WGU Alumni Podcast
WGU’s alumni network now has more than 350,000 graduates living in all 50 states. The WGU alumni podcast highlights the incredible work that our alumni are doing in their local communities. We also share benefits, perks, resources and partner information to help our graduates stay engaged and get the most out of the alumni community.
WGU Alumni Podcast
Overcoming Fear and Embracing Opportunity: Kristian Sevison's Journey
Kristian Sevison’s journey reveals how pursuing education later in life can lead to personal growth and newfound opportunities. He shares his motivation for returning to school, overcoming personal fears, and the invaluable lessons he’s learned along the way.
• Unpacking the theme of it's never too late
• Kris's motivation for returning to school
• Overcoming self-doubt and personal fears
• Discovering the power of WGU's competency-based education
• Importance of military experience in shaping his journey
• The desire to mentor others
• Importance of lifelong learning and education
Join us as we explore Kris’s inspiring path and how it paved the way for both personal and professional fulfillment.
Hey everybody, welcome to the WGU alumni podcast. We're thrilled to have you tuning in yet again. My name is Jeff Burton, I'm the senior manager of alumni engagement here at WGU and we've got more fun on our podcast. We continue to roll on with the theme this season of it's never too late. We find that this theme really captures a lot of our graduates experience, and that is to roll on with the theme this season of it's Never Too Late. We find that this theme really captures a lot of our graduates' experience and that is, at some point in their life they went back to school, recognizing that it's never too late to invest in themselves, in their education and really to advance in their careers.
Speaker 1:And today we have a great guest who is someone who seized his future and his opportunity, went back to school and is doing really, really amazing things, and that is Maryland native, Christian Seveson. Chris has more than two decades in the software industry as a senior sales executive. In 2015, Chris earned his bachelor's in business management from WGU. He is a proud US veteran and considers himself very mucha history buff. He and his wife, Grace are the proud parents of Caden, who will graduate from the University of Alabama in May of this year. Chris, it's so good to see you again and so glad to have you on the podcast.
Speaker 2:Great to see you again, Jeff. It's been 10 years, but good to see you, my friend.
Speaker 1:Thank you, you as well. Now, for reference, I was brand new at WGU in 2014, 2015, I think it was and I had the privilege of working on our public relations team, and I met you when I flew to Baltimore and came to your house in Maryland. Abc News wanted to do a story about a student who was having a test or an assessment proctored, and so, anyway, that's where we met. What do you remember about that? You're famous, chris. You know ABC News. What do you remember about that?
Speaker 2:Not so sure about the famous part, but yeah, no, I remember just, you know it was weird having a camera crew, like you know, in the house. You know folks and and you know the interview was fine. But just the chatting and having to kind of go through and look at my office set up and show the proctoring, you know how that all worked and it was kind of neat. I think at the time it was rather innovative what you were doing from the proctoring standpoint and I think that's what caught the attention of folks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. Well, you were great, I remember. So I came to you in Baltimore. I think our proctor company was down in Alabama, I want to say somewhere down south. So my boss, joan, actually traveled down to Alabama to be with a crew down there. And I still remember this because our students will appreciate this right. When you take a proctored assessment, it's very secure right Like there is nobody in the room with you, you cannot have notes, you're going to have any of that. And so they proctored it just like they would any student. And I remember that the proctor was like okay, like you've got a camera crew, like what is going on? And obviously we prepped them. But that was kind of funny because they were like this isn't going to fly, they need to leave the room.
Speaker 2:Right, Exactly. And one time I was taking an exam and my son opened the door during the test and I paused everything out and I was thinking how are we getting beyond this interview when I have a whole camera crew? So I was thinking the same thing from the opposite side.
Speaker 1:Yeah, kind of a great experience, but we're appreciative of your time and it's so good to catch up with you. We have, as you know, graduates living across the country in all 50 states and I wanted you to brag a little bit about your hometown and what is the best thing about living in Maryland that you can share with our audience.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, outside of getting the seasons and we have different weather types, I think you know the best thing is, you know I am an hour and a half from multiple major cities Philadelphia, dc, baltimore you know, we're all in proximity. I'm three hours from the beach. I live in the mountains, I mean, it's just I have it all. So I really like this part of the country where we are and, although we got snow on the ground now, it's a great place to live. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Where is your favorite US history site that you like to visit?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I'm only 15, 20 minutes from Gettysburg, so I do a bunch of things around Gettysburg and I'm only less than an hour from Antietam. So Antietam Battlefields and Gettysburg Battlefields. I'm kind of a history buff, a little bit of a geek too.
