With all the stress from this year, we should take the time to remember what is matters. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and express appreciation for all the abundance and joy we have in our lives.

Embarking on a Jack Welch MBA is not easy; it takes persistence and commitment. Behind each great student is a support system allowing them to pursue the dream of an MBA. Whether it’s a family member, boss, colleague, professor, or friend, we asked our alumni to take this time to say “Thank You” to those who have supported them throughout their journey.

JWMI Alumni Share What They are Thankful for this Thanksgiving:

Guy Roger Ngatcha, Executive Director at Panafrican Energy Services Group

Thanks to the late Jack Welch’s leadership, and his unwavering obsession with doing what is right for JWMI, we have the foundation in place to excel in this century too. Thanks to those of you who helped me out: Stephen Griffith, Julie Turner, Bruce A Smith, Jason Powers, Edgar Johnson, John Bennett, Kelly Perritt, Chinue Uecker, Rick Wallace, Deloris Willis, Leo Giglio, Jeffrey White, Brenda Geer. Special Kudos to the advising team, the school administration team, and my classmates. Many thanks to Terra Sye, who guided and assisted me with my classes and MBA Journey. It was not easy, but the most important thing is to love what we do. … Energy + Passion = Finish Strong!

Hannah Hughes, Principal at ExecNurse Academy

I am grateful to my family and friends who have supported me along this journey. My seven-year-old son, Myles, allowed me time to complete my coursework. Thank you, Son! I am also grateful to my Strayer family members for supporting me along the way and for challenging me so much that my coursework was highly applicable to real-life work situations that I had to/ have had to navigate. I am thankful to SEI for supporting me in achieving this accomplishment. Earning an MBA has been a goal for several years, and it is finally done! Finally, I am thankful to the JWMI team (advisors, faculty, and administrators)! The quality student experience that you offer, coupled with the care you exhibit for student success, has not gone unnoticed. Thank you!

Julius Siebenga, Executive Director at Abbotsford Christian School

Thanks, Heidi, for never telling me getting my MBA was a bad thing—you encouraged me every step of the way—in some ways, we did this together. Thanks, kids, for understanding that dad always had more JWMI homework… Thanks, Nate, for getting me into this mess in the first place and inspiring me along the way.

Cristina Moldoveanu, Senior Manager Engineering Operations at T-Mobile

As Jack Welch said, “Work is too much a part of life not to recognize moments of achievement.” Completing a graduate degree is a team effort. It requires a lot of support from so many different people. Three years of hard work culminated in a final presentation, which concluded my MBA journey. And I wasn’t alone on this journey. Many people helped me, my husband, Eduard, my professors, friends, my mentors, and a strong engineering team. Three years later, I earned the degree of Master of Business Administration.

Tina Dishaw, Staff RN at Aspirus Wausau Hospital

Words cannot describe how supportive my family, friends, co-workers, and JWMI faculty have been. I am so blessed for each and every one of them. The one person who was most instrumental in me pushing forward and getting a higher education is the one person who cannot be here today, my dad. He would say, “Nobody can take your education away from you. Never stop learning.” RIP dad. I hope I made you proud.

Kouman Narcisse, Class of 2020

Achieving an MBA at the Jack Welch Management Institute was a dream come true—a seemingly impossible endeavor that became a reality after four years of relentless effort. None of this would have been possible without my wife’s support, who talked me out of giving up. I felt there would be a better time in the future with fewer hurdles to jump over, but my wife thought the time was ripe. Despite the multiple challenges she would face managing our household during the program, she remained my main encourager and cheerleader. It was challenging dedicating time every week for course work and assignments, but yes, we made it. The excitement of being smarter every day after reading the course material outweighed the discomfort of working late after sending the kids to sleep. I acknowledge my family and friends’ support and commend the JWMI team and faculty for the extraordinary job building such a reputable and practical course. JWMI was right to bet on online education as being the future of education.