Renee Bruck spent years as manager of communications at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, where she led social media for the organization’s 12 locations across the state. When she started to look for positions elsewhere, she discovered something that surprised her.
“Though my title at the Indiana State Museum was ‘manager,’” she says, “it turns out I was a project manager—someone who manages tasks on their own. Experience in managing people is what my interviewers wanted to see. Higher-level jobs were just out of reach because my resume lacked people management.”
Bruck now works for the IU School of Nursing as a digital communications strategist. And she’s a student in IU Online’s MS in Management.
Online fits my life
Why did Bruck choose IU Online? “I work full time and travel to events for work. I needed the flexibility to take classes on my own time. That meant 100 percent online. It’s great not to have set class times. IU Online means maximum flexibility.”
Managing: What it takes
The MS in Management has been eye-opening for Bruck. Not only has she learned the difference between being a project manager and a people manager, she’s learned what it takes to grow as a manager. She says “lightbulbs went off” in Professor Carla Messer’s class about becoming a manager. “I can now define my actual skill set and exactly what I contribute. I see what I need to move from individual contributor to manager of people. I have a lot to learn.”
Benefits for my job and career
Bruck’s superviser has been supportive of her efforts, because Bruck is already applying her new knowledge to her job. Bruck says, “I’m learning new critical thinking skills and management insights, skills that can take me to the next step in my own department when opportunities arise. I’m investing in my future professional growth.”
Lively classes
Initially, Bruck thought she’d be on her own as an online student. But “it’s not like that at all,” she says. “We interact on Zoom, especially for end-of-semester projects. Discussion boards are like real-life interaction. I learn about my fellow classmates and see some of the same people in various classes. I’m making lasting connections. I really appreciate the camaraderie of being part of a real class.”
Great advising
Bruck admits she was a little scared about returning to school after being away for 11 years. “My advisor Lindsay Allen was a big help! Her advice was exactly targeted to my situation—navigating what classes to take, and in what order.” For example, Allen advised Bruck to take a 16-week course her first semester to get her feet wet. “Such specific advice,” says Bruck, “is helping me succeed in the program.”
Finish faster with eight-week classes
After taking a 16-week class her first semester, Bruck decided to try an eight-week course. “Staying prepared takes a different skill set, but now I can do two courses a semester instead of one,” she says. “Eight-week courses cut my time to degree in half: from four years to two! That’s an IU Online advantage.”
IU’s tuition benefits made the difference
Bruck’s job at IU made it possible to pursue her dream of a master’s. “As an IU employee, I have wonderful tuition benefits,” she explains. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get a master’s. On search committees, I always tell candidates about the tuition benefits. I wouldn’t be in the master’s program now without them.”
IU Online meets you where you are
Bruck knows that a lot of people have preconceived notions about online learning, but she believes that anyone needing a flexible degree program should give it a try. “If I can find the time to do it on my crazy schedule, anyone can. IU Online meets you where you are.” Moreover, says Bruck, “Online education is not as different or as difficult as people think. I was surprised at how interactive classes are. I feel such camaraderie with peers and so many connections with professors. The online world is such a part of our culture, our world.”
