Jason Coleman, '04, MBA
Our military servicemen and women often have to put their lives on hold while they are deployed overseas. Fortunately, that was not the case for one Averett master of business administration graduate.
Capt. Jason Coleman, '04, was stationed in Guantanamo Bay with the Virginia National Guard for 10 months. However, while he was deployed he was able to complete one course and a portion of a second through directed studies.
"The courses were challenging but my professors took care of a lot of the logistical problems such as limited access to E-mail and computer time on their end," Coleman said. "Dr. Wally Saunders in particular went out of his way to structure the directed study into a challenging yet obtainable task. I am grateful for his efforts to support student soldiers who are deployed."
Coleman chose Averett because of its good reputation along with the flexibility of the course's start and end dates. The 25 percent tuition break for the military and the fact that the course was offered locally at a time suitable to his full-time work schedule were also factors.
It was while he was still in undergraduate school at Bluefield College that Coleman made the decision to continue on toward a master's degree.
"College has opened up so many opportunities for me that taking my education to the next level seemed like a logical step toward increasing my potential and achieving personal satisfaction," Coleman said.
Coleman has served in the National Guard for 15 years. He spent the first nine years enlisted and then attended the Virginia Officer Candidate School at Fort Pickett, Va. When he completed the course he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. While deployed in Guantanamo Bay, he was promoted to the rank of captain.
Now that he is back in the states Coleman works as a maintenance supervisor for Georgia Pacific Corporation in Big Island -- a position he has held for less than a year. As maintenance supervisor he oversees the ongoing construction of the mill's newest processes as well as the mechanical, electrical and instrumentation maintenance of the facility.
"Obtaining a master's degree definitely gave me an advantage in obtaining the current position I hold with Georgia Pacific," Coleman said. "During my interview for the position I was told that I had 'done the right things' regarding my education to place me ahead of other candidates.
"I think that my MBA from Averett University will continue to pay dividends to me for years to come. Most importantly I know that I worked hard and accomplished it despite obstacles and that is something that I will always be proud of."
