Balancing a full-time job with pursuing higher education can be a challenge for anyone, and this challenge can seem even steeper to active duty military members. That’s why USC strives to foster a welcoming environment for current military personnel and veterans alike, helping them find success while working through their online graduate degrees.
To learn more about what it’s like for someone in the military to tackle a graduate degree program, USC Online spoke with a current student and an alumna about their experiences.
Kasey Vaughn: Leveling Up in the Military
For Kasey Vaughn, military service and studying at USC have long been intertwined. Vaughn went straight from participating in the United States Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program during her undergraduate years at USC into active duty upon graduation.
“For ROTC, I kind of fell into it,” Vaughn recalled. “I was on a cross-country recruiting trip, I met a couple of cadets and they invited me to what they call a ‘leadership laboratory,’ so I went and it was one of those moments of like, ‘Holy crap, this is perfect.’ Like, it felt like me, it felt like something I was going to enjoy.”
While Vaughn began in the Air Force pilot training program, she soon decided formation flying wasn’t for her and moved into a school for intelligence training instead. Since graduating in 2014, Vaughn has worked in intelligence support in various capacities and locations, including in East Africa.
But Vaughn wasn’t out of school for long. In 2015, Vaughn decided to return to USC, enrolling in the online Master of Public Administration (MPA) online graduate program from the USC Price School of Public Policy.
“It was an unwritten rule then [that] you need[ed] to have a master’s degree to get promoted as an officer in the Air Force, and that’s what I wanted,” said Vaughn, who was a second lieutenant on graduation and has since been promoted to the rank of major. “I knew if I was going to spend the time and energy to do a degree, I wanted it to be from an institution that I respected and I could actually be proud of my master’s degree.”
Vaughn was especially interested in the online MPA program because of its two in-person campus residencies at the beginning and end of the program. This format allowed her to return to USC’s campus briefly to interact with her professors and cohort while still enjoying the flexibility of online schooling and remaining committed to her military duties. In addition, public administration, which focuses on managing programs and policies to serve the public, aligned perfectly with Vaughn’s career goals.
Vaughn completed her online graduate degree from USC in 2018. The flexible format allowed her to take a short break for military deployment while equipping her with tools she regularly employs today in her intelligence career.
The experience reaffirmed Vaughn’s link to USC. In fact, she is not the only military member in her family to attend the university.
“My grandfather would’ve been a 50-year Trojan,” Vaughn said. “He did his bachelor’s and master’s degree there, too, and he served in World War II, and it just feels wonderful to have that family connection.”
Vaughn is still active in the USC community to this day and, as one of the board members for the USC Alumni Veterans Network, is especially connected to fellow alumni with ties to the military.
“It was a way to connect with my peers and become more involved and just meet more people with a similar experience,” Vaughn explained. “It’s been so cool working with other alumni. The outreach is great, and it’s so nice to have this family connection I’ve been missing.”
Sage Buzzini: Transitioning to a Civilian Career
Working in the health care field was always Sage Buzzini’s goal. Buzzini started off by studying psychology at Santa Clara University, where he was also enrolled in a ROTC program.
After finishing his undergraduate studies, Buzzini went into the Medical Service Corps in the United States Army to get more exposure to medicine. As he worked in various medical roles over the ensuing four years, including as an executive officer for a field hospital, he soon realized he was ready for a career shift: moving into health care administration.
Buzzini was drawn to USC both for its reputation and because the university is an affiliate of the Yellow Ribbon Program, allowing students with GI Bill eligibility to graduate from USC debt-free.
“That support for the military and veterans was a big draw for me,” Buzzini said.
Buzzini ultimately joined the Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) online graduate program from USC Price to make his dream career pivot. Not only does he find his classes interesting and challenging, but he’s also made meaningful connections with both faculty members and fellow students.
“One of the big things that I really appreciate about this program is that I feel that all of the professors are very understanding that the people who are taking part in the EMHA program are working professionals, and so they make it really easy to balance your work and school life,” Buzzini said. “They’re so supportive, so that’s been great.”
While juggling his medical recruiting job with the Army, Buzzini has taken advantage of USC resources for veterans to make his work-school balance easier to manage. And, although his program is online, Buzzini still feels tied to the Trojan Family.
“Even though USC is an online program, they do a really good job of making you feel part of the school,” Buzzini said. “And there’s so much pride here for the school and community, which I love.”
In the future, Buzzini plans to use his master’s degree to land a civilian job in the health care field. It’s a big change, but it’s one he is ready for — and he encourages anyone in the military eyeing a graduate degree to look into USC’s programs.
“There’s a lot of support that comes from leadership because they encourage people to seek out a higher-level education,” Buzzini said. “Plus, in the military, it’s a brotherhood and sisterhood … people look out for each other, so there’s always someone who can help out and cover for you if you have something else going on. If you want to do it, know you’ll get support from both the military and USC.”
Master Your Career in the Military and Beyond
Whether an active duty student is hoping to progress in the military’s ranks or transition to a civilian career, online graduate programs at USC are an avenue for personalized support and academic flexibility.
USC is a great choice for individuals interested in a military career and for those serving in the military, said Frank Vram Zerunyan, Director of ROTC and Executive Education Programs at USC and Professor of the Practice of Governance at USC Price. The university boasts a long history of ROTC programs, a robust veterans affairs office, executive education offerings and academic degrees tailored toward military personnel’s needs, including a Master of Business for Veterans.
“USC is one of the elite military-friendly universities in the country, one in 60 or so research universities nationwide to house all three branches of the military ROTC programs continuously,” Zerunyan said. “We have a number of accolades when it comes to the military.”
Learn more about USC Online graduate programs today.