Linda has been a valued Xcel Energy employee for the past sixteen years but never felt she had a firm grasp of electric power generation, transmission or distribution. According to Linda, "I always knew that I wanted to increase my industry expertise but family commitments coupled with a lack of time and trepidation about returning to school after a 20-year hiatus prevented me from going back." Then luckily Linda received a company email endorsing EPCE's online degree programs.

Linda thought that an online program might be just the thing for her. She enrolled in the Electrical Power Technology program and earned her degree in May, 2007. Linda's take on her educational experience is that, "I know I’ve improved my knowledge base and augmented my critical thinking skills. Because I've expanded my understanding of the industry overall, I am able to make more strategic contributions to our work. In addition, I can now utilize my problem solving skills for improvements that directly impact our organization and the work we do."

When asked if she had advice for prospective students Linda said, "At first, school was out of my comfort zone but I'm so glad that I pushed myself. I'd encourage others to just give it a try. You may surprise yourself and the feeling of accomplishment is terrific."