Speaker 1:I'll take my little books and find out where this picture was and place myself there and look at it and just see things and put myself back in a day. I guess that's really, really cool. Well, I'm excited for you to showcase the great work that you've done post graduating from WGU, and so the first question I want to ask you, though, is what is the most exciting thing that you're working on right now?
Speaker 2:Well, I know it's kind of weird saying this about me, but you know I'm excited because my son's about to graduate. So you know I went to college later and you know, and didn't really do the. You know, as you know, I didn't do the traditional, you know, go to brick and mortar. I didn't have experience. I went to the military instead. So just kind of living a little bit of vicarious through him but just helping him get through these final stages, if you will. You know he's kind of getting nervous about graduating. You know I got some connections in the industry so I have, you know he's got an internship coming up and hopefully a position, those kind of things. So it's just really trying to get him prepared for his next phase of life. Chris.
Speaker 1:I love that about you. That says what a good dad you are, that the greatest thing that you're working on is helping your son launch his career and be successful. That's really cool, thanks.
Speaker 2:You know, I think it's. You know I don't want to take a lot of credit, I think it's more. I, you know, maybe kind of. You know, maybe get off dad's coattails finally I've been paying for his school, so it's good to not have to I have to do that late. Get saved some money.
Speaker 1:I guess Maybe I can retire at some point. Just kidding, At some point it's coming. Well, I want to dive into your journey a little bit, if that's okay, and talk a little bit about your experience. So what was your motivation for going back to school in the first place? Why did you enroll in WGU?
Speaker 2:Well, it was one of those things I'd always wanted to have a degree. I'm the youngest of five kids. None of the siblings have degrees Very blue-collar family and I decided I wanted to try and eventually go to college. My initial goal was to be a lawyer or an attorney outside of high school and didn't happen right away and didn't go into the military, instead Got out of there and started working a job. So you know it, just life got in the way and then you start getting married and having kids and it takes away.
Speaker 2:But I never lost that desire to have my degree and it really came to me when I was in a position at one of my companies I worked at to where the position I was in preferred master's, bachelor's required, and I'd been in a position for three years with no degree and I was. You know, a new ownership was coming in and I was a little bit worried, like you know. I think now's the time to do it. Like you know, I've been putting it off and putting it off, and you know I've been putting it off and putting it off and you know I always say life's too busy. But I think when I started school I realized that no, life's as busy as you make it, and you can find the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how would you say that this decision was connected to a bigger dream that you had for your life?
Speaker 2:no-transcript. I wanted my parents to have a college graduate for one. They couldn't afford to put us through school and they were very upset about that. Now I wanted them to see that themselves. That was a driver for me, and when I was at WGU my mom was sick doing things and then later on my dad ended up getting cancer. So I wanted to complete my degrees and just be a part of fulfilling the dream that I had for them. But also I think it's more just that I had to prove that I could do it. I had to prove that. Everybody goes through life saying I wish I would have and I didn't want to have that I wish I would have. At the end I wanted to complete it. I've always thought about it, always wanted it, and here I was going back to school at 38 years old. But I think it really lent a lot to go back at that age. I think my life experience really helped me in school, yeah.
Speaker 1:Was there anything holding you back from going back to school?
Speaker 2:Myself, I think I think it was. You know you get out of school that long. You know you're out of school longer than you were in school and you think you're going to go back. Do I really know anything anymore? Can I really pass these classes? I don't remember about English. Am I doing the commas in the right place? All those things like just my own questioning of myself and my abilities. Not that I didn't think I couldn't do it, just what would I have to relearn and how long would it take to get through? And is the juice worth the squeeze? From that perspective, with growing a family and growing a life, yeah, no, that is very true.
Speaker 1:Would you say that there was an unexpected surprise or bonus from going back to school?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Within the first two or three classes and the WGU methodology, I realized I could get through classes. I knew a lot more than I gave myself credit for, if that makes sense, and I think that it also gave me the ability to tap into my own knowledge. When I got to the upper level classes and really the business-based things that I did daily and understood daily, I was able to go through classes much quicker. You know the model you offer, the all you can consume. You know those pieces that was beneficial for me and I was able to take advantage of that.
Speaker 1:That's great, yeah. The competency-based education model that the WGU introduced is probably becoming a little bit more commonplace and others are kind of trying to copy that. But so glad that you were able to benefit personally from you know, being 38, I think you said going back to school you knew a lot of those things and you know you embraced it.
