Alumni Returns to Earn MBA Online:

Rudy Aguilar in his Own Words

Hello, my name is Rudy, and I live in Northern Virginia. I am currently married and have a nine-year-old son. I am originally from Texas. Both my parents decided to move to Virginia about 20 years ago in search for a better future for my two siblings and myself. Like many, I grew up humble, and college was not a topic of discussion at home. After graduating from high school, I worked many retail jobs and did telemarketing. Meanwhile, I had friends attending college, and two of them were attending ECPI University.

As I moved from job to job, I began noticing how challenging it can be without a college education, so I always had the urge to study something, but I did not have the funds, the knowledge, nor the push that I needed. It was not until my mid-20’s when an incident occurred at my previous job that changed my mentality. The general manager for our telemarketing company publicly humiliated me when I asked if I might be considered for an open manager position. I can still clearly remember the words in my head so vividly when the manager said, “When you can write a full paragraph without any grammar mistakes, please come talk to me.” This was the final straw for me. I knew I deserved better and belonged in a more professional environment.

This is when I decided to visit ECPI University’s Northern Virginia campus. There, I was greeted by friendly people who made me feel welcomed and valued. It did not take long for me to sign up and enroll in the Information Technology program. The staff assisted me the entire way and walked me through the different financial aid options. In no time, I found myself completing my associate degree, which motivated me to pursue my bachelor’s degree without stopping.

Once I obtained my bachelor’s degree, a friend of mine reached out asking if I would like to work in a data center as a contractor for Microsoft. I immediately joined their team and began my IT career in 2012. In 2017, I became a full-time Microsoft employee. I now manage my own team of technicians, and we help support our cloud operations.

Fast forward to the present, and during last year’s COVID pandemic, I found myself asking how I can better utilize my time, make it more productive, learn something new, and advance my career. So, I looked around for options, but nothing seemed to fit my tight and busy schedule, except for ECPI’s graduate programs. That is when I decided to enroll and obtain my MBA-Management degree.

I am now excited to be the first in my family to obtain a college degree, nonetheless a master’s degree. I am seeking to serve as a role model for my son, my family, and I am looking forward to seeing what doors this may open in my career. My goal is to continue moving up the management chain and continue leading and empowering others. 

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