As Joelle Dodson nears the finish line of her master's journey, she reflects on a program that not only met expectations — it impacted her career and future goals.
Dodson, a communications specialist at MillerKnoll, completed her Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from Michigan State University's fully online program in late June. She walked in the commencement ceremony earlier this spring, despite not having spent much time on campus due to the online setup.
"I walked in the commencement ceremony at the beginning of the month," Dodson said. "But I've only ever really been to MSU for events growing up — not as a student."
Originally from DeWitt —just outside Lansing —Dodson enrolled in the StratCom program in fall 2023 after learning about it years earlier from a colleague and fellow graduate, Lena Perez.
"She was like, 'I think you would love this stuff,'" Dodson recalled. "And when I finally looked into it, I realized this was exactly the program she'd told me about. It just clicked."
For Dodson, the decision to pursue a graduate education was made easier by the program's direct connection to her work and MillerKnoll's tuition assistance policy.
"Once I showed them the program's content was directly related to my job, they were very willing to help pay for it," she said.
She chose MSU over other in-person options because the online format offered flexibility without sacrificing academic rigor.
"Honestly, a lot of online programs get a bad rap," Dodson said. "But knowing someone who had gone through it and said it was impactful helped give me confidence that it was going to be what it said it was."
Balancing full-time work with school required significant time management and communication. "I had to be really transparent with my team, my leader, my husband, even my friends," she said. "Just like, 'Hi, I'm about to disappear for a bit. Still love you.'"
Dodson praised her employer for their flexibility. "If I needed a day off for finals or to log off early for a Zoom class, they were totally supportive," she said.
Her coursework didn't just fill gaps — it created immediate value. "I used a leadership development plan from one class to pitch for a promotion," she said. "My leader was like, 'This is what you worked on this semester? It's incredible.'"
Several professors and classes stood out to Dodson, particularly CAS 837: Catalyst Thinking in the C-Suite, with lessons that helped shape her professional ambitions.
"I always thought being a leader would be cool, but it felt far off," she said. "Now, I have a plan. I want to be a servant leader at MillerKnoll. And I can articulate why, how and what kind."
She also highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of the program's former director, Jason Archer, and the creativity encouraged in her current digital content course.
"We were told to just make a 'fancy poster.' I turned in a satirical horror movie design," she laughed. "It was so fun and still taught us all the principles — fonts, colors, ADA compliance. I loved that."
Despite occasional obstacles, Dodson said the program exceeded her expectations.
"It turned intuition into strategy," she said. "The things I was doing in my role before were based on gut instinct — I now have the academic foundation to back them up. That's empowering."
Her advice for prospective students?
"Do your research. Ask questions. Schedule that informational call to get all your questions asked. That's when it really clicked for me," Dodson said. "It's a commitment — time, money, energy — but for me, it was absolutely worth it."
By Claire Dippel