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Six years in the U.S. Navy gave Albert Diaz a lifetime of experiences, knowledge and friendships from coast to coast. It was a memorable time for him and his family.
When he transitioned to civilian life, he wanted more of the same.
That’s why Diaz, using his post-9/11 GI Bill, enrolled with Oregon State University Ecampus — one of America’s top-ranked providers of online education — to pursue a post-baccalaureate degree in computer science. He graduated in June 2018, and it was a considerable workload for a father of three and husband who works as a security analyst and assessor in the Bay Area.
How did he manage it all? Take a look at his advice for military families:
Family support
“At one point my wife, Samantha, and I were both attending OSU Ecampus online. I was working full time, taking part-time classes and she was taking part-time classes. We had two kids with one on the way. We would take turns of who was taking care of the kids, who was doing the homework.”
Military work ethic
“Working full time and taking classes is difficult, but the organizational skills, discipline and time-management skills I learned in the military are very helpful. The military instilled a grit in me that has helped me push forward.”
Faculty who care
“The instructors go far beyond what you would expect. They’re really involved and care about our education, and when they’re willing to put in the work, it helps me want to put in the work.”
Worldwide network of classmates
“It’s a friendly community. It’s easy for us to connect and make friends, to reach out to each other, give each other information, even to motivate each other to push forward and finish the program.”
You can do it
“My advice to active duty military or veterans who are considering pursuing a degree is do it. It may look intimidating, but it’s definitely worth the time and effort. There’s a strong military community at Oregon State.”
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