Although admitting that he originally pursued a master's degree to increase his salary, Dr. Gary Schomburg, superintendent of Miamisburg City Schools in Ohio, believes that his graduate education degrees have helped to keep his career options open. As someone who worked while attending school, Schomburg credits his graduate degrees with facilitating his progression from middle school teacher and coach, to principal, and eventually, to superintendent.
Schomburg offers the following advice to someone considering a postgraduate education degree: “Start a program, stay with it on a consistent basis, and finish in a reasonable period of time,” he says. “Pick an area that you want to pursue, that matches your interests and abilities [and] make it work for you in other ways by making you ready for new options down the road.”
Following admission to a graduate program, Schomburg suggests finding students with whom you can compare notes and study. If time is an issue, he also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss creative ways to accelerate the degree program. For example, Schomburg transferred credits from independent study courses taken at another university for his master's degree. He also advises matching graduate work with your current job.
“If research needs to be done, do it at school so that it can improve your performance there,” he says.
As an educator inclined to “try new things” and “improve his standing” in the field, Schomburg believes his graduate degrees have allowed him to do so.
“The most important point…is that you may not know exactly what you want to do in the future, but if you have the proper degrees and certification, you are ready for opportunities when they arise,” he says.
Soon to retire from his current position, Schomburg continues to seek new opportunities and hopes that his PhD will provide an entry into university-level work.
