Dane Felicien came to Midwestern State University seeking a strong education he could afford and opportunities to build on his experience in technology.
The 1999 graduate at MSU Texas, who earned a bachelor’s of business administration in information technology, credits many of those experiences for helping him reach his role as national manager of education and national accounts for Extreme Networks, a Silicon Valley-based technology company.
Upon deciding to pursue a degree at MSU Texas, Felicien wanted to find both experiences and learning opportunities to benefit him. He earned an associate’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley before coming to MSU for the business computer information systems program.
“I didn’t come in with a sense of arrogance. I came in asking, what more can I learn? What skills can I develop here?’ ” Felicien said. “It helped my patience and humility, and that extends to appreciation.”
Those lessons in persistence, humility and hands-on learning became defining themes throughout Felicien’s career. More than two decades after graduating from MSU Texas, he oversees relationships with educational institutions around the world and frequently speaks to students about making the most of their college experience.
As a BCIS student, Felicien immediately looked for opportunities within MSU Texas’ IT Department. He believed hands-on IT experience would broaden his understanding of the technology field.
While waiting for an opportunity with the IT Department, Felicien focused on his coursework and periodically followed up to express his continued interest. Eventually, his persistence paid off, and he secured a job in the computer lab before moving into work in the server room.
The position helped fund his education while providing practical experience that extended beyond the classroom. He learned about troubleshooting through his time in the lab, which gave him great experience to build on.
He also credits the experience with teaching him the importance of teamwork, a skill he still relies on in leadership roles today.
“It’s great exposure. It at least opens your mind to ask, ‘What parts of this do I really want to pursue?’ Or you at least have a more informed decision if you decide to go a different route,” Felicien said.
He said he did his best to make time to study, shadow Shane Perry and other members of the IT team to learn more, and do things to unwind, such as play soccer. He said one of the biggest challenges for many students is finding time for career-building experiences while still maintaining a healthy balance outside the classroom.
Perry said that often someone coming into IT is blessed with great technical skills or good people skills. Felicien had both.
“I recall distinctly that Dane just had — and still has — that combination of technical skill set and pleasant personality that is kind of the holy grail in our field,” Perry said.
“From my earliest interactions with Dane, even back then, it was clear that he was the whole package,” Perry said. “I could see him going places in an IT-related field. It was a very pleasant surprise to discover some years later, after I’d returned to MSU, that he was with Enterasys/Extreme Networks, our preferred vendor for networking gear, and was now our representative!
“He still has that same combination of technical knowledge and pleasant demeanor that inclined us to hire him as a lab assistant not so many years ago.”
Felicien said what he appreciated most at MSU was that it provided the information and resources on how to fine-tune his education to gear toward the exact path in tech that he wanted to pursue. His advisors were helpful in pointing him in the right direction, and he felt his time was well spent.
Felicien also saw that MSU Texas valued students who worked hard. He recalled one course he had to pass to receive his certification. He said the professor had provided students an alternative option: If they could maintain an A in the class, they didn’t have to take the final.
Felicien and one other student accomplished that mission. He and this other student have stayed in touch but took different career paths out of MSU.
His technical background and hands-on experience made him a strong candidate in a growing industry. He began in tech support, later became a network analyst, advanced into network administration and engineering positions and eventually moved into executive leadership.
Felicien often gives speeches about the college experience where he highlights the value of doing student work in one’s respective field and making the most of available resources.
Felicien noted that he believes college isn’t about what a school can do for you, but what you can get out of the experience it offers.
“If you’re intentional and you’re willing to put yourself out there to go find those opportunities, you’ll get there. I’m not the only success story like that. … They’re all over the place,” Felicien said. “I think more people need to hear that, so we can focus on moving away from negativity and focusing on optimism and positivity, and take control of the actions we can take control of, and move ourselves in the right direction.”
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: MSU Texas grad credits campus job for tech success
Reporting by Reanna Gonzalez, MSU Texas / Wichita Falls Times Record News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Reanna Gonzalez, MSU Texas | USA TODAY Network
