Seven years later
Or 17 semesters. How about 80 courses? Maybe 206.5 credit hours sounds better. However you look at it, I have at last completed my BYU education. Of course, the numbers sound a little more ostentatious than the reality they represent. I earned two degrees at the university (in two entirely different disciplines, no less), and shifted career tracks at least three times. That makes things a little more reasonable, doesn’t it?
To quote Jerry Garcia, it’s been a long, strange trip. To help you get a better idea of what I mean, let’s take a stroll down memory lane. Below is a comprehensive list of all the classes I’ve taken at BYU.
- Non-color coded courses are those I took strictly to fulfill GE requirements or for my personal enrichment.
- Yellow designates courses I took for my electrical engineering major (not completed; I switched majors after returning home from my mission).
- Orange designates courses I took for my Near Eastern Studies major.
- Red designates courses I took as prerequisites for full-time Church Education employment.
- Purple designates courses I took for my Math minor (not completed; I called it quits after Ordinary Differential Equations to focus on completing my undergraduate degree).
- Green designates courses I took as prerequisites to applying for the Masters of Information Systems Management (MISM) program.
- Blue designates courses I took for my MISM degree.
| Fall Semester 1998 | CS 142 | Introduction to Computer Programming |
| Ec En 191 | Freshman Seminar in EE | |
| Fam Sc 210 | Human Development | |
| Math 112 | Calculus 1 | |
| Music 311R | University Chorale | |
| Phscs 121 | Principles of Physics 1 | |
| Rel A 121H | Honors Introduction to the Book of Mormon 1 | |
| Winter Semester 1999 | A Htg 100H | Honors American Heritage |
| Math 113H | Honors Calculus 2 | |
| Math 343 | Elementary Linear Algebra | |
| Music 311R | University Chorale | |
| Phscs 122 | Principles of Physics 2 | |
| Rel A 327 | The Pearl of Great Price | |
| Fall Semester 2001 | Hon P 200 | Intensive Writing |
| Math 343 (retake) | Elementary Linear Algebra | |
| Phil 210 | Science & Civilization 1 | |
| Rel C 351 | The Gospel & World Religions | |
| Winter Semester 2002 | Biol 100 | Principles of Biology |
| MFHD 210 (retake) | Human Development | |
| Phil 211 | Science & Civilization 2 | |
| Rel A 122 | Introduction to the Book of Mormon 2 | |
| Rel C 431 | Doctrines of the Gospel | |
| Fall Semester 2002 | A Htg 100H (retake) | Honors American Heritage |
| Arab 101 | 1st-Year Arabic | |
| Math 214 | Multivariable Calculus | |
| Rel A 211H | Honors New Testament 1 | |
| Rel C 356 | Islam & the Gospel | |
| Winter Semester 2003 | Arab 102 | 1st-Year Arabic |
| Dance 180 | Social Dance, Beginning | |
| Fam Lf 100 | Strengthening Marriage & Family | |
| Math 334 | Ordinary Differential Equations | |
| Rel C 370 | Introduction to Teaching Seminary | |
| Fall Semester 2003 | Arab 201 | 2nd-Year Arabic |
| Phil 415 | Philosophy of Religion | |
| Pl Sc 474 | Arab-Israeli Conflict | |
| Rel C 355 | Judaism & the Gospel | |
| Rel C 471 | Methods of Teaching Seminary | |
| Winter Semester 2004 | Arab 301 | Intermediate Arabic |
| MESA 350 | Islam in Contemporary Socity | |
| Pl Sc 452 | Islam and Politics | |
| Rel C 234 | LDS Marriage & Family | |
| Spring Term 2004 | Econ 110 | Economic Principles & Problems |
| HEPE 129 | Lifestyle Management | |
| Rel C 324 | Doctrine & Covenants 1 | |
| Summer Term 2004 | Chem 101 | Introductory General Chemistry |
| Stat 221 | Principles of Statistics | |
| Fall Semester 2004 | Heb 131 | 1st-Year Biblical Hebrew |
| Hist 238 | Ancient Near East: To 330 B.C. | |
| I Sys 201 | Introduction to Management Information Systems | |
| M Com 320 | Writing in Organizational Settings | |
| Winter Semester 2005 | Acc 200 | Principles of Accounting 1 |
| Acc 210 | Principles of Accounting 2 | |
| Hist 241 | Middle Eastern History from 1800-Present | |
| I Sys 202 | Introductory Computer Programming | |
| MESA 495R | Senior Seminar in Middle Eastern Studies | |
| Spring Term 2005 | Stat 511 | Statistical Methods in Research 1 |
| Summer Term 2005 | Stat 512 | Statistical Methods in Research 2 |
| Fall Semester 2005 | I Sys 401 | Systems Analysis |
| I Sys 402 | Database Systems | |
| I Sys 403 | Principles of Business Programming | |
| I Sys 551 | I Sys People & Organizations | |
| I Sys 561 | Strategic Management of Information Systems | |
| I Sys 571 | Academic Research in Information Systems | |
| Winter Semester 2006 | I Sys 411 | Systems Design & Implementation |
| I Sys 412 | Data Communications | |
| I Sys 413 | Enterprise Application Development | |
| I Sys 562 | Project Management | |
| I Sys 572 | Research Seminar | |
| Fall Semester 2006 | I Sys 531 | Enterprise Infrastructure |
| MBA 520 | Business Finance | |
| MBA 530 | Operations Management | |
| MBA 540 | Organizational Behavior | |
| MBA 550 | Marketing Management | |
| MBA 593R | Management Seminar | |
| Winter Semester 2007 | I Sys 552 | Management Consulting & Projects |
| I Sys 563 | Business Cycles & Controls | |
| I Sys 693R | Readings & Conferences | |
| MBA 581 | Strategic Management | |
| Spring Term 2007 | MBA 509 | Communications in Professional Service Firms |
| P Mgt 582 | Ethics, Business, & Society |
BYU has had an undeniable influence on my life. So much of who I am today is a direct result of the events I’ve experienced, people I’ve met (including my wife), and things I’ve learned while attending here. I sure will miss this place.
When I tell people that I’m heading into academia, they almost invariably ask where I’d like to work. Some of them ask if I’ll return to BYU. At this point I honestly don’t know. There are many, many good people at BYU. But the Lord needs good people everywhere. However, there’s no doubt that much of my current "goodness" was shaped and refined by my BYU experience. Coming here was one of the best decisions of and for my life.
Wow! That is a real achievement and we are extremely proud of you!
And by the way, since you have studied Islam, tell us what you think of that culture and religion. I talked to a Muslim on an airplane once, and asked him why there was so much hate. He said it was just because some of the leaders were ignorant and so were the people. In light of the recent bombing by learned men, it seems he was mistaken.