2014-2015 Grad School of Computer and Information Sciences Viewbook

11 www.scis.nova.edu | Abdulhayy Johnson was working for the Department of Natural Resources in Ohio, but dreaming of a career with the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service. Johnson knew he would need a master’s degree to be considered for the Foreign Service. In 2008, he enrolled in the online M.S. in Information Technology program at GSCIS. Three months before he graduated, he received an offer to join the Foreign Service. The 38-year-old information management specialist now works at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. “Before I even graduated, I saw the advantages of having my master’s degree. It helped me acquire the job I had set my sights on.” Since getting hired, Johnson has seen increases in his salary, which he attributes to the qualifications he earned at NSU. “With the extra income I’ve earned as a result of my master’s degree, the degree paid for itself within one year.” While getting his degree, Johnson also pursued a concentration in information technology management. He found that the concentration aligned the area of study perfectly with his work, which involves managing IT solutions, projects, people, and resources. “What I was studying was a 100-percent match with my new job. I was learning about IT challenges and the new innovations that will change how we live and work.” The online program offered Johnson the opportunity to shift gears when he needed. The program’s flexibility meant the busy father and husband could take two courses a semester when time permitted and less if his schedule became more hectic. “With young children and a full-time job, I didn’t always have a lot of extra time to dedicate to school. Having the ability to reduce my course load and take one course at a time really helped when things heated up at work.” Now on his second Foreign Service assignment, the globetrotting Johnson has no plans to slow down. “I hope to stay with the Foreign Service for a long, long time.” Johnson still stays in touch with the GSCIS classmates who he bonded with over team projects. He dreams of retiring to Seattle, Washington, and establishing an IT consulting business—and making more time for the fun things in life: playing badminton and watching Korean dramas. “Before I even graduated, I saw the advantages of having my master’s degree. It helped me acquire the job I had set my sights on.” —Abdulhayy Johnson