Why did you choose Scheller for your MBA/degree?
So many reasons! If I had to narrow them down, one would be I knew I wanted to continue working so I needed to choose a program that would support evening students in the same way as full-time students. Second, I had a pretty good feeling I wanted to make a career shift and Scheller has one of the top career placement stats. I’d choose Scheller all day, every day if given the option again!
How does Scheller stand out from other schools you looked at?
The focus on the intersection of business, technology, and innovation is what sold me. My undergraduate degree is in industrial design so, naturally, creativity and innovation are both important to me.
How has Scheller helped you reach your career goals?
Entering the program, I had a good feeling I was going to want to make a career shift. For that reason, I started connecting regularly with my career advisor early on. I could not recommend this more to anyone who is in a career change. My career advisor (shoutout to Kristen Pratt) was amazing. Throughout my two and a half years on campus, she checked in on me, and I kept her updated on my current class schedule, what I was enjoying, which companies I was connecting with, and even my dating life! When it came time for recruitment, it made it so much easier to decide which companies I wanted to target. Ultimately, I accepted a job with Ford, which has been a perfect fit!
How did Scheller’s focus on business, technology and innovation prepare you for success?
While at Scheller, I ended up doing the “Managing Resources for Technology Firms” immersive track that allows you to get an extra certificate on top of the MBA. I chose this because I knew I wanted to position myself as someone who was a strategic thinker, specifically for forward-thinking companies. This immersive track allowed me to concentrate my studies around that exact point. Now, at Ford, the intersection of these three functional areas are essentially where I focus my attention every day.
What types of real-world, hands-on experience did Scheller provide?
I participated in several practicums throughout my MBA experience, and each provided real-world, hands-on experience. I did a marketing practicum with UPS Mail Innovations, a six-sigma practicum with Delta, and a nonprofit practicum with Oakland Cemetery.
What’s your favorite memory from your time at Scheller?
Scheller provided me with the most amazing group of like-minded individuals. I can honestly say I not only walked away from Scheller with an MBA but life-long friends as well. One of the practicums I participated in was with a group of my closest friends in the program. We all had full-time jobs in addition to our courses, so finding time to have fun was few and far between. We decided we would make the best of our summer and tried to hold as many meetings as possible by the pool. The environment kept us nice and productive!
