Like many students, Steven Mensen wasn’t sure what to expect when he first enrolled at CSU. But, knowing he needed to remain competitive in his career, he decided to pursue a longtime goal to earn his degree in occupational safety and health.
“Earning my degree was a personal goal. I’m only the second sibling of six to earn their degree in my family. I also know how competitive career advancement can be [in my industry]; earning my degree gives me a competitive advantage.”
With his new degree, Mensen has been able to advance in his civil and naval engineering career. He currently works as a safety and environmental manager and fire marshal, covering a large area of the country, so understanding various policies and procedures, like OSHA, National Fire Protection Association, and Environmental Protection Agency, is of the utmost importance.
“Keeping personnel safe is key, and my degree will ensure I have the knowledge to maintain various safety, environmental and fire programs,” he said.
Mensen says he felt something missing after he took a few courses at a different online school, and he found CSU after taking a break from his education following that experience.
Mensen has been impressed with the faculty and staff at CSU, creating personal bonds with some people who played a key role in his degree.
“CSU stood out with the degree program in OSH. My interactions from the first day I decided to check out CSU were amazing,” he said. “Professor Linda Martin really stood out to me. She instructed my OSHA construction safety course and was proactive, leading great discussions and keeping the assignments relevant to the safety field.”
He plans to return to CSU soon to begin a new degree program and has already begun referring friends and co-workers to pursue their education.
