The Faces of CSU
Jamie Gauthier
Scotts Valley, California
. . . he pursued higher education to enhance his personal and career life.
Jamie Gauthier knows that sometimes education trumps experience. After being passed over for a position he had the experience for, but lacked the degree, he made the decision to pursue higher education.
Gauthier decided to pursue an education online allowing him to earn a degree around career and family responsibilities. After researching many online universities, he chose Columbia Southern University (CSU) based on the flexible course formats, open enrollment options, and affordable tuition.
Gauthier completed his first degree, a bachelor's degree in business administration, with CSU cum laude in 2003. He graduated from the CSU MBA program two years later with a 4.0 GPA.
Serving as a police officer in Scotts Valley, California, Gauthier chose degree programs in business administration to diversify his education and career opportunities. His desire was for flexible career options, and with his degrees from CSU he is qualified for other fields he is interested in, such as business and education.
“I wanted to have something other than the criminal justice field to fall back on,” Gauthier said. “After earning my degrees in business administration, I feel I have an ideal mix of talent.”
Since securing his degrees with CSU, Gauthier's career has taken off. The Scotts Valley Police Department offers education-based salary incentives, giving Gauthier a pay raise. He was also promoted at his department to adult detective. After earning his master's degree, he was qualified to serve as an adjunct professor for two colleges where he now develops and teaches online courses.
The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) named Gauthier one of the Outstanding Graduates for 2006. He is also a member of the Delta Epsilon Tau International Honor Society and the National Scholars Honor Society. As president of the CSU Alumni Association, he assists in the development and advancement of the university, and serves as liaison to alumni.
“I owe my academic and professional success to CSU,” Gauthier said. “CSU offers high quality programs and other outstanding resources that help thousands of people around the world accomplish their educational dreams.”
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