OU student pursues master’s degree as naval career blossoms

Julie (Jordan) Ali is on the cusp of earning her master’s degree in public administration from Oakland University. That wouldn’t have been possible without an internet connection and stellar time management skills, since much of Ali’s time is spent aboard a 1,093-foot aircraft carrier in Norfolk, Virginia. 

The 31-year-old works as an electrician at Naval Station Norfolk, where she’s responsible for keeping the electrical components of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in working order. 

“I’ve worked on everything from circuits, switches, outlets, gauges and distribution boxes,” she said. “Now I work on larger equipment like air conditioning, fire pump motors, anything 440-volt or above.” 

Ali joined the U.S. Navy in 2021, after trying out a few careers she realized weren’t meant for her. 

“I did my undergrad at OU in social work and decided I didn’t want to do that for a career, so I switched to the medical field and worked as an ultrasound tech for about three years,” she said. “Then COVID happened and I wanted out of the medical field.” 

Ali initially enrolled in OU’s Master of Public Health program, but switched to the Master of Public Administration after deciding to join the Navy. 

“Since I wasn’t going to be in Michigan anymore, I needed a program that could be done 100% online,” said Ali. “I ended up really liking (the MPA program), and it worked well with my work schedule.” 

She found her way to the Navy in search of a new direction for her life. 

“My oldest sister was in the Navy, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to experience something totally out of my comfort zone,” said Ali, who’s currently an E-5 Petty Officer Second Class. “I wanted to be challenged – to start something new and fresh.” 

Ali was initially stationed in Chicago before moving to Naval Station Norfolk. Home to over 82,000 active service members, it’s the largest naval base in the world. The people are the best part, she says, along with the ocean.

“I’ve met people from all over the world,” Ali shared. “At the hospital or at school I’d meet a few people from around the world, but mostly everyone was from Michigan. Here you meet people from all over.” 

She added: “I grew up in Waterford and had a house in West Bloomfield. The ocean makes the lakes in Michigan look small.” 

Ali and her shipmates recently embarked on a 45-day training exercise to prepare for a months-long deployment this fall. Known as COMPTUEX, the training is to certify the vessel as combat-ready.

“We make sure all our equipment works and squadron (aircraft and crew) is flown on to see how everything is because they only come on during deployments,” she said. “Typically, we’ll have 3,000 people on the ship, and during deployments we’ll have 5,000, so it’s like a little city on water.”

In addition to learning the electrical trade, Ali has also gone through the Navy’s advanced firefighting training program. 

“All the engineers on the ship have to be qualified in firefighting,” she said. “I train people how to fight fires in general quarters, in case the ship were to be attacked.”

In the future, Ali aspires to become a Navy Supply Corps Officer, whose job is to help operations run smoothly by ensuring that service members have what they need when they need it. 

“They do a lot of logistical tasks, kind of like managing a business,” she said. “Once I graduate (from the MPA program), I’ll do some interviews and then submit my officer package.”

Her time in OU’s MPA program has taught her about “the political side of organizations,” as well as principles of finance and budgeting. Ali’s professors have been key in helping her balance academics with the demands of life at sea.

“I always make sure they’re aware of my situation and everyone’s been nothing but supportive – which I appreciate because there’s been a few times when I’ll completely lose internet or I can’t get a project to send because of poor internet,” she said. “Professor (Douglas) Carr even let me take my final two weeks early (before leaving for COMPTUEX) just to be on the safe side.”