Craig Claussen

I was searching for an online Masters program that was related to engineering and manufacturing.  I started my search with the University of Arkansas because I lived in Springdale and was close to the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.  The MSOM program fit all of my needs; 100% online, related to engineering/manufacturing, elective classes that I could customize to my needs and the ability to finish in 2 years. 

What I enjoyed most about this program is the variety of courses that I could choose from.  There are courses that relate to the technical aspects of operations management and courses that help build the soft skills of leadership and management.  Both skills are important to being successful in the operations management world and this program allows the student to customize their educational path.  I chose to take classes related to the more technical aspects of operations management as I had a desire to grow my skills in data analysis, modeling and decision making.  This program helped me to understand how to make better data driven decisions and be able to present complex topics to key decision makers in an easy to understand format so we can drive projects forward to execution. 

After completing this program, I feel much more prepared for the new challenges that my company will face in the rapidly changing consumer driven world of food.  With these new skills, I am able to bring more value to Tyson Foods as a team member and be a key leader in our data driven decision making process.  I want to help our team understand the importance of operations management and identify ways to utilize the skills and techniques of OM to drive our business forward in this ever changing business world.