Alumni Spotlight: Neven Holland offers advice to prospective MESA students

Neven Holland is a 2019 graduate of the online UIC Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment (MESA) Certificate program. Originally from the Chicagoland area, Neven currently serves as a 4th grade mathematics teacher in Memphis, TN and is working on his Ph.D. in Education.

If there’s one takeaway that Neven would like to share with others after earning his graduate certificate is that one should never underestimate their potential in a class. He felt like the support through the MESA program ensures success, and he touches on other advice he would offer to prospective students.

What specific factors led you to choose the online MESA program?

I chose the program because of the easy accessibility through an online format. The graduate certificate was also relevant to my career trajectory (e.g., the coursework) as I aimed to apply to Ph.D. programs in education.

What skills did you gain or sharpen through your MESA program at UIC and how do you use them today? 

I gained mostly quantitative skills through the MESA program, but also took advantage of the qualitative course it offered which made my skillset more well-rounded. These skills were helpful in building my confidence and competence to succeed in my current classes around quantitative inquiry.

How has your MESA certificate program impacted you in terms of your current position or a position you’d like to attain in the future? 

The MESA certificate program strengthened my Ph.D. application which led to an acceptance at a top-ranked program in education. It also gave me a glimpse of what Ph.D. coursework could look like where I would be using the skills during classes toward a career as an education researcher.

What was a challenge you faced during your program, and who or what helped you overcome it? 

A challenge I faced during the program at times was collecting data or attempting to carry out too many milestones during a research project. My professors were helpful and accessible, which led me to make more sound decisions and adjustments as needed.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) to prospective students considering the MESA certificate program at UIC? 

The advice I would give to prospective students is to consider financial obligations and determine whether the certificate best helps you to achieve key goals within your long-term plan. Plan strategically the costs of the certificate before pursuing since federal loans are not used for certificates. Once the decision is made, choose classes that best fit your research interests and/or classes that fill a gap or a skill on your resume and CV.

MESA online quantitative research graduates are in high demand. Receiving this nationally ranked graduate degree or certificate, students are ready to succeed in a variety of research settings and environments. Choose from two online programs, a Master of Education Degree or a Graduate Certificate, and begin your journey today. Talk to enrollment specialist to learn more about these online programs.