Four MBA Students On Why They Went Back to School

Four women from vastly different professional and educational backgrounds explain why they chose to pursue an MBA degree, what they see for their future careers, and what advice they’d give other women. 

Tell us more about your decision to obtain your MBA and why you chose this specific program.

After earning a B.A. in journalism, my career path focused less on traditional reporting and more on public relations and marketing. After working at a digital advertising agency and then in the marketing department for a large corporation, I realized I wanted to develop my business acumen. My undergrad equipped me with strong writing skills, but based on how my journalism program was structured, I didn’t have the opportunity to take many business courses. I loved and wanted to continue my career path in marketing and communications, so an MBA with a marketing concentration was the perfect fit for me! NCU has a strong program with a great deal of flexibility.

What have you/hoping to achieved post-graduation?

Since earning my MBA, I’ve continued to advance my career and am currently working at a rapidly growing fintech company. I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to create and launch one of the largest peer-to-peer payments brands in the country. Today, I’m leading social impact initiatives designed to help expand and improve access to financial education across the United States. Beyond my day job, I plan to continue finding ways to be a force for good through my work as a board member of Girls in Tech, Phoenix, and getting involved in more community organizations and non-profits.    

How do you feel an MBA will help to advance your career?

While a graduate degree isn’t always a requirement for executive-level roles, it can still be a barrier to entry for some companies. I like knowing I “check that box” should I ever decide to pursue a C-level role in the future.   

What advice would you give to other women thinking about getting an MBA? 

Before jumping into any program, take the time to truly self-reflect and think about what you want your ideal life to look like and what that means for your long-term career goals. Is an MBA a requirement for your career goal? If not, what are your motivations for wanting a graduate degree? Slowing down to think about the ROI of the degree (and not just monetarily) can help you make the best decision. And if you do decide to go for it, a solid time management plan will be critical to help you juggle life’s responsibilities with your course work. It’ll be tough at times but believe in yourself because you CAN do it! 

Tell us more about your decision to obtain your MBA and why you chose this specific program.

I made the decision to pursue my MBA because I wanted to enhance my career opportunities. My goal was to be versatile and gain skills that could be applied to any industry. With the advanced subject matter and a multitude of group projects, I wanted the opportunity to learn leadership qualities and enhance my critical and analytical thinking skills. I chose KSU’s MBA program because with the small class size and knowledgeable faculty, I knew I would get the one-on-one attention that I needed to succeed in this program and in my career. 

What have you/hoping to achieved post-graduation?

After graduating with my MBA, I will use my sharpened business acumen and my creative thinking skills to solve real-world business problems. I will serve through leadership and bring to the table my unique perspective.

How do you feel an MBA will help to advance your career?

An MBA from KSU will allow me to differentiate myself and stand out amongst my peers. An MBA will strengthen my leadership skills along with my critical and analytical thinking skills. Along with my versatile background, I am gaining the knowledge to change focus and switch careers, should I choose that path. I am also building a strong network of accomplished individuals who can open doors and advise me on future opportunities. 

What advice would you give to other women thinking about getting an MBA?

Deciding to get an MBA can be a difficult decision and seem like a massive undertaking, but it truly is imperative if you want to level the playing field in the business world. Getting an MBA will equip you with confidence in your value so you can ask for what you want. It will challenge you to speak up and defend your position. The faculty and staff at KSU ensure that you have the support you need to succeed in the program and in your career. 

Tell us more about your decision to obtain your MBA and why you chose this specific program.

After working five years with the Department of Navy in weapons development, I was ready to make a career change and elevate my leadership skills. I knew that earning an MBA, and from a school like GWSB no less, would set me up for success in the next chapter of my professional journey. The GW School of Business has a great reputation (last I checked, Financial Times rated us 34th in the United States which is amazing!). During the recruiting process, I learned how accessible the GWSB career center is and how extensive their business network is, which is overwhelmingly important when selecting a business school. As someone making a massive investment in my education, this was a critical prerequisite for a school to have, in addition to a comprehensive curriculum with a diverse selection of business fundamentals. GWSB also offered complementing graduate certificates which I appreciated as a way to focus exclusively on topics of interest. For me, this was Marketing and Brand Management, a career field I aim to work in post-graduation. I enjoy both the creativity behind developing marketing and branding strategies and the analysis behind understanding behavioral data and consumer insight, so the Marketing and Brand Management certificate was a perfect combination of learning the qualitative and quantitative skills needed to thrive in that field. 

