Cole Teague M.B.A. ’19 knew he needed to go back to school to advance his career in healthcare management.
“In order to move up the corporate ladder, I needed to show that I have the education to back up my experiences and knowledge within healthcare management,” he said. “And, with only having a bachelor’s degree in a subject non-related to healthcare, I needed to gain additional knowledge and understanding beyond my own experiences within the field.”
But, Cole was hesitant about going back to school at age 35.
“I was nervous about going back to school while managing a career and a young family because I was unsure whether I’d have the necessary time to commit to studying to do well,” he said.
He also wasn’t sure if he’d have the necessary tools to move into a new field of study after studying something completely different for his undergraduate degree.
Now that Cole is graduating in May, he can look back and say he made the right decision and that studying for his master’s at Thomas College has been a great experience.
And it’s already paying off with a recent promotion at work: Manager of the Engineering Department at Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville.
Cole will be responsible for all facilities maintenance and construction activities, operational and capital budget planning and grounds maintenance, Life Safety, and compliance with all regulatory authorities, including NFPA, DEP, EPA, FAA, OSHA, CMS, and all local, state, and federal authorities having jurisdiction.
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Cole chose Thomas College’s Master’s program because Thomas offered the Healthcare Management MBA program he was looking for. He was also happy that he didn’t have to travel far and that the program wasn’t 100 percent online. Cole enjoyed the blended courses, with some offered on campus and some remote/online.
“I would definitely recommend the master’s program at Thomas College. The academic programs are challenging; the staff educators have tremendous knowledge of their areas of expertise; and, Thomas has a great reputation as being one of the leading business schools in the state,” said Cole.
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Overall, Cole is extremely proud to be graduating in May with his MBA in Healthcare Management. He worked hard to raise his young family, work full-time, and go to school part-time. He is thankful for his family for supporting him through this endeavor. And, he’s also thankful for his classmates: Crystal Richard and Melissa Pelkey.
“We began the MBA program together and will all graduate this coming May,” he said. “Without their support and shared interest in doing well and completing our degree program, by pushing one another to not skip semesters because of our busy lives, I would not have had the same experience I have enjoyed so much over the past three years.”