Master Sgt. Christina Mundy has graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Business Administration from University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). A graduate degree at any age is a major milestone, but 40-year-old Mundy has accomplished so much more. She has a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force and completed three earlier degrees. She is the first person in her family to graduate from college.
In 2001, Mundy was a freshman at Sullivan University in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Then Sept. 11 happened. Mundy finished one semester of college and felt it was her duty to put her country first.
“I went into the recruiter’s office and told them that I wanted to serve my country,” Mundy said. “And that's how that process began. The thought of going to school was always there.”
Mundy was sent to San Antonio, Texas, for basic training, then to Mississippi for technical school, and back to San Antonio for the second part of technical school. The Air Force assignments that followed sent her to bases in California, Guam, Hawaii, New Jersey, Germany, and New Mexico.
Throughout her career, she has gained joint service and special operations experience and supported several operations, exercises, and deployments. In her current role, Mundy is superintendent of the 15th Wing Plans and Programs at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.
“The United States Air Force is the only branch of service that actually has a fully accredited college called the Community College of the Air Force, and I earned two associate degrees through that school,” Mundy explained. “I’m really proud of these degrees, and not everyone can say they have a degree from the Air Force.”
The Community College of the Air Force is regionally accredited through the Air University by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. Air University, with headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, is the Air Force's center for professional military education. When Air University offers joint training to the Army and Navy, participants have the ability to earn college credits.
After completing the two associate degrees, Mundy was determined to finish her four-year degree. She heard through the Air Force about UMGC and its flexible schedule for working adults. In 2021, she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a minor in human resources management. Right after, she decided to forge ahead with a graduate degree and received her MBA on May 14.
“UMGC has been amazing because of the flexibility. I can be anywhere and do my classwork,” Mundy said.
Mundy pointed out how her UMGC capstone class was unique since the entire class worked together on five projects from a variety of time zones. “What I enjoyed about the MBA program is that it is project based, making it very relevant to the global professional environment, forcing you to work in teams and accomplish tasks by working with people all over the world,” Mundy said.
She is looking to the future with the Air Force. “With my newly acquired skills from my MBA degree, I can apply them to what we do to effectively win the war,” she said.
During her time in the military, Mundy has mentored and supported young airmen, and she frequently encourages them to advance their education.
“Education is very important to me,” she said. “And I want my children to have the opportunity to also get a good education.”
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