In 1994 I was a young dad struggling to make ends meet. Even though it was a constant struggle, I never lost focus on my educational goals. However, the reality of achieving those dreams any time soon felt as if I was being faced with a full headwind with no clear map to navigate my way to the successful completion of these goals.
Today, 26 years later, that path has become has finally become crystal clear. A few weeks back, I decided to apply to the University of Mississippi Graduate School in their MBA program and this past week, I was notified that I have been accepted for the Fall term. To describe my feelings as surprised, excited, or relieved would be a gross understatement. This is the culmination of many years of hard work and faith along with the wonderful support of friends and family. So in concert with my 50 posts of my 50 years, I thought I would share my “Statement of Purpose” that I wrote as part of my application. This essentially tells the story of my life from 1988 through today but I felt it was only fitting as it accurately describes how I got from There to Here.
Stephen M Campbell – Statement of Purpose
The decision to pursue my MBA has changed and evolved over the years. It has always been a goal to achieve this milestone and hold myself to a higher standard and commitment to excellence in my field. A decade ago, my motivation was centered on the promotion of position and expansion of earning potential. At that time, I interviewed with Wharton School of Business at Penn University and Kellogg at Northwestern. Both of these excellent programs would have been ideal for these goals, especially in the technology sector. However, today my drive for obtaining my MBA is about transformation, career fulfillment, and building upon the knowledge I’ve gained over the years to expand it into action.
Selecting a high-quality program is about investing in a piece of history and community. By pursuing my MBA at the University of Mississippi, I would be joining my wife, who is not only an employee but also nearing the completion of her Ph.D. and our son, who graduated in 2018 with a B.S in Geology. To be an investor in a community, you have to be a member; otherwise, you are just an observer. I am choosing to be involved, and this would strengthen the community, both within our family as well as my professional surroundings.
Fortunately, I have grown both personally and professionally over the past 30 years. My responsibilities, titles, and compensation have developed strengths from roles such as senior manager, senior director, and eventually my current position as vice president overseeing a global business unit. While success requires an MBA in most cases, my pattern of growth is based on the merit of my work ethic and understanding of the business landscape within my industry. The UM Graduate School will help expand my understanding of business and potentially put me in a position to share the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career with future industry leaders.
My path to this point has been a long journey that started in 1988. At that time, my goal was to gain top-level certification as a tennis teaching professional along with a B.A. in Business Administration so I could one day start and run an elite-level tennis academy. However, not all journeys are smooth or straight and mine took a few alternate routes along the way.
Becoming a father in the 1990s, I chose to put my education on hold until a more appropriate time. To support my family, I took a warehouse position with a technology reseller, which set me on a completely different course. Finding myself in an evolving industry, I soon began to dream about joining the Compaq Computer Company, recognizing the impact it would have in the coming years. I worked my way from the warehouse to the sales department, where I was able to exceed all expectations and financial milestones. The experience I gained put me in a position to eventually join Compaq as a consultant where I would fast-track to an account executive. After the turn of the century, I quickly recognized the future of technology was in the software that better economized traditional business models. When a software startup out of Silicon Valley came knocking, I jumped on board. That decision to join VMware quickly ignited my career. Even though I had not yet achieved my bachelor's degree, I never lost sight of my original goal. As the company successfully grew, I recognized a reduction in time spent on many parts of the business and focused on my primary responsibilities. This created the ideal moment to invest in my continued education where I would go on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from Letourneau University in 2011. Up until this point, having no degree never hindered my trajectory, but it always remained in front of mind as a missed opportunity. One I was set on completing. Obtaining my degree opened up a world of possibilities, and no longer was I relying on just luck or work ethic. I now had the foundation to go beyond and reach heights I once thought impossible without it.
I have certainly taken the road less traveled, but by doing so, I have been a key contributor to a small business, a corporate giant, and four successful software start-ups, who have achieved massive financial success. Along the way, I've encountered a few obstacles, but my desire and aspirations in my original goal from 1988 have never wavered. As part of this commitment, I recently completed my certification in the Professional Tennis Registry. By achieving my MBA from the University of Mississippi, I will set a new foundation to one day start an elite tennis academy, ultimately writing the next chapter in my life story which moves like a long and winding road.
26 of 50 - 1994