Applying His Education to His Career

For Nick Peitz ’08, ’22 MSL—a parent with a full-time career with the Iowa Department of Corrections—Mount Mercy University’s Master of Strategic Leadership program presented a realistic opportunity to learn practical leadership he can apply in his career.

Nick began his career as a Correctional Officer at the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Mercy. He continued to move up in the organization, and he has now been the Associate Warden of Treatment for close to three years.

“The facilitators have all done such a good job creating a learning environment in an online platform.”
–Nick Peitz '08, '22 MSL

Nick was always interested in pursuing a master’s degree. When he discovered that Mount Mercy offered online programs, it suddenly felt attainable.

“I really enjoyed my time at Mount Mercy during my undergrad,” Nick shared, “so I was interested in learning more.”

Finding an online program was important to Nick, but he also wanted to continue to feel connected to the people in his program. He felt his professors were able to bring a lot of value to the virtual medium.

“The facilitators have all done such a good job creating a learning environment in an online platform,” he shared. “It’s amazing to me how much I’ve been able to gain from my peers without being in the same room as them.”

“Another aspect of the program that stands out to me is the balance between being challenging, yet not overwhelming for a busy, working parent,” Nick said. Nick and his wife, Laura, have three boys ages 8, 10, and 13. That made striking a balance between life and school especially crucial.

“It was important to me that I’d be able to put forth my best efforts in school without sacrificing quality time with my family,” Nick said. “I believe the MSL program has lived up to every expectation that I had, and then some.”

While many pursue advanced degrees to progress their career, Nick’s goal was to contribute to the success of the IDOC, whose mission is “Creating Opportunities for Safer Communities.” Nick felt that Mount Mercy could help him meet this mission more effectively.

Recognizing many strong leaders around him at the IDOC, Nick was inspired to grow his own leadership skills. This, along with the flexible course formats, solidified his decision to join the program.

“It is my hope that I can grow to contribute to the next generation of leaders who take the Iowa DOC into the future,” Nick said. “I truly believe participation in the MSL program is a big contributor to that growth.”

“Through the MSL program, I believe that I have learned skills to help me be the best leader that I can be for the staff at my institution,” Nick said.

Among many accomplishments in his career and time as a student, Nick was selected as the 2022 Commencement graduate student speaker. He shared about his experience working at the IDOC and the impact that everyone can have on others’ lives.

“Working in a prison has taught me a lot about people,” Nick shared during his speech. “Not only how to work with difficult people, but also, and probably most importantly, how having a caring heart can have a profound impact on those around you."

Nick found he was able to learn a lot about himself including his values, strengths, and areas for growth during his time at Mount Mercy.

“I can say with a high degree of confidence that I have gained valuable experience through my participation in the MSL program,” Nick said. He hopes to use this growth to benefit his organization. “I’m proud to say that I know I have grown as a leader, and subsequently hope to help advance the efforts of the Iowa Department of Corrections.”