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Mark Spitznagel

Retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander and Graduate of the U.S. Naval War College | Owner and President, LandMark Engineering & Land Planning

After traveling throughout the U.S. and in many other countries, I was very pleased when I arrived in Pensacola and discovered a reputable university that was convenient and affordable. Many young people in Pensacola don’t realize how blessed we are to have UWF in our city.

Why did you choose UWF for your advanced studies?

After graduating with my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State, I did my research on where to get my master’s degree. After discovering that UWF’s MBA program has a great reputation, I looked further into the program. The costs were reasonable, and I could attend classes at night. It fit well into my budget and busy schedule. I graduated from the MBA program in 1994.

You have had a distinguished career as an engineer, even serving as a faculty member at UWF. How did it feel to come full circle, teaching students where you used to study?

I have always had the opinion that our country would be much better off if every single person was to teach the next generation something of value. It could be teaching someone to read, how to grow vegetables, engineering or anything of value. Teaching to me was more than just personally satisfying—I felt like it was my duty.

Why would you recommend UWF to potential students?

While I was at Penn State, I accidently found a quote in the library by playwright Steele MacKaye, the building designer of the Grand Theater for the 1893 World’s Fair. That was 40 years ago, and although I have forgotten a lot of what I learned in college, I still remember this quote: “When you can convert what is work for others into play for yourself, you can achieve anything in life.” Graduating from UWF is a great beginning. From here, you can study and learn until you are full of more knowledge than you can remember.