Neil Zsak

After working in the defense industry for 16 years and having finished growing my family, I decided it was time for the next challenge. That challenge was completing my master’s.  Since my wife was starting her private practice and I was working full time, while raising four small children (eight and under), I knew the program had to be online, accredited, and cost-competitive.  Critically, the MSEM degree offered by UARK could satisfy the requisites of contracts I worked on.  Additionally, UARK’s cost was significantly lower than other online engineering management programs, which enabled me to stay below the yearly cap my company placed on tuition reimbursement.  Therefore I was able to complete the degree without incurring debt.

The MSEM program from UARK offered a diverse course catalog that enabled me to focus on the areas where I felt I needed to develop my skill set.  The leadership and management courses helped me to bridge the generational gap I was experiencing while mentoring younger employees at work.   Additionally, I focused on model-based systems engineering (MBSE) since the industry and my company had moved towards MBSE over the years. 

The UARK MSEM program exceeded my expectations.   The program was challenging but offered rewards for hard work.  Initially, I had concerns about managing the coursework while working full time and raising four kids, but I found a rhythm that enabled me to strike a balance.  Faculty members were supportive and accessible for my questions or concerns.  During my two years in the program, I developed robust relationships with several instructors who encouraged me and I felt understood where I was coming from.  Officially, I walked away from the program with a MSEM and a certificate in project management.  However I actually took away many new tools for my tool shed- most importantly the experience and confidence the UARK family helped me cultivate.