By Robert Weiler
As an assistant dean at BYU and member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Joseph D. Ogden is reaping the rewards of doing his homework at an early age.
'My parents were both educators, so there was a strong emphasis on education in my home growing up,' Ogden said. 'I don''t know that I''ve achieved so much yet. I just keep trying to work hard.'
After graduating from BYU in 1995 with a communications degree in public relations and minors in business and music, Ogden earned an MBA in marketing at BYU in 2001.
With his list of responsibilities as assistant dean as well as a member of the choir, his family and a consulting company he founded, Ogden compared his scheduling to a juggling act.
'You just have to make sure you keep two balls in the air at the same time because you can only hold on to one,' Ogden said.
Since joining the choir in October 2002, Ogden said the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has presented unique rewards and blessings.
'The choir is a great tool for sharing the message of the restoration and of salvation with the world,' Ogden said. ' I love the opportunity to share what I feel is most important to me... the gospel of Jesus Christ.'
Ogden said he has been impressed with the organizational effectiveness of the choir and the privileged to work professional musicians.
'Dr. Wilberg (associate director of the choir) is a modern-day Bach,' Ogden said. 'He not only works very hard at his music, but he also has a gift for composition, conducting, and rehearsing.'
As assistant dean of external relations at the Marriott School of Management, Ogden said his responsibilities are focused on basically all the communications functions of the Marriott School.
'I deal with a lot of the publishing and promoting, marketing the school''s programs and students, rankings, data management, and internet programming,' Ogden said.
Ogden is also teaching two classes this semester and working with the Marriott school''s management society, an organization for alumni groups with chapters located internationally. His obligations with the society have required him to travel to Mexico City, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei in the last two months.