Rich Seethaler MS '09

After taking his first online class as part of Quinnipiac's graduate program in organizational leadership, Rich Seethaler was hooked.

He liked the convenience, flexibility and the format of online classes much better than a traditional classroom. "It was a format that appealed to my style of learning," he explains. Seethaler excelled in his studies, completing the degree in about a year and a half. "I really enjoyed it," he says.

When he decided to go back to school, Seethaler was looking for a program that would allow him to focus on leadership. He was working full-time at The Hartford, a financial services company based in Hartford, Conn., as director of portfolio management. Married with two young daughters, Seethaler could only devote time to his studies late in the evening after putting the kids to bed.

Quinnipiac University Online offered the perfect solution. "It was the right format. It matched up perfectly," he says.

About a year after completing his degree, Seethaler was offered an opportunity to lead one of six teams within the IT service desk at his company. The position involves managing a team of 18 service desk analysts who, as part of a larger team, handle 50,000 internal calls per month.

He credits his degree with helping him land the position. For one class project, Seethaler did a study on the service desk's use of metrics. The experience allowed him to get acquainted with the staff and gain insight into the work they did. When the job opening was announced, he jumped at the chance.

"I was able to put into practice things I learned in my studies," he says. "It's the best job I've ever had."