I explored several part-time and full-time doctoral programs, but the Spears Executive Ph.D. immediately stood out as the best in class. The combination of faculty expertise, program structure, and the executive-friendly design made the decision easy. It offered the academic rigor I wanted while still supporting the realities of a demanding professional career. The relationships, collaboration, and mentorship I received remain some of the most meaningful aspects of my graduate education. The program played a central role in my successful transition from a successful 20-year industry career into academia. It gave me the tools, confidence, and scholarly grounding to thrive as an educator and researcher in advanced logistics technologies, entrepreneurship, and supply chain innovation. More broadly, the program shows that if students "lean in", apply themselves, and work closely with their cohort and faculty, they can accelerate their careers or pivot into higher education with real momentum. I’m grateful for the doors this program opened, as it was one of the best career decisions I’ve ever made.

Spears offers a high-quality program that is accessible to leaders and executives with busy schedules. I wanted a program that was going to teach me how to think like a scientist so that I could apply this mindset in both my profession and community involvement. The program itself was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that I've been through. The professors were very supportive and pushed us to learn and grow. My cohort was incredible and truly made the experience. The program achieved what I was looking for, how to look at complex problems from a different angle. I've been able to pursue research and studies that have had an impact on my local community and the state of Oklahoma, and these new skills help me tremendously in my day-to-day work. Learning how to dig deep into theory and then see how the same ideas can be operationalized in a business context helps me be a more effective leader and make a bigger impact at my organization.