Speaker 2:I think the thing that stood out to me the most, jeff, is that I completed 21 credits, seven classes, in seven days. Wow. When I got to my upper level, to where I understood the concept, it took me a lot longer for the humanities and the sciences and things I hadn't done in years. When I got to my wheelhouse, that's where it really showed competency really means something, because it took what I do in the working world and allow me the opportunity to transit at the school and I showed that I knew it already, even not having to learn it, and apply it in the real world and the school versus applying from school into the real world. Right, it was just the opposite. It was kind of cool to see that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's outstanding. That's great A grueling week, I would imagine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did. There was not much sleep. I took a vacation week. I said I didn't want to do another semester. I wanted to kind of get it all done and get things through and I knew that if I could just get through those, those classes, that I would have one more to focus on and get done in time for the semester.
Speaker 1:Now, Chris, can you think of another time in your life when you decided it wasn't too late, like maybe a hobby or a bucket list item, something like that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you know I had always. You know my dad was a mechanic growing up. You know, for the most part, and I always, we always wanted to restore a car together and we talked about it. You know, talk about it, talk about it. And you know I think I mentioned earlier, you know my dad ended up getting cancer and when he got diagnosed I'm like time is short and so I did. I went out and I got a 69 Camaro and you know it was almost fully restored when we got it. But there's a few things we had to do, but the chance to just sit side by side with my dad and something he always wanted to do and run it around, it was great. So it just never too late to do it. You know, I mean, even we talked about it for years and you know, even though my dad had cancer, it wasn't too late. We had it. We had him for two years with that and two years with that car. So it was awesome. Oh, that's that's great.
Speaker 1:Do you mind if I ask you a little bit about your military service you mentioned in your journey? I think you did military right out of high school and kind of life got in the way. Tell us a little bit about the military service and maybe how that prepared you for life and also for enrolling at WGU.
Speaker 2:Well, I tell you that the biggest thing I think that you learn in the military is pay attention to detail and do it right the first time right. I think the cliche is you know, measure twice, cut once, and I think it's just instilled. It's even a life hack. You know that I talk about it's. Just listening is key to everything that you do. That's the most success you can have is through listening, because you find out more from others by hearing what you're saying versus preparing your response. So I would just say that it's just paying attention to detail became very second nature and it wasn't as an 18 year old kid. I can tell you that. But you know the time. You know you get through that and the boot camp. You know how to pay attention to detail and not forget anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. You bring up life hacks and I'd like to ask you if you have an additional one or two that you'd like to share. It's fun for me to be in this seat and to interview people in all different walks of life and all different disciplines and study, and it's always fun to just hear what advice or what professional guidance life hack that you received that helped you. So, in addition to the one that you just shared, do you have any additional ones that might be worth sharing?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I mentioned earlier that I was afraid to go back to school. As an older adult, right, you know just what would I remember? You know, just doubting myself. And I think that when I talked to my dad I was going to go back to school, his thing was you know, why aren't, why didn't do it already? I like, well am.
Speaker 2:I was questioning myself, and the first thing you said was fear is internal. Nobody else has your fear. Your fear is your own and you can overcome your own fear. So just, it's all up here. Just don't don't put too much thought into it. Just just go and do and you'll see if the fear is real or not, if the, if the, your feeling of fear is real or not. Yeah, so it's just that. Just don't give in to fear, right? I mean just, you know, that's what holds us all back. We question ourselves. We don't give ourselves the ability to develop and grow officially, because we put parameters or we look myopically at things. When you expand out from that and realize that I am more than just what I think, I am life's limitless, at that point.
Speaker 1:That's great, Great insight, Great great information that you're sharing. I'm curious over the next say, one to two years, what big plans do you have for yourself? You talked a little bit about your son and seeing him graduate, which I'm sure will be a proud day for you and your wife. But for you, professionally, what are the things that you're working on over the next couple of years? You?
Speaker 2:know my goal is to eventually you know is to kind of I'd like to do something where I can help others. I got 20 years of sales experience, you know, and being part of the software world and I've learned a lot from people and I think I'd like to get to to where I can help younger folks coming up in the sales realm and help them achieve and not be afraid of that cold call, not be afraid of the prospect and not be afraid of the things that you got to do to be successful, you know. So just really kind of be more mentor-like versus just a person doing it. You know I like to pass on my knowledge if that makes sense and hopefully somebody can gain from it.
Speaker 1:Absolutely All right. You mentioned you're a history buff and we talked a little bit about that early. Do you have any fun trips or travels that you're taking on here in the next little while?
