John Feddema, family man, firefighter, student
In his job as a firefighter, John Feddema is required to make life-changing decisions. He also made
a decision about changing his own life—he decided to continue his education, and enrolled in the
Business program at NCU.
NCU offers the truest form of distance education, but for Feddema, the distance is not that great, because as it
happens, Feddema actually lives near NCU World Headquarters in north central Arizona. That is a rare situation for
Learners at the 100% online university, where the student body is scattered across the globe. But Feddema graduated
high school in Prescott, Ariz. and now lives right down the road in Prescott Valley—where NCU will make its new
home in early 2007.
Feddema earned an associate degree in Fire Science at Yavapai College—one of NCU’s partner schools—while working
full time with a construction company. This meant erecting steel buildings by day and taking classes at night, 12
to 16 hours a semester.
At age 20 Feddema was hired by the Central Yavapai County Fire District as a part-time Reserve. Two years later,
in 2002, he was promoted to full-time firefighter and completed his fire science degree. Making it the perfect
year, he also got married.
Since then, he has continued his fire science training and also participates in Fire Pals, a program to teach school
children about fire safety in this wildfire prone area. A man of few words, Feddema reluctantly acknowledges that
he encounters “emergency incidents that have challenged me physically, emotionally, and intellectually.”
Pursuing his bachelor’s degree—in Business Administration with a Management specialization—is also a challenge. For
Feddema, attending a brick-and-mortar college is out of the question. Time, as he puts it, “is not easy to come by.”
He works 24-hour shifts on a rotating work schedule. He is also engaged in building his own home, a time consuming
process, and in January 2006 became a father when his son Carson was born.
“My wife Rebecca has been my biggest supporter in my goal to receive a Bachelors degree from NCU,” Feddema says,
adding, “My son Carson is now six months old and with the flexibility of NCU I am still able to complete my
assignments and spend time at home with my family.” He studies at work in the evenings whenever possible and
notes, “The teachers have been great to work with.”