(Published January 19, 2009)
I owe Shaq an apology. When I came across an article about how basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal is working on a doctorate in Human Resource Development, my first thought was, "What??? No, this is a joke."
I mean, the guy is still making millions of dollars playing basketball, not to mention the additional millions he nets (no pun intended!) from his endorsement deals and professional appearances. So it's not as though he's in need of a 9-to-5 job as an HR director. Nor is anyone likely to be too picky about his educational credentials in whatever endeavor he wants to pursue after he retires from the NBA.
O'Neal's reasoning, as provided by a Twitter message he'd sent out last week, was short and sweet: "For those who wanna know, I am getting my doctorate in Human Resource Development. Why? Because I'm a people person." (For those who don't know, Twitter is a text messaging service featuring the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: "What are you doing?")
Assuming this "people person" answer was partly tongue-in-cheek, I searched for a better answer. And I found it.
O'Neal is well-known for his support of, and donations to, Boys & Girls Clubs around the country. He gives inspirational talks to the kids about the importance of education. When asked by reporters at one event why he has chosen to continue to pursue his own education, he replied, "If you are going to give a message, you should stick by that message." In other words, Shaq knows these kids don't need to hear him just talk the talk; they need to see him walk the walk.
Apparently this isn't a new philosophy for O'Neal, who also answers to the nickname "The Big Aristotle." He earned his MBA in 2005 from the University of Phoenix's online program, which is how he's also pursuing his doctorate. (And for all of you cynics who are now chuckling that this isn't a "real" degree program, don't confuse the University of Phoenix with one of those diploma mills that gives out phony degrees; the school is legitimately accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. To check for yourself, visit the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.)
As for O'Neal's choice to study Human Resource Development, I think it makes good sense, considering that he's already a successful businessman with his own clothing line; studying Human Resource Development could only help him in developing additional business ventures. Or if he ever wants to make the transition to the other side of the b-ball bench and become a head coach, an advanced degree in Human Resource Development should be a huge advantage in trying to deal with all those bloated paychecks and super-sized egos!
So I apologize, Shaq, for initially pooh-poohing your HR studies. Go for it!
Eileen Mager
Writer
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