MyUMUC Graduates

A 27-Year Dream Is Finally Realized for Vincent Street

By: Alice Manning

Graduate Vincent Street entered the Navy in 1982 and began what would become a 27-year quest for his bachelor’s degree. The demand of his Navy jobs meant that attending college took a backseat to where he was stationed and the schedule of his shift work. He believed it was less than convenient and near impossible to negotiate earning a degree with his schedule—until he found UMUC.

“With the online programs, you really have no excuse to not complete your degree,” Street says. “The online program gives you the flexibility to work full-time and still be able to complete your requirements in your spare time.”

Currently the officer-in-charge of a Navy unit in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Street says his Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management has helped him excel. He credits his courses and professors at UMUC with increasing his writing ability and solving the writer’s block he used to experience as a manager. Street explains, “The technical knowledge that I have obtained from the different IT courses from UMUC has significantly helped me understand both the technical and administrative sides of technical management.”

Street believes he could not have achieved his goals without his UMUC military advisor, Benjamin Fortner. “I believe he truly cared about my educational goals and he went beyond his duties to ensure that I obtained my degree,” Street says. “His advice and assistance were vital to my success.”

And Fortner returns the praise when speaking about Street. “I am proud of his continued dedication to education over the years,” Fortner says. “He has been a student with UMUC since 1997, attended all three divisions, taken courses while deployed, and, through it all, will be graduating with a GPA over 3.0.”

In the future, Street has set goals to earn his Master of Science in Information Technology with a specialization in information assurance. But for the immediate future, Street says, “I have to admit that I am extremely happy to be done with my bachelor’s degree, and I am going to enjoy that for a while. It has definitely been a challenge, but to finally achieve this long-time goal is very rewarding.”