John Shaw

Hi, I'm John Shaw, Assistant to Associate Dean Reddy, Fall 2020 Management graduate, and Online MBA student. The last two years have been the most rewarding and, at times, the most difficult. On March 12, 2019, I began remote education for the remainder of my undergraduate degree and graduated in Fall 2020 with much uncertainty about my future. The economy looked bleak while the world was on lockdown. And for the next five months, I looked for work and spent time with my husband, two cats, Neptune & Chase, and our dog, Elizabeth Taylor. I enjoyed learning how to prepare home-cooked meals from scratch, socially distance hikes and safely exploring local points of interest such as Sequoia National Park.

 In May 2021, I was grateful to start a position with the College of Business. Before the pandemic, I was opposed to online classes and had never worked remotely, but now as we attempt to return to a new normal, I see the value of work-life balance. This job has afforded me the luxury of a hybrid schedule which has helped me to maintain some of the positive qualities of lockdown. On my work-from-home days, I'm gifted 2 to 3 hours that would typically be spent fighting the traffic of the 605. During that time, I can do some chores, graduate schoolwork, prepare healthier meals, walk my dog during my lunch break, bond with my cats and go to the gym.

 Additionally, because of my position with CSULB, I can continue my education in the Online MBA program. I'm currently in my second semester and enjoy the program's flexibility. For example, I can shut my laptop and get ready for bed instead of driving home after a night class. I've grown to embrace the adaptability and flexibility we learned during the pandemic. And as I look back over the last two years, I'm grateful that I have been able to pursue and complete my goals despite minor setbacks, but I'm thankful for the life lessons learned along the way.