Nelson Roman

Nelson Roman

Nelson Roman is a student in the International Relations Program at OU currently stationed in Ali Al Salem "The Rock" in Kuwait. He was born and raised in the Philippines. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1993 and is a Technical Sergeant for communications and logistics support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom OIF/OEF.

Nelson learned about the International Relations program while visiting the education office at the home base in Ramstein, Germany. "I. R. is the hottest Master of Arts program and the staff is very helpful," he says.

When asked his plans after receiving his Masters in Arts degree, he answered:

"I'm planning to get in the Military Defense Attaché program. I. R. covers a wide array of areas and disciplines that makes me marketable whether it's for embassy duty, law enforcement, teaching, politics, or international trading. I. R. exposes me to different cultures, allows me to view and analyze the interactions among states and the key players thus giving me great panorama of the world. I'm planning to attend a law school after finishing my M. A. In a personal level, the I. R. gave me a deeper understanding to the impact of the individual in society. I also realize the importance of interests and advocacy groups in making our world a better place."

"The program is somewhat hard. I was a probationary student when I started, but OU allowed me to prove that hard work and dedication pay off. I did a lot of reading and typed a lot of reports and I'm almost done. I think the CDR is a great part of the OU advance programs because a student can earn credits while deployed even with limited research capability. It's also different if you're in the service because at a moment's notice you'll have to pack up your bags and go. Mission first then education, but the USAF is very accommodating to educational goals of the airmen. It really makes a lot of difference if you have a supportive chain of command. Another perk is that the USAF paid for all my tuition fees and I just have to pay for my books. It really is a great deal!"

In addition to his duties, Nelson enjoys martial arts, weight lifting and playing chess.

When asked his plans for the future, he replied:

"I'll finish 20 years and hopefully be able return to the Philippines. I want to help improve the education system. I believe better education would help alleviate poverty and could significantly improve the standard of living for many Filipinos. I want to be able to extend the lessons I've learned from the service and the knowledge I gained from the great institution of OU to the students in the Philippines. I want to teach I.R."

"I just want to say thank you [to the folks back home] for your support to the troops. We appreciate your prayers and keeping us in your hearts, especially during the Holiday seasons."