KATIE FEENEY
AARON SMITH
MAX TEMPEL
Undergrad to Graduate School There are many reasons Castleton students choose to continue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree. It is well documented that a person’s earning potential increases with their level of education. Castleton’s graduate programs provide an affordable, flexible opportunity for working professionals to continue their career while earning their master’s degree. These Castleton alumni found success as undergraduate students at Castleton and chose to continue their education at their alma mater. Max Tempel ’20 is balancing work and an MBA Max Tempel came to Castleton University as a transfer student, and he decided to stay for a while. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communication concentrated in Public Relations and a Marketing minor in 2020, Tempel chose Castleton to continue his education by pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Leading Organizational Change. Tempel, who now lives in Averill Park, New York, is currently working full-time for Northwestern Mutual as an associate financial advisor. He chose to continue his education at Castleton because it offered affordability and convenience. “I have always had an end goal of achieving the MBA. It is the prestige business degree, and I felt it would put me on another level,” Tempel said. “When looking into MBA programs, I picked up on that Castleton had one of the best tuition rates in the country for an MBA. I also noticed that Castleton ran its program fully online, and courses were eight-week blocks. This offered a very time-effective and cost-effective opportunity to continue my education.” 10 CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
Finding a flexible solution to pursue his MBA was important because he had to balance full-time work with his studies and a remaining year of eligibility on the wrestling team. The endeavor has been well worth it. “Graduate school has broadened my knowledge of the business field, and my classmates have changed my perspective on things in many ways,” he said. Katie Feeney ’19 is choosing Castleton for the third time Katie Feeney felt at home the first time she stepped foot on the Castleton campus. That welcome feeling has encouraged her to stay for not just one – but two master’s degrees. Feeney graduated Magma Cum Laude with a degree in Sport Management and a Marketing minor in 2019. She then became a graduate assistant for the Sport Management program and is graduating with her master’s in Athletic Leadership. She will continue at Castleton once again in the MBA program. “My undergraduate experience prepared me in many ways for my graduate school success. The Sport Management Program has an amazing balance of classroom learning and hands-on experiences we refer to as service-learning hours,” Feeney said. “This balance allowed me to grow as a passionate student and as a young professional with years of experience in the sports industry even before graduation.” Feeney said she continued her education with Castleton’s master’s in Athletic Leadership because the program is unique, close-knit, and personal — even when 100% online. She recommends that graduating seniors seek a way to distinguish themselves from the crowd. For her, that meant continuing her education.