What have you/hoping to achieved post-graduation?

I have always wanted to make a positive impact in whatever profession I work in. As an animal lover and avid environmentalist, I would love to one day work in the field of wildlife protection, conservation, and sustainability. Working for a company that aligns with my personal values is very important to me and as a result, company culture and mission will be components of a business that I look for when applying. Waking up and feeling passionate about the work I do every day is something I seek to find. Whether that is a non-profit or a Fortune 500 company, I aim to bring my enthusiasm and dedication to the things I love into my career.

How do you feel an MBA will help to advance your career?

Earning an MBA degree gives me a step above other candidates in the job pool. By the time I graduate, I will have taken courses in a wide array of business fundamentals, such as data analytics, economics, managerial accounting, finance, marketing, and human capital. Other candidates who apply may have only one or two specialties, whereas I have knowledge of everything that makes up the bedrock of business. As an MBA graduate, I have a well-rounded understanding of every facet of running a business which is an attractive attribute for hiring managers. 

What advice would you give to other women thinking about getting an MBA?

DO IT! More than ever, women should earn their MBAs. We are dedicated, we are hard-working, and we are the future of business. Having a solid foundation and understanding of every angle of how companies operate and how best to manage finances, human capital, and other resources is critical to advancing professionally and setting yourself apart from your peers. The best investment we can make is in our education. I will look back in five, 10, 15 years and always be grateful I took the time to expand my knowledge. You can never go wrong when it comes to learning something new. More than ever, I feel prepared to enter the career field, even amidst a global pandemic, because I am confident in the skills I developed while earning my MBA. 

Tell us more about your decision to obtain your MBA and why you chose this specific program.

As someone who was a double major in undergrad for Molecular and Cell Biology and Communications, I believed that obtaining an MBA degree would tie up all my loose ends. I have gained analytical and research skills from my experience in STEM, while exploring my love for creativity through Communications. All in all, these studies taught me how to design a story or voice based on data, thus motivating me to determine how to use this in practice, hence why I moved into business. I have always dabbled in business and management on the side through my passions, so this was a great fit for me! I chose to obtain my Global MBA at the George Washington University because of just that alone — the global aspect. As a first-generation immigrant daughter of parents from Ghana, it has always been critical for me to view my studies through the cultural lens. Considering that the current business landscape lacks diverse representation in management and can often overlook cultural implication in strategy, it was important for me to learn management not only in curriculum but through the makeup of the student community. George Washington University does an excellent job of providing both these criteria, in addition to providing incredible, unique opportunities to hone in on your business craft (this is partly due to its advantageous location in the eclectic, Washington D.C.). Finally, GWU was one of the few programs I found that emphasizes innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity. GWU consistently pushes us outside the box to think about the future while providing the room to evolve our ideas and goals. I was excited to enter a program that provides this support and perspective (especially, for women) in addition to training students to be the 21st century manager: holistic, aware, and creative.

What have you/hoping to achieved post-graduation?

Post-graduation I hope to work within the media/entertainment/technology sectors, in a content and creative strategy executive role.  

How do you feel an MBA will help to advance your career?

As mentioned previously, based on my skillset following obtaining my undergraduate degree, I believed that an MBA would be the perfect avenue to apply all that I have learned within a new context. It will equip me with the tools necessary to not only execute a strategy but manage its progress, design team dynamics and set a culture, all of which does play a huge role in an initiative’s success. Though I have gained this knowledge through my leadership experiences, I strongly believe that an MBA is a catalyst to applying this knowledge in a variety of scenarios, which will advance my career.

What advice would you give to other women thinking about getting an MBA?

Advice I would give to other women obtaining their MBA includes being intentional with what you want out of a program. Everyone’s educational journey is different and in order to receive the highest return on investment, you must closely analyze your strengths and learning opportunities and whether or not an MBA will be conducive to achieving these goals. I also advise giving critical thought to the makeup of the MBA programs you are researching. Which universities will be most helpful in helping you reach your potential? This means you should ask yourself questions like: Do my values align with the university’s values? Will this program support women in business in the way that is critical in the current business landscape? Applying to these programs are similar to applying for jobs (or oddly enough, dating). As much as the university is interviewing you to see if you are a fit for their program, you are also interviewing them to see if they are a good fit for you. Regardless of what your mother may say, it is okay to be picky because like dating, obtaining your MBA is an emotional and time investment so why not get the best out of it?