Scott Vinci MS ’05

Management Program
Department of Organization & Management

Command Advisor/Unit Supervisor

International Police Training
PAE Government Services
Former Republic of Yugoslavia and Eastern Europe

After twenty years in the ranks of the Hartford, Connecticut police, Lieutenant Vinci volunteered for an assignment to train civilian police in war-torn Bosnia. Those nineteen months expanded his horizons. When he returned to the U.S., he retired from the department.

Senior management positions in police training missions abroad demanded education beyond Scott’s associate’s degree. “I wanted to elevate myself to a level where I could compete.”

Upon acceptance to Antioch, panic set in—a surprising statement from a man accustomed to a pistol on his hip. “I wasn’t sure how my classmates would respond to someone who had been inside such a different work culture for so long. From the first day of class, I saw how much I had relied on structure and boundaries.”

Scott’s cohort introduced him to a new way of seeing himself as a leader. “With such a broad mix of people the differences became enlightening. Being unique is the norm. I brought similarities and uniqueness to the group.”

“The quality of this education has reshaped me. Now, I think, I’m much more open. My hard style of management had limited my effectiveness but I’m learning to be more flexible and adaptive. And, I have more confidence in myself and my ability to move through an unstructured world.”

Scott says students should be prepared to change their world view. “It’s not just about management, supervision, and organizations. It’s about you as a person, as a member of a community, and as a citizen of the world.”

* Scott entered through the Alternative Admissions process, which considers applicants without bachelor’s degrees for graduate study based on a combination of undergraduate study and learning acquired through professional work.

Last Updated: 11/10/08