Jon Hubers returned to college after nearly 30 years because he wanted to challenge himself and further his career. He had some pretty strong motivation from home, too.
His daughter, Anna (22), recently graduated from USI with a nursing degree, while his son, Ben (21), is enrolled in the university’s business school.
“It does inspire me to see the success with Anna, now that she has graduated, and to see Ben and realize he’s working toward his degree, as well,” Hubers said. “They have been very supportive. My kids said, ‘Dad’s going back to school. Wow!’”
Hubers is enrolled in the online Master of Business Administration program at USI. He is on track to graduate in 2018. Hubers lives in Evansville, Indiana and works for Crescent Plastics as a sales manager. He has been with the company for 24 years, longer than either of his children have been around.
“I graduated from Indiana State University in 1988,” he said. “I’m not your typical MBA student going back after a couple of years in the workforce. I wanted the opportunity to grow with my business, which became the focal point of doing the MBA program. So far, it has definitely done that for me.”
Strong Balance
The online format has been exactly what Hubers needed in order to have enough hours in the day for work, school and family life with his kids and his wife, Lisa.
“I have been able to balance my school and work life, so it has been very positive in that regard,” he said. “I really like the fact that taking the classes online affords me the opportunity to study out in the field when I travel. As a matter of fact, I’m headed to Greenville, South Carolina, right now.”
Hubers said he travels for work, and the flexibility to do schoolwork whenever he has an opportunity has been a huge reason he has already enjoyed so much success in the program.
“I work on school for about 20 hours a week,” he said. “I mostly do it at night. I definitely think the MBA will open up a lot of doors for me.”
So far, Hubers said his two favorite courses in the program have been FIN 601: Financial Management and Markets and BLAW 618: Legal and Social Environment of Business.
“I really liked finance and learned a lot in that class,” he said. “I’ve been able to apply a lot of what I learned in the law class to my job. There is a lot of critical thinking going on, which has not only carried over to my work life but to my personal life, as well.”
Sales Pitch
Hubers grew up in Ferdinand, Indiana, a small town about 45 minutes from Evansville. He worked as a sales engineer at Jasper Rubber for four years, beginning shortly after he completed his undergraduate degree in marketing, which included a specialization in sales.
“A position in sales was an opportunity that came up,” he said. “I stuck with it.”
Hubers, who likes to bike, kayak and hike in his free time, said he went with USI for the online MBA Â program after several of his colleagues had graduated from the program and recommended it to him. Of course, he didn’t have to leave his house to hear some firsthand knowledge of attending the school.
“I’m about to start my fifth course,” he said. “It is an opportunity to challenge yourself and make yourself better, not only in your work life but also your personal life. After I graduate from the MBA program, I would like to lead an organization at some point.”
Hubers, who briefly taught sales to high school seniors with Junior Achievement of Southwest Indiana and has volunteered with his family to serve meals for the Evansville Rescue Mission, is relishing the opportunity to have an even closer relationship with his kids.
“We bond a bit,” he said. “I have to ask them questions about how to do things. Even though Ben is majoring in business, he and I don’t do homework together because our classes aren’t really comparable. A lot of my money is going to USI right now.”
Perhaps once Hubers and his son graduate from USI, they can talk Lisa into making it a full nest of Screaming Eagles.
Learn more about the USI online MBA program.
