Going back to school to complete a bachelor’s degree can feel out of reach for a working adult. For Mark Kramer, however, earning his degree became possible through the UW-Milwaukee Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Technology (IST) offered through UW Flexible Option.
Mark’s journey as a nontraditional student was shaped by hands-on experience long before he enrolled in the IST program. With a background in electronics, he began his career repairing televisions and appliances through in-home service work. He later transitioned into installing and repairing surveillance systems, including networking-based cameras for casinos.
This sparked his growing interest in IT networking and infrastructure. In 2014, Mark returned to school to pursue an IT Network Specialist associate degree, which helped him move more fully into IT positions. Still, earning a bachelor’s degree remained a dream.
“It’s really been a personal goal of mine and something I’ve always aspired to do,” he said.
That long-term goal brought him to the UW Flexible Option.
Why UW Flexible Option Made Sense
Choosing the IST program felt like a natural fit for Mark. His respect for the Universities of Wisconsin was reinforced by his sister, a first-generation college graduate who earned her degree from UW-Milwaukee. As Mark learned about the 100 percent online, competency-based IST program, he knew it aligned with his needs.
UW Flexible Option students learn at their own pace and enroll in 12-week subscription periods instead of traditional semesters. For Mark, who was working full-time while raising two children with his wife, flexibility was essential.
The program’s self-paced structure allowed him to fit coursework around his life, not the other way around. While students can take multiple courses per subscription period, Mark chose to focus on one course at a time.
“There’s no way I could have taken in-person classes, so the Flex program really helped with being able to learn online and at my own pace,” he said.
When Mark applied to the program in 2018, he quickly discovered one of its major advantages: transfer-friendly admissions. Nearly all of his previous credits transferred, allowing him to begin the IST program with junior standing.
For a working adult, that seamless transition made earning a bachelor’s degree feel attainable rather than overwhelming.
“The fact that all of my credits transferred was huge,” he said. “That’s not always the case, especially when you’re moving between systems or schools.”
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Balancing Life, Work, and School
Mark completed the IST program in four years, taking one course at a time and stepping away for a multi-year break in the middle. With the subscription-based model, each course lasted about three months, offering clear milestones and manageable expectations.
The ability to pause and return to the program was critical to Mark’s success. He often took summers off to spend more time with his family, knowing he could pick up where he left off. Having also worked remotely for the past few years, he was able to remain self-disciplined while taking courses in an online setting.
“The overall support from my kids and my wife was huge. I wouldn’t be here without that.”
During busier weeks, Mark studied after his kids went to bed or early on weekend mornings. To stay ahead, he started reading some textbooks in advance, reviewed syllabi early, and supplemented coursework with LinkedIn Learning and Pluralsight.
Throughout the program, Mark received consistent support from his Success Coach, Jenna Swartz, who checked in regularly and helped him stay on track. Mark paired those check-ins with his own planning system of spreadsheets and timelines to manage his courseload.
His family’s support was just as important. Their encouragement made it possible to push through busy seasons and stay committed to completing the program.
“The overall support from my kids and my wife was huge,” he said. “I wouldn’t be here without that.”
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Academic Growth and Favorite Courses
Mark graduated with a 3.67 cumulative GPA and earned straight A’s during his final subscription periods after returning to the program in 2022. One of the most meaningful outcomes for him was how much his technical skill set expanded.
Before he started the program, Mark had only a surface-level understanding of databases. In his IST courses, Mark learned how databases function, how to interact with them, and how to build and query SQL databases—skills he now uses directly in his current role.
“This degree will definitely continue opening doors for me and being able to dig deeper into things I didn’t understand before.”
Web design was another key area of growth for Mark. By learning HTML, backend functionality, and how web applications work, he gained a deeper perspective that now helps him troubleshoot and support websites more effectively.
The final capstone project brought everything together and served as a fitting conclusion to the program. Mark built a fully functional video store website from the ground up using MySQL and PHP, complete with backend database functionality and transactional capabilities. The project closely mirrored real-world business needs and allowed him to apply everything he learned in the program.
Mark credits capstone instructor Dee Piziak for her guidance throughout the project as well as in the other IST courses she teaches.
“Dee does a good job with the classes and putting them together,” he said. “If I ever ran into a snag, she was always helpful.”
Mark believes that his new skills will pay dividends in his career.
“This [degree] will definitely continue opening doors for me and being able to dig deeper into things I didn’t understand before.”
Looking Back (and Forward)
Today, Mark works as a system administrator in healthcare IT, managing servers, virtualization platforms, Citrix environments, and backend systems. With his IST degree deepening his understanding of databases and web technologies, his confidence and career opportunities have also expanded.
By taking the program one course, one milestone, and one goal at a time, Mark has shown what’s possible when real-world experience meets flexible education. For those considering the IST program, he recommends exploring employer tuition assistance if possible.
“My position now has a tuition reimbursement, so I was able to get that,” he said. “When your employer can help out with the financial end, that’s awesome.”
Mark’s other advice centers on consistency:
“Stick with it. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s definitely going to be worth it in the end.”
Want to learn more about the Information Science and Technology degree? Contact an enrollment adviser at 608-800-6762 or flex@uwex.wisconsin.edu for more information.