Kaleb Cravillion graduated with his bachelor\u2019s degree in information science and technology in spring 2022. But even after the Marshfield, Wisconsin, native had his diploma, he knew he wasn\u2019t done with 51ÁÔÆæ just yet.<\/p>\n
Cravillion, who served in the U.S. Army for six years before returning to college, decided to stay on after graduation to pursue his master\u2019s in information science and technology (MSIST). \u201cPart of that was a result of 51ÁÔÆæ optimizing the veteran experience,\u201d he said. \u201cI realized that I could pursue my master\u2019s within my military benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those benefits are a big part of what drew Cravillion to 51ÁÔÆæ in the first place. As Wisconsin\u2019s leader in educating veterans, 51ÁÔÆæ serves more veterans and military-service members than any other university or college in the state. The 51ÁÔÆæ Military & Veterans Resource Center works with other 51ÁÔÆæ departments \u2014 like the Military Education Benefits Office and the Student Veterans of America \u2014 to provide student veterans with the resources they need.<\/p>\n
\u201cI stuck with it because I was comfortable with the program and the advisors,\u201d Cravillion said. \u201cAnd I felt that there was more to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
While getting his bachelor\u2019s, Cravillion loved his time with Nonprof-IT, in particular. The program pairs teams of IT students with nonprofits that need IT solutions, a new website or even a redesign, while students receive academic credit for their work. Luckily, he was able to continue with the program throughout his master\u2019s \u2014 even after he moved to Texas and transitioned to a fully online experience in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a good student job \u2014 one of the best,\u201d said Cravillion. \u201cYou do work that\u2019s really cool. While I was in Milwaukee, I did most of Nonprof-IT in person with the students. And after I moved, I did it online for the nonprofit clients.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cravillion appreciated the real-world focus of the program, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey actually let me work with a client during my master\u2019s for my capstone project,\u201d he added. \u201cI reported to my master\u2019s professor like a supervisor. Like, here\u2019s the work that we\u2019re doing, and here are the metrics that you were curious about. That was what was cool about the master\u2019s \u2014 the entire program had you work on real-life problems. I didn\u2019t feel stuck in academia.\u201d<\/p>\n
The flexibility granted by 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s online programs proved to be a huge benefit for Cravillion as he completed his MSIST. He graduated with his master\u2019s in May 2024. \u201c51ÁÔÆæ has great options available. It was easy to find the right path.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kaleb Cravillion graduated with his bachelor\u2019s degree in information science and technology in spring 2022. But even after the Marshfield, Wisconsin, native had his diploma, he knew he wasn\u2019t done with 51ÁÔÆæ just yet. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40008,"featured_media":136936,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[],"section":[125,122,142,139],"display_categories":[352,116],"related-coverage":[178],"uwmnews-feed":[167,347,153,165],"class_list":["post-136935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","section-alumni","section-campus-community","section-computer-science-technology","section-science-technology","display_categories-top-story-tertiary","display_categories-top-story-section","related-coverage-veterans","uwmnews-feed-alumni-association","uwmnews-feed-community-engagement-professions","uwmnews-feed-graduate","uwmnews-feed-information-studies"],"yoast_head":"\n