Anna Soukatch Spyrou
Administration Manager,
Moody International, Doha, Qatar.
Motivation: After traveling to over 40 countries, residing in 4, Anna was still ill-prepared for the culture shock of working for a multi-national company.
Personal: Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Anna has been married for over five years and hopes to start a family after graduation from the MMI program.
Indispensable
"The master’s in management-international (MMI) degree will provide me with the necessary skill and knowledge that I can use to work and live anywhere in the world. . . I now consider standard education a total waste of time."
Master’s in Management International
Not many people can say they have traveled to over 40 countries in a lifetime-- much less before the age of 30. Anna Soukatch Spyrou can.
She can also tell you that exposure to all of those 40 countries was not enough to prepare her for the move to Doha, Qatar, and a position with Moody International, the leading inspection and certification provider with offices worldwide in 70 countries.
"As the environment of Moody is very culturally diverse, at the beginning coping with it was difficult," says Anna, currently serving as Administration Manager, of what prompted her to look for the online courses that offered Master’s degrees in international studies and management. Ultimately choosing University of Phoenix Online’s Masters of Management International.
Precious MMI perspective
"When I moved to Doha, Qatar, I had to deal with a culture shock which I wasn’t ready for," says Kiev-born resident of Cyprus, Greece, and graduate of Coventry University, UK. "After just four courses at University of Phoenix Online, I find it much easier. I gained some necessary skills and knowledge of working with and managing people of different cultures. I learned new ways of problem solving from my classmates, who also come from all over the world and who have their own ways of dealing with conflicts at work."
Fluent in English, Greek and her native Russian, Anna moved with her family from the Ukraine at the tender age of 17. There she attended Cyprus Intercollegiate, later transferring to Coventry University in the United Kingdom where she earned her associate’s degree in law and a bachelor’s degree in law and humanities.
"I am not afraid of diversity anymore, and I will be even better equipped for dealing with different people after I graduate," she says.
Returning from the UK to Cyprus five years ago, Anna decided to get married and work a couple years before going back for her master’s. She had been working for the Cyprus Stock Exchange when her husband was offered an opportunity with a Cypriot construction company in Doha.
"The master’s in management- international degree will provide me with the necessary skill and knowledge that I can use to work and live anywhere in the world," believes Anna. "In addition, I can get a better job and expect a better salary and offer more to my company, as more businesses are going global."
Great value for the money
University of Phoenix Online was not the only school she considered, but it was the only one that met her expectations: relevant coursework, flexible schedules and no expensive software.
Anna emphasizes the convenient payment options and admissions counselors who provide personalized service and support. "In comparison with some other schools, it is definitely a great value for the money. I like the fact that this program is only 30 credits and lasts little over a year."
"This program (MMI) covers all aspects of international management, and is indispensable," says Anna. "I really liked the informal way in which the instructors facilitate the program, encouraging students to share experience and learn from each other. I learned a lot about international business just from my classmates."
Flexible and interactive online appeal
Paradoxical as it may seem, for this world traveler it was the online experience itself that holds a lot of the appeal. Anna finds it so flexible, engaging and yet far more interactive (both with professors and classmates) than her experience in classrooms at Coventry.
"I now consider standard education a total waste of time," says Anna. "The school is here for me 24 hours a day, and I can study day or night, as I wish. I also believe that with online education, everyone has a chance to participate and speak freely. People are not judged by their appearance and this really helps. Everyone is treated equally, without discrimination."
That says a lot coming from such an outgoing person. Not only is she an avid equestrian, but she also loves cars and goes out driving in the sand dunes of Qatar every chance she gets.
"My husband sees how excited I am about online education and University of Phoenix Online that he is thinking of applying for a master’s degree himself," boasts Anna. "It is definitely the best way to study."
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