1. March 18, 2015 Tuan Nguyen George Mason University BIS Class of 2012
Alumni Perspective of the Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) Program
March 18, 2015
Tuan Nguyen
George Mason University
BIS Class of 2012

2. Agenda About Me Path to BIS degree Making the best of the BIS program
My BIS Concentration
What difference does a degree make?
Concluding remarks
Questions

3. About Me Platoon Sergeant of Company HQ Platoon
Founder of Veteran-owned Small Business
Over 20 years of Professional experience in I.T. field
Over 23 years of service in Army National Guard
Over 13 years military leadership experience
Over 13 years of Professional management experience
Professional Management & I.T. Certifications
Formal Military Leadership training

4. Path to BIS degree Graduated from J.E.B. Stuart HS in 1989
Undergraduate studies began at University of Virginia in the fall of 1989
Told to “take a break” from UVa by the Engineering School
Joined Virginia Army National Guard in 1991
Told “Seriously - take a longer break” from UVa

5. Path to BIS degree
Worked in Bosnia for NATO Peacekeeping mission
Returned to Corporate office and “climbed the corporate ladder” to Director of PM and QA by 2004
Founded Eminent Solutions, Inc. in 2005
Government Contracts supporting DoD Electronic Health Records information systems
Mobilized Active Duty with US Army
Four mobilizations (1 deployment to Guantanamo Bay, 3 mobilizations to Fort Belvoir, VA)

6. Path to BIS degree 2016 Mobilized Active Duty with US Army
7/2008 – 7/2009 Fort Belvoir, VA
Associate of Science – Information Technology (NVCC 2009)
7/2011 – 7/2012 Fort Belvoir, VA
BIS – Information Technology Operations (GMU 2012)
7/2013 – 8/2014 Fort Belvoir, VA
Masters – Cybersecurity (GMU School of Business – Expected 2015)
2016

7. “Non-Traditional” student
Out of school for over 15 years
Full-time job
Years of work experience
“What is wrong with them?” (NVCC example)

8. Making the Best of the BIS Program
Blank canvas (sort of)
Use work / life experience to design your BIS program
Provide a solution to a problem at work
Take advantage of your faculty mentor’s knowledge and experience
Keep at it. Life experiences may delay your degree, but you can do it if you stick with it
Capstone presentations (classmate from 2 years ago)
Your BIS professors are there to help guide you in the right direction, or get you back on track

9. Making the Best of the BIS Program
Rigorous, Fair, and challenging
Flexibility of pursuing a degree helpful in your career
What if you don’t have any idea what to do?
There’s still time, but not much time
The longer you wait, the less time you have for research
BIS 490/491: Students still wavering on a Capstone project were the most stressed students

10. BUSINESS VALUE THROUGH I.T. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
My BIS Concentration
I.T. + Ops Mgmt =
Business Value through I.T.
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
BUSINESS VALUE THROUGH I.T.
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Lessons Learned
I.T. Hardware
Project Management
I.T. Software
Successful Projects
Organizational Management
Existing Technologies
Failed Projects
Personnel Management
Future Technologies
New Solutions

11. My BIS Contract Information Technology Operations INFORMATION
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Mgmt of
Technology Projects
Analysis Design
People and Organizations
Info Systems Mgmt
Operations Management
CONCENTRATION
Operating Systems Fundamentals
BIS 300 Understand
Interdisciplinary Studies
Business & Professional
Communications
Database Management Systems
BIS 390 Research Process
Data Communications/
Networking Principles
BIS 490 Senior Project
Principles/Practice of
Management
BIS 491 Senior Project Presentation
Computers, Minds & Brains
How Computers Work
Public Speaking
Technology, Aggression, Peace
Intro to Computing
Introductory Sociology
Advanced Composition
(Business)
NON-CONCENTRATION
Programming Fundamentals
Usability Engineering
Child Psychology
Intro to Info Technology
Tactical Concepts II

12. Project Description Problem Solution
Weekend Warriors” expected to be as trained and as effective as the active duty (full-time) component
Lack of Management access to ARNG database systems
Solution
Centralized database of Soldier
information
Update information in one place
Consistent data
Standard reports
Customized ad-hoc reports
Minimize Soldier frustration of providing
same information multiple times

13. What does a degree do for you?
Much more than I previously thought
Professionally
You are now “Legit”
Government / Corporate requirements
Opens up additional job opportunities
Personally
Sense of accomplishment
Motivating family and friends

14. Concluding remarks BIS program is rigorous, fair, and challenging
Your BIS professors are there to help, not make your life miserable
Try to get a good faculty member, but don’t use that person as an excuse for lack of progress
Stick with it, you can do it
Rewarding - professionally and personally
GOOD LUCK!

15. Questions