Julie Houtman Earns Online Degree with Ease at Embry-Riddle

Drawn to an Online Master’s Program

When Julie Houtman (’26) kicked off her software engineering career in 2022, earning a master’s degree was already on her mind. After focusing on computer information systems during her undergraduate studies, she wanted to gain real-world experience first.

Julie’s father had attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach Campus decades earlier, putting the university on her radar. The options available at the Worldwide & Online Campus specifically aligned with her goal of earning an advanced degree without leaving her job.

“I was fortunate enough to work in an environment that encourages learning and offers tuition reimbursement and development hours,” she said. “I really liked how friendly Embry-Riddle seemed toward working professionals such as myself.”

Experiencing Embry-Riddle's Online Degree Environment

After enrolling in the M.S. in Management Information Systems at the Worldwide College of Business, Julie was pleasantly surprised to discover how seamlessly she could balance her work, school and personal commitments.

“I especially liked the module layout that each class had, which gave me the freedom to schedule my week how I saw fit and be able to complete every assignment throughout the week,” she said. “Not only was I able to maintain a full-time job while at Embry-Riddle, but I could maintain my hobbies outside of school and work, such as playing the saxophone in a local community band.”

The flexibility of learning even carried over to her capstone project, where she could tailor her research to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence topics that interested her. She could explore her passions while applying the insights to her career, where she has since advanced to a level 2 software engineer at USAA.

Beyond the course material, communicating with professors and peers and participating in group projects helped her grow the most.

“Collaboration was a large part of the program, as there were a lot of group projects,” she said. “Those taught me how to work together and manage a team of individuals that come from many different backgrounds, which has since carried over into my professional life.”

Lessons from a Master’s Program Graduate

As a software engineer, Julie often commits hours to projects. She works diligently through every stage to ensure the final product is perfect.

“Being able to see a project come to completion after spending a long time in an agile environment, not only planning but developing and testing it and working through bugs and blockers, is a very rewarding aspect of my job,” she said. “It reminds me of why I do what I do.”

Julie’s master’s classes felt like an extension of her work because they both sharpened her coding skills and gave her ample project management practice. She also got better at managing her time to stay on track in work, school and life. Her perspective on working in a software engineering environment has completely transformed since she joined and graduated from the program.

“This program pushed me to think beyond the code by thinking about the process, funding, team building and teamwork that is required before the code even starts,” she said. “Learning how to prioritize and manage a full-time job with school deadlines while maintaining hobbies and a social life has taught me a lot about time management and prioritization.”

The Full-Circle Impact of Embry-Riddle

While Julie graduated from the program last spring, the connections she made have continued to enhance her personal and professional life. One of her favorite memories was finally meeting her peers, professors and program leadership in person at the commencement ceremony.

“I really enjoyed being able to network in person with not only my peers but also the faculty during and after my graduation,” she said. “This helped my online college experience feel less online and really helped me feel a part of the Embry-Riddle culture.”

She recommends that any Embry-Riddle student at any campus do the same.

“Network, network, network! The peers and professors that I had the privilege of working with were amazing to connect with,” she said. “I learned so much from them.”

Julie is on a rapid growth trajectory as a software engineer. The focus on cybersecurity throughout her coursework also inspired a newfound interest in the cybersecurity field, and she is excited to continue observing, learning and practicing new skills. While she loves software engineering, she knows that with her Embry-Riddle degree in hand, she can pursue anything her heart desires.

“I have come to realize how much I enjoy working in cybersecurity and plan on seeing what opportunities my new degree can offer in the cybersecurity realm.”