Inspiring Graduate: Jacob Martin (’23)
- Hometown: Pulaski
- Degree: M.S. Information & Communication Technologies
Jacob Martin completed his master’s online at UW-Stout while serving in the Army Reserve, 753rd Quartermaster Company unit out of Green Bay.
He earned his M.S. in information and communication technologies from UW-Stout on Dec. 16, along with 526 graduates.
Martin works in information systems at Pierce Manufacturing and may choose to stay on after graduation or take a different path in his military career.
“Stout has allowed me to put my military career front and center, accommodating when needed,” he said.
How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field?
UW-Stout has prepared me well. I can honestly say that the Stout team has been very constructive, accommodating and all-in-all, great.
The courses have trained me for the roles I will be in, and the coursework has been a steppingstone for me in my career.
In one of my courses, I worked on server maintenance and upgrades. A couple of months later, my employer needed assistance with a 2016 Windows server. Having the knowledge from the course assisted me in general navigation that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
At this stage in my life, there are a lot more commitments that I need to invest myself fully into. This program pressured me into learning how to organize my time and thoughts so that everything that needs to be completed, is completed.
What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?
I believe most can relate to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. My life was a routine of items that needed to be completed. COVID tossed a wrench into this clockwork, and my standard daily tasks changed drastically.
The other challenge was the military. While I was not deployed, there were training dates I was asked to take on short notice. Some of these trainings were over a month-long, conflicting with my schedules.
Communication is the key to solving most of life’s problems.
Getting to know your friends, co-workers, classmates and anyone else in your life is through honest communication. Everyone has troubles and surprises that come up, and they are relatable among us. Explaining these challenges to others who depend on you as soon as you know is the key to gaining support and completing your goals.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I’m proud of being part of a small group that has earned their graduate degree. There is a great sense of accomplishment that I feel after completing a long and difficult journey. With that, there is pride going into the next part of my life.
I’m appreciative of those who pushed me to get here and am looking forward to continuing my journey and paying it back.
