Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business students come to learn, explore, and build community. As they move forward in their careers, they take everything they've learned and use it to power innovation in industries and businesses across the globe. In celebration of Fall 2023 Commencement, we sat down with a few students to learn about their experiences and the wisdom they've gained in the process.
Meet Skye Blevins, who is graduating from the Evening MBA program.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from China. I was adopted into an American family, and I have been a Georgia peach since the age of one!
Describe yourself in 15 words or less:
I’m a proud Double Jacket who has successfully blended her passion of engineering, business, and leadership!
Tell me about the person who most influenced your decision to pursue an MBA?
My husband really supports me in every endeavor, and he knew that my professional goals would be much easier to reach if I had a solid business education to round me out. Thus, he encouraged me all throughout the process and has been my rock in every circumstance.
What was your favorite business course and why?
I really enjoyed both of my international practicum courses because they uniquely intertwined business learnings with culture, and I was able to partner with some amazing global companies.
What advice would you give to an incoming Evening MBA student?
Take your time and don’t rush your experience. You’re going to meet some of the most incredible people here and expand your network vastly. No need to cut it short!
What activities were you involved with on or off campus, and did your business education impact those activities in any way?
I was the vice president of finance for the Graduate Evening Management Students (GEMS) Board. Through my involvement with GEMS, I was able to apply my learnings from the classroom on a larger scale since GEMS provides programming for the entire Evening MBA student body. There were many times when topics from class would come up in our conversations on how to execute a strategy or how to effectively communicate a vