Troy Coleman, Famous Alumni
Columbia, Tennessee
Distance education is the future of learning; it provides the flexibility to learn anywhere
Working in the entertainment industry for more than a decade, Troy Coleman decided to advance his career by earning his degree. He enrolled in Columbia Southern University's Master of Business Administration program with a marketing concentration upon learning about their online degree programs from a CSU alumnus and friend.
A Texas native, Troy Coleman (also known as "Cowboy Troy") is no stranger to the country music scene. His inspiration began young when Troy's parents listened to legends Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers and Jerry Reed and his dad would take him to the rodeos and stock shows in Fort Worth. Fast forward to 2004, Troy was credited with introducing rap vocals into the country mainstream on Big & Rich's debut album "Horse of a Different Color." Although their collaboration certainly wasn't the first time that elements of rap had been incorporated into country, it was the boldest statement yet for the two genres. The way Troy sees it, innovation is a tradition—not a trend or secondary option—and authenticity comes in the commitment.
Troy spent his high school years in Dallas and undergraduate collegiate years in Austin at the University of Texas. In January 2017, Troy graduated with his MBA-Marketing degree from Columbia Southern University. With his master's, Troy intends to further his music career by marketing his music and merchandise on a larger scale. As he's working toward completing his seventh album, Troy continues challenging conventional thinking about what country music is, but expects that his music will continue to find its place as it has done for more than a decade.
"I travel a lot with work. Columbia Southern University provided a flexible and comprehensive program that is also affordable. Not only did I learn new concepts, but the MBA-Marketing program also helped reinforce concepts that I learned on the job after 13 years in my current career."
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