“I started looking for an IT Management position but only had my associate’s degree,” reflects Eric Riddering, Cleary University’s chief information officer (CIO). “I was accepted at Davenport University and Northwood University, but Cleary was just a few miles from my home in Howell so I decided to stop in and see what the school offered.”
He learned about the university’s cohort program, which was “aggressive,” Riddering describes, allowing him to complete his bachelor’s degree in IT Management in only one year.
He chose Cleary.
Fast forward five years, is how Riddering explains his next academic move. “I wanted to continue advancing my career, but now the positions I was looking at required a master’s degree,” so Riddering returned to Cleary for his MBA.
When asked why he chose Cleary for his BBA and MBA, Riddering has plenty to say. “The return on investment alone was well worth it in money, time and flexibility. Being an adult learner working full-time and with a young family was a heavy burden. Being able to take my classes online also was a huge advantage for me. At any other institution, I would have had more debt, and it would have taken me much longer.”
Riddering found that many professors actually were working in the industry in which they taught, which provided him with real-world experiences he could use in his profession. “Think of the educational opportunities for students to learn from professors of this caliber,” he points out.
A year after completing his MBA at Cleary, the university became a more permanent spot in Riddering’s life. He joined the institution as its IT Director. This year, he was named Chief Information Officer (CIO).
“I have worked in technology my entire adult life and find Cleary is a great place to really unleash my skills,” he announces.
Riddering brings more than 20 years of IT experience to Cleary – 10 from the State of Michigan in various cybersecurity roles where, ultimately, he managed the entire security operations team and the vulnerability management team.
“It all made sense to return to my alma mater and work for the school that gave so much to me!”
