Josh Purtell

After graduating from Arkansas Tech University in December 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, I began working as a Production Supervisor at Tyson Foods and applied for MBA programs and got accepted. However, I struggled to invest in the material because it didn’t align very well with what I did at my job, so I dropped the program. I found the MSOM program through a Google search and immediately applied because the content was so relatable to working and managing in manufacturing. I really enjoyed being able to work quickly to earn a master’s degree within a year and, as a lifelong Arkansas resident, being an alumnus of the University of Arkansas is something that I’m proud to have accomplished. Courses like Leadership Principles, Project Management, Safety Management, Quality Management, and Lean Six Sigma have made a huge difference in my capabilities at work. I don’t think I could have found a better graduate program for myself than the MSOM program at the University of Arkansas.