that I attend a 'real' university, an established school with a good reputation and teachers whose primary job was teaching," explains Kung. "I wanted the only difference between my [distance] courses and those on campus to be in the way they were delivered. Moreover, the requirements for the degree meant that I had to take courses I'd avoided earlier in my college career, like science. I discovered that I'd been missing a great deal by focusing my attentions so narrowly on the humanities."
Kung now plans to go on for an MBA. "While taking business courses as electives in this program, I was able to put what I learned to daily use in running my own business. KungDesign and our clients' projects have benefited, so I'm going to continue my education, hoping to bring even more valuable skills to what the company offers. The flexibility that the wide choice of courses made possible has been crucial to my success."
"My family has been so supportive during the time it's taken to complete this degree. Everyone knows that weekends and evenings are for homework. While I've missed spending more time with my family, they know how much I'm enjoying the process and the learning. I'm very lucky indeed."
