01:09
Paul Kennedy Highlight
We ourselves are our own worst critics. We perceive ourselves in a way that others don’t perceive us. We look at our shortcomings and beat ourselves up for them, but we have to let that go because everybody is doing it.
About Paul
- After high school, I started working full time, got married young, and started a family—I eventually tried to go back to school part time after work, but the balance was too much of a struggle.
- I spent some time working in both manufacturing and sales, but those jobs seemed like they wouldn’t lead anywhere or be fulfilling in the long term.
- I decided to join the Army and learn a skill—I pursued telecommunications for six years in the Army.
- After leaving the Army, I decided not to continue with school and instead work my way up from within the workforce—I spent years working for various information technology companies.
- When a startup I was working for dissolved and I was left unemployed, I didn’t have a degree to fall back on.
- Some friends recruited me to work at the U.S. Army Medical Command—I started as a contractor and worked my way into a government job, but was still held back by the fact that I didn’t have a degree.
- When my kids moved out, I finally decided to enroll at Western Governors University—balancing school and work was a struggle at times, but WGU’s program provided the flexibility and support I needed.
- I graduated from WGU in information technology management and now work as the chief technology officer for the U.S. Army Medical Command.
