Drilling down on a degree: Houston online student takes labs on campus

Andrew Brown had already graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in marketing from Texas A&M University.

Brown, a native of Houston, was working as a business analyst when it occurred to him, “this might not be what I want to do for the rest of my career,” and thinking that it’s never too late to find your passion.

He would eventually find that passion and the skills to succeed with the help of UND’s online degree programs.

“While I enjoyed working as a business analyst, I didn’t see myself doing it for the next 35 years,” Brown said. “We were solving problems and doing things, but I just didn’t feel I was adding a lot of value.”

After giving a lot of thought to his career, Brown turned to his wife, Lauren, for advice.

“She encouraged me to look at the big picture and if I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing, I should look for something else,” Brown said.

Making the switch
He had friends working in the engineering field who brought light to the idea you can love the work you do.

“I talked to a lot of people in different fields and industries, and those working in petroleum engineering really enjoyed the problems they were solving and what they were working toward,” Brown said. “At the end of the day, they felt like they were helping to provide power for the world.”

His wife helped him network and get a position with EnerVest, a petroleum engineering company.

“I made the switch and took a position where I can learn while going to school,” Brown said. “They (EnerVest) support me in my efforts.”

Brown discovered UND’s distance engineering degree program (DEDP) through a friend who had gone back to school for his mechanical engineering degree. Brown considered mechanical engineering, but wanted a more specific degree. He selected UND’s online petroleum engineering degree program.

“I ended up talking to one of the advisors, learning all I could about the program,” he said. “They explained I would have flexibility when I took tests which would allow me to continue working and receive a quality education. It ended up being a great choice; a perfect fit for me.”

Brown is always eager to give advice to students looking to go back to school.

“I’ve talked to some potential students interested in going back,” Brown said. “I’ve told them maybe take two classes to start and figure out what you can handle; everyone is different.”

Brown has made sure he’s had time for his family, himself and other things that are important to him. These factors helped him decide how to handle his course load while working full-time.

“Getting my job done well, and excelling in school, is important to me,” he said.

Family affair
To make time for family, he’s forced to use his time wisely. He closes his office door during lunch and listens to lectures. He’ll often stay late, listening to more lectures and completing homework before leaving for the day. When he gets home, he wants time for himself and family.

“Because DEDP lectures are recorded, I had flexibility that not every online degree offers,” Brown said. “It’s been (the flexibility) the absolute best part of this program.”

Brown noted that completing an online degree isn’t just a sacrifice for himself, but for his whole family as well.

“Everyone needs to consider the family portion, because it’s not just you,” he says. “Lauren has made plenty of sacrifices right along with mine. Having that support system has made this program so much better.”

Hands-on training
While the idea of using vacation time and money to travel to Grand Forks for required on-campus labs initially seemed daunting, Brown explained the labs are extremely important and very beneficial.

“It’s a financial commitment and it’s my vacation time,” Brown said. “After attending, I now know the labs are essential and well worth the time and resources. Some of the lab stuff is simple, but you need to know how to do it. Without the lab experience, this program wouldn’t be as easily validated.”

Brown added that without the lab experiences, graduates would go into the field blind without hands-on knowledge.

Future focus
With his transition from business analyst to petroleum engineer nearly complete, Brown sees his future in more focus every day. Brown is set to graduate in the spring of 2017.

“My wife and family, plus my company, have been great from day one, knowing I was going to be working 40-50 hours a week, as well as completing my degree,” said Brown with a smile.

That smile is an indication of his excitement as he’ll soon be changing his title to “engineer.”

Bottom line
UND’s distance petroleum engineering degree is 131 credits, offered online with semester-based courses and on-campus labs during the summer. The labs consist of hands on experiences and range from three days to two weeks.

— Hannah Manske, Office of Extended Learning student writer