In a household where orange and black banners decorated the living room, the Dearman family proudly championed the University of Oklahoma. Despite the fervor, none of the relatives ever crossed the graduation stage at OU. For Chris Dearman, that lingering gap became a personal challenge, prompting him to explore alternatives that could finally give him a formal credential.
His search led him back to the Public Administration and Community Studies (PACS) program, an online platform he had once glimpsed during a community college outreach. The moment he learned that PACS offered a fully accredited pathway in organizational leadership he sensed a turning point that could rewrite his family’s legacy.
Family roots and the quest for a degree
Growing up, Chris often heard stories of famous OU alumni, yet the absence of a degree in his own lineage felt like an unfinished chapter. The scent of football games and the echo of marching bands created a backdrop of aspiration, but financial pressures and work commitments kept traditional campus enrollment out of reach. When he finally stumbled upon PACS, the program’s reputation for serving non-traditional learners resonated strongly.
“Getting accepted into PACS was a huge milestone for me,” Chris recalls. “It truly changed my life.” The enrollment unlocked a schedule that allowed him to study while maintaining a full-time job and caring for his family, turning a distant dream into a tangible roadmap.
PACS: flexibility that reshaped a career
The core advantage of the PACS experience lay in its flexible, affordable structure. Courses were delivered asynchronously, letting Chris log in after his shift, study on weekends, and even complete assignments during children’s soccer practices. This elasticity enabled him to earn a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership in 2021 without sacrificing his responsibilities.
Buoyed by that success, he immediately enrolled in the master’s track. By 2023 he had secured a master’s degree in the same field a credential that broadened his strategic perspective and opened doors to higher-level management roles. Throughout both programs, he forged lasting relationships with classmates from diverse backgrounds, describing those bonds as “connections that will stay with me forever.”
Mentors who made the difference
Two professors emerged as pivotal influences: Dr. Stauffer and Dr. Kimmel. Their mentorship went beyond grading papers; they offered personalized feedback, encouraged critical thinking, and modeled professional excellence. Chris notes, “I was fortunate to have professors who truly made a difference in my journey. They set me up for success, and I genuinely enjoyed my experience throughout the program.” Their guidance cemented his confidence to apply academic concepts directly to workplace challenges.
Beyond the degree: professional impact and future goals
Armed with fresh qualifications, Chris accepted a position at Provalus a firm dedicated to delivering outsourcing and technology opportunities to rural American communities. In his role, he leverages the leadership frameworks acquired through PACS to design programs that bridge the digital divide, creating sustainable jobs where they are needed most.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Chris has embarked on a new academic adventure: a Doctor of Strategic Leadership at Oral Roberts University targeting graduation in 2028. This ambition underscores his belief in lifelong learning, reinforcing the notion that education can be a continuous engine for personal growth and societal contribution.
From a childhood of cheering for a team his family adored, to becoming a graduate who mentors others, Chris Dearman’s narrative exemplifies how online education can transform not only an individual’s résumé but also the fabric of the communities they serve.
