Nicole Otte

Educational Administration Doctoral Student
at Indiana State University

For several years, Nicole Otte considered returning to school to earn her doctoral degree – but it was never the “right time.” She has a full-time job. She has a family and other life responsibilities. Whenever she thought about a PhD program, she would eventually move on from the idea.

Until she heard about Indiana State University’s Preferred Partners Program. Preferred Partners is an inclusive collaboration between the University and employers in a variety of industries to strengthen professional development, continuing education, and business relationships. Companies benefit from their employees’ expanded knowledge and skillsets, while degree earners are better positioned to positively impact their workplace and their communities.

“My company fully embraces the Preferred Partners program and encourages our team to take advantage of the opportunity. Once I learned more, I realized this was a great option to further my education and career development,” says Otte, who is completing her doctoral degree in educational administration with a focus on school administration.

Otte works full-time as Director of Workforce Development at Endress+Hauser Group, a global industrial equipment supplier with North American headquarters based in Greenwood, Indiana. In this role, she oversees, directs, and collaborates with sales representatives while managing partnerships related to K-12 and post-secondary schools.

Otte’s supervisor at Endress+Hauser Group learned of her interest in earning a doctoral degree, and he encouraged her to enroll under Indiana State’s Preferred Partners Program, in which her employer participates. She appreciates the program’s numerous benefits: the 15-percent discount off in-state tuition rates, regardless of the employee’s state of residence; waived application fees; expedited admissions and transfer credit review, and other, customizable educational offerings.

“Going back to school helped reignite my passion for connecting education and industry,” Otte says.

Otte was already an Indiana State alumna, having earned her bachelor’s degree in Technology Education in 2001 and her Educational Specialist degree in 2019. Her husband, Joe, is also an alum, and their daughter, Faith, is currently a Sycamore in the sport management undergraduate program.

When Otte returned to school, she decided to devote her studies to school administration, a topic with which she is familiar. She spent her early career teaching engineering and technology in Columbus, Indiana. In addition to her work inside the classroom, Otte had obtained a health careers grant, planned an advanced manufacturing capstone center, advised students in a robotics club, and designed an engineering immersion pathway program for her students who were interested in engineering fields.

“I’ve always been passionate about my students. When I was teaching, I wanted to provide every resource so my students could understand their future career goals. I was there to mentor them,” Otte recalls.

After teaching for a decade, Otte became the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director of Central Nine Career Center in Greenwood, Indiana. The center partners with schools and education centers to provide career and technical education programs. As the CTE director, Otte collaborated with district superintendents, oversaw the center’s budgeting, bargaining, and overall operations, and oversaw curriculum development.

When she transitioned to her current role at Endress+Hauser, Otte’s goal was to create a talent pipeline for K-12 and post-secondary students to enter the workforce. She explains, “As a teacher, I always wanted to help my students prepare for their future jobs. Now, at Endress+Hauser, I get to create opportunities for students to discover new industries.”

In Indiana State’s hybrid educational administration PhD program, Otte is part of a cohort in which she participates in a combination of interactive online sessions and face-to-face classes on Indiana State’s campus. The program prepares students for advanced roles in school administration, educational policy, college teaching and research, and government and industrial positions requiring educational administration. Otte appreciates that she has been able to build relationships with her professors and peers in the program.

“My professors ask us thought-provoking questions to make us think about education on a deeper level. How can we solve problems in education? I’ve been rethinking high school graduation requirements and how to provide learning opportunities for students outside the classroom,” Otte says.

As Otte completes her doctoral degree, she is focusing her studies on a research question involving industry partnerships with schools. When industry professionals are embedded in the high-school curriculum, Otte asks, does this enhance the quality of education? Are students better prepared for professional work experience when they receive direction connection to employers while in high school?

“I think it’s important for high schools to collaborate with industry partners so their students can learn problem-solving skills and other traits needed for their careers. If they can learn this in high school, they’ll be better prepared for their futures,” Otte explains.

Nicole Otte (far right) with other project team members inside Federal Hall at Indiana State University.

Otte referred to her current time at Indiana State as “bookending” her educational career. She began her education at Indiana State as an undergraduate student – and now, more than 20 years later, she is earning a doctoral degree designed for her future goals. She hopes to teach again and use the skills she has gained through her degree program to inspire students.

“Indiana State has high-quality degree programs that give you the freedom to pursue a degree aligned with your career goals. It’s been rewarding, and I am more excited for the future,” she says.

Wherever that future takes her, Otte is prepared for the journey. Thanks to the Indiana State Preferred Partners Program, she is ready and able to go ALL IN on making a difference for students in education!