For Sean MacMillan, the path to becoming Vice President of Human Resources wasn’t a straight line. It was a curiosity-driven climb fueled by a deep love of learning and a hunger for knowledge that went beyond what most professionals ever pursue.
Today, MacMillan oversees HR for Captain D’s, a quick-service restaurant company with roughly 300 company-owned locations, 200 franchised restaurants and approximately 5,000 employees across the Southeast. Ask him how he got here, and he’ll point you directly to Tulane University’s online Master of Jurisprudence in Labor & Employment Law program.
A Career Built on Frontline Work
MacMillan’s HR journey began in retail, where he spent years managing individual locations and multi-unit operations before transitioning into human resources in 2012. From the start, his career has been rooted in frontline work—the fast-paced, people-intensive environments where employment law isn’t just theoretical.
Over the years, MacMillan earned both the SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) and SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional) certifications, two of the most respected credentials in the HR profession. But as his career deepened, so did his sense that there was more to know.
“It seemed to me that there were many more laws, many more ideas and regulations and functions that govern the discipline of HR,” MacMillan recalled. “They went deeper, and I wanted to understand them.”
Finding the Right Program
MacMillan spent nearly a year searching for a graduate program that would satisfy that curiosity. He knew he wanted to earn a master’s degree. He knew he didn’t want to earn a JD or become an attorney. What he needed was something that could give him deep, foundational knowledge of the laws and regulations that shape HR without requiring him to change careers to get it.
“This was the only program that gave you that knowledge without needing to earn a JD or specializing in something,” he said. “It was not only rich in its content, but also affordable. After searching, there was really only one option.”
That option was Tulane’s online MJ in Labor & Employment Law, and it turned out to be exactly what he was looking for.
Impact Before Graduation
One of the most remarkable aspects of MacMillan’s story is just how quickly the program began paying dividends. Less than a year into his studies, he was already experiencing career progression directly tied to what he was learning.
While working as a district HR manager for Bed Bath & Beyond, MacMillan was recruited for a director-level role at a startup retailer in the motorcycle and power sports space. The company was expanding into multiple states and needed someone who understood multi-state compliance. The fact that MacMillan was actively pursuing his MJ degree was a significant factor in their decision to hire him.
“The fact that I was studying in the MJ program was very important to that employer,” he said. “They were expanding multi-state, they had a bunch of frontline workers and they were looking ahead about what that knowledge might be able to give them.”
Skills That Translate Every Day
MacMillan is emphatic that the program’s value didn’t stop at the job offer. He uses what he learned every single day.
The curriculum gave him working fluency in the areas that matter most to HR professionals in frontline environments: ADA accommodations, FMLA compliance, wage and hour laws, Title VII, EEOC processes and labor relations. But perhaps more importantly, it changed the way he thinks.
“It taught me to think in a disciplined fashion, to think about downstream scenarios, to think governance and law first,” he explained. “If you’re going to adopt something, you start asking: is this legal? Does it have downstream effects? Is there disparate impact? Those things start to enter your brain that didn’t before.”
That disciplined, law-grounded thinking has had measurable results. At one organization, MacMillan inherited an employee relations department that routinely carried 20 to 30 open EEOC claims at any given time. By restructuring how the department operated, coaching field managers on better decision-making and building a culture of thoughtful employee relations, he brought that number down to just one open claim by the time he left.
“The MJ program is directly responsible for that,” he said.
More Than an Online Degree
For prospective students who might wonder whether an online program can deliver a genuine sense of belonging, MacMillan’s experience with the program’s Immersion Weekend puts that concern to rest.
“You were purposely made to feel like part of Tulane,” he said. “The president was there, the dean was there. You were made to feel welcome, and that made a really big difference.”
The weekend also gave MacMillan something he didn’t expect: a professional network that has lasted years. Classmates he met during Immersion Weekend—people working in government, education and industries beyond his own—are still in his contact list today.
“The connections last, that’s for sure,” he said.
Advice for the Experienced Professional
MacMillan’s message to anyone considering the program is straightforward and sincere.
“If you want a depth of knowledge beyond what a lot of folks in HR have, join this program. If you’re looking to better your organization, or build your career—if you’re looking for something applicable that’s going to help you change your organization or better it—this is the place to go.”
He also has words for anyone who shares the hesitation he felt before enrolling, a nagging worry about whether an HR professional belongs in something with “law school” in its description:
“Every day, the faculty and staff made you feel comfortable about that,” he says. “And I use some part of what I learned in the MJ program still, every day.”
See What the MJ in Labor & Employment Law Can Do For You
Ready to take the next step?
To find out more about Tulane Law School’s online Master of Jurisprudence in Labor & Employment Law, including course information and admissions requirements, explore our online resources or schedule an appointment with our admissions team to discuss your options in detail.