Mr. Robert Gardiner was born and raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He spent some years working in the service industry before transitioning to international import logistics for a few years after that. “I handled import shipments coming by way of the ocean. This involves working with customs, booking ocean, rail, and truck travel to get them to their destination. It was challenging and rewarding. I enjoyed the problem solving.”
Mr. Gardiner decided to change careers and realized that he would have to continue his education. “I learned what I liked and didn’t like in my previous role and wanted to move towards the things that were more satisfying. I wanted to work more with data and make higher level decisions.”
He had visited Kentucky a few times and liked the people and weather. “When I stumbled across Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) while looking at schools and I found they had a program I was interested in, so I figured why not? My wife, Heather, also decided to get her master’s degree while we were here, so it has been really fun being back in school together.”
Mr. Gardiner is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management information systems. He chose that particular program because it has a mix of subjects that he is interested in such as data mining, project management, and coding. He felt it was a well-rounded program that would give him useful skills. Mr. Gardiner has been recognized as a member of the dean’s list and president’s list the last few semesters and said it is encouraging to be recognized for his academic achievements.
Outside of class, Mr. Gardiner works full time in the service industry. In his free time, he likes exploring outdoors and enjoys seeing what Kentucky has to offer. There are all sorts of cool mountains, caves and waterfalls to check out. His favorite thing about EKU has been the people. “I have had many engaging and supportive professors, and enjoyed working with my classmates,” he said.
When asked what he has learned the most while attending EKU, Mr. Gardiner replied “The number one lesson I have learned is to remain flexible. Circumstances are constantly subject to change, and you have to be ready to adapt.”
Mr. Gardiner was lucky enough to meet his wife, Heather, in his hometown of Ypsilanti.
“After I graduate, I will start working on my M.B.A. at the University of Kentucky beginning in June. I figured I am already in the school mindset so I may as well get that degree while I am at it.” After graduating with his M.B.A., he would like to combine the skills he learned from both degrees to become a product manager or project manager.
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