1. Tell us about yourself… 
   

I am the father of two beautiful children, a loving husband, a proud World Campus student, and the managing director of a Washington-based career outplacement company called ProLango Consulting, Inc.

2. How long have you been part of the Penn State World Campus community? How do you feel about your learning experience?

I joined PSUWC in the spring of 2013 and have been attending every semester (including summers) since. The flexibility of online learning really works for my schedule as a busy parent/executive – although I wish I could take some courses on campus and get the full experience. The need to do exceptional in my PSUWC studies has created a new for me to become an excellent time manager. I have become well versed in using software such as Cultured Code’s Things on my Mac, iPad, and iPhone to stay organized, complete my assignments on time, and stay sane. Overall, I love the experience PSUWC has given me and I’m so glad I have the opportunity to complete my degree.

3. Why did you choose Psychology as a major?

So much of my work at my company involves coaching, speaking, and motivating others. In terms of building my career and having better tools to help my clients, I couldn’t think of a better degree than psychology.

4. Tell us about your job….

In 2008, I left my technology career, most recently with Expedia.com, to follow my passion of helping others. In the last six years, I have given over 600 presentations (i.e., keynotes, workshops, seminars) to mostly the professionals-in-transition seeking new opportunities. Half of my attendees are employed, looking for a better career; the other half is unemployed looking rapid employment. I have had the pleasure to work with scientists, professional athletes, chief-level executives, retiring veterans, and corporate professionals. My job mostly involves speaking, appearing on television, and writing career columns. It’s a lot of work, but so far I have enjoyed serving others and the community gratitude is keeping me going.

5. What are the requirements to execute your job? Have you learned any skills, from your academic involvement, which directly improves your performance at work?

First and foremost, my job requires excellent time management skills, which as I have mentioned earlier, have been sharpened through PSUWC. My psychology classes have helped me understand how to interpret scientific literature, which I use heavily in writing my speeches. I try to incorporate many of the concepts I’m learning from my classes into my presentations, from economics to statistics to anthropology.

6. Do you plan on applying to graduate school? If so, tell us how would you make graduate school a reality.

I do plan on attending graduate school as soon as I complete my B.S. in Psychology (Business Option). I’m looking at different programs, such as University of Pennsylvania’s MAPP program (Masters of Applied Positive Psychology) or the Wharton’s school of business. I feel that both of these programs, along with several others, can further boost my opportunities to contribute at a higher level. In order to increase my odds for getting into a great graduate school, I am obsessed with my academic performance, and am humbled that I have received membership into two prestigious honor societies at PSUWC.

7. How do you see yourself in five years?

I envision expanding my business model to help more Americans across the country make a successful career transition. As you might know, unemployment amongst veterans and the new graduates is extremely high and anecdotal evidence has shown that my career search strategies might be able to help these individuals.

8. What would you do if you win $500 million dollars from the lottery today?

If I won $500 million dollars, I briefly step away from the day-to-day running of my company, complete my degree(s), and build a successful team to tackle the country’s unemployment problems. The financial resources, along with the new ideas I would glean from my education, would help me to develop scalable curriculum, similar to Khan Academy, that could help the millions looking for work be more successful in their career.