Kansas State University

ALUMNI PROFILE

Maurice Moore, 2011 Technology Management Graduate

Maurice Moore graduated on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011. He was back in Afghanistan by Wednesday.

The 30-year-old Army veteran is currently working for a private contractor at a base in Kabul, Afghanistan, which is where he completed his coursework to earn a bachelor's of science in Technology Management. Moore's work schedule is comprised of six months overseas followed by three weeks in the States, then goes back overseas for another six months. He worked in graduation on a break.

Moore, a first-generation college graduate, has had support from his employer, D&S Consultants, Inc., a New Jersey-based company that provides information technology solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, other government agencies and commercial markets.

"Those guys really pushed me to keep going and they were good tutors," Moore said. "It was nice to have them around to help me remember algebra and I wasn't familiar with some of the concepts in the business classes, so in some ways it felt like being in third grade again."

Moore knew there might be a class or two that he'd struggle with, but he wasn't expecting people to be so helpful.

"My professors were pretty understanding about me being on a base overseas. The majority of them were willing to let me back into a test if I couldn't take it during the assigned time," he said.

Moore's base is about 5 miles away from a base with an education center to proctor exams, and he couldn't always make it there when his tests were open. There was a time or two that he missed a test because he was without internet access.

An interest in technology runs in the family, as both of Moore's brothers are IT specialists for the Army. Their mother is military police.

His younger brother is thinking about following in his brother's footsteps and transferring into K-State's technology management program - a move that Moore encourages.

"I'd tell anybody, when you're ready and get a chance to enroll, do it. It's a great program and it's tied to an established brick and mortar university, not a for-profit school, so you're earning your degree, not buying it."

Moore's next steps include enrolling in the MBA program at Texas A&M University - Commerce and launching his own line of footwear, so those business concepts he had to learn will come in handy.

"My ultimate goal is to be a successful entrepreneur and my technology management degree laid the groundwork for that to happen."