Speaker 2:We do. We have a trip coming. It's not really related to history, but for the holidays, for Christmas, my wife I'm into bourbons and so she got me a weekend trip for Bourbon Con in Leicester, kentucky, coming up next week. Oh, very cool, yeah. So just you know, get to go experience a bunch of bourbons all at once, you know for the week, but you know, that's just, it's just things like that. But again, while I'm in Kentucky there's a whole lot of places on the way to stop and look at things, of stuff that happens. So I'm sure she's what 30 years together does. It allows me to say sorry, but still stop off and see a place or two.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what a great gift. You will do that together then.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Yeah, she's going with me. Yeah, I mean, we're going to experience together. She won't drink bourbon, but she'll help me experience and let me buy some. Hopefully, she won't drink bourbon, but she'll help me experience and let me buy some.
Speaker 1:Hopefully that's fun. You'll have to keep us posted on how that goes. I will, I will. That's great. Are you driving or flying?
Speaker 2:We're going to drive. We're going to drive. It's only about eight hours and, as I mentioned, my goal is to bring back a few bottles, so it's easier to throw them in the truck versus trying to pack them in a bag and put them on an airplane.
Speaker 1:Will you drive it all in a day or do you got to stop along the way?
Speaker 2:No, we'll drive it all in a day. You know I do the same. I drive 12 and a half hours to Alabama for my son, so you know it's second nature that's outstanding.
Speaker 1:Very good. Well, christian, it has been so great to catch up with you. You're doing great work. You're a representative of the university and, whether it's ABC News, whether it's this podcast or everything in between, I know you and I have conversations and you've referred people or you've shared your experience at WGU, and you joined WGU in a period where we were a little bit less known than we are today. Certainly, people are learning about it for the first time, but just want to say thank you for being an ambassador that you are, and what do you miss most about being a student at WGU? Again, it's been over 10 years, but what do you miss most about that experience?
Speaker 2:I think that you know one of the things that's great about WGU is that you know when you do that final predetermined exam or thing. You know immediately if you passed or what's going on. So it kind of sets it at ease. There's not a professor later on to grade some projects you have like that, but most things it's instantaneous, and folks today like instantaneous response, right, so you know right away that, you know the class is done and I did okay and can just move on and put it behind me. That was a sense of accomplishment that occurred so quickly. Was is awesome and you don't get that too often and you know on a regular basis, right, this huge sense of accomplishment wow, just this week of studying is just now gone, it's finished. But I think it's that lack of no time. And then, wow, I did it. Yeah, and in fact you know it's. What's crazy, jeff, is that I went on beyond. You know my bachelor's and I ended up getting my master's as well. I got my MBA. So I did that in 21, I think.
Speaker 1:Any future plans in education, or you feel like taking those business degrees and just cranking out in sales and the management. The world that you live is good enough for you.
Speaker 2:You know. Ironically, you know I've been looking more and more into like. You know where I could be like adjunct professor or something you know around. You know sales and marketing and you know things like that. So I think that that goes along with that mentoring and helping others. I think that's kind of something I'd love to do as well. So I think that's kind of maybe a goal that I'd like to accomplish at some point.
Speaker 1:I like that. That's great. How about podcasting? Is podcasting in your future?
Speaker 2:I'm not quite so sure. I don't know that I'm, you know, I don't know how camera ready I'm always going to be. But you know, and obviously in sales I have no problem talking. I love to give you the final words.
Speaker 1:So maybe consider this your audition right into the podcast space or into the adjunct professor world. But what sorts of advice or wisdom would you want to share? Or any final thoughts as we wrap?
Speaker 2:And the thought is, you know, if you're thinking about going back to school, regardless of age, do it. You know the sense and confidence I felt finally getting my degree after you know, 20 years after I should have started college. Right, it was a great feeling and it led to my future going on and getting a master's and then even now, like you said, wanting to go into some sort of maybe professorship or helping others in school with things. So it all started with WGU going back, and you know. So I don't know that I want to go get a doctor anytime soon, but you know. But I do want to recommend anyone to just grasp life and go back to school if you haven't. And WGU is a great place.
Speaker 2:From a person who worked for 20 years before going back to school, the knowledge was great that I learned in life and that competency translates directly and you get to show it. Not just you know, you get to go to an exam and you can see how much knowledge you really do have. And I think it enlightens yourself that you know you give yourself less credit than what you should, I think, in most cases, and that brings you to the forefront. You realize how much you do know. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you for sharing all of that. Continued success to you, my friend, and definitely keep in touch. We'd love to hear about you know all the good that you continue to do. So thank you, christian, for all the time today. Thanks, jeff, I appreciate it sir.
Speaker 3:Thank you for listening to the WGU Alumni Podcast. To learn more about the WGU alumni community, visit wguedu backslash alumni. Thank you to our alumni now 300,000 strong and growing. Wgu, a new kind of you, you, you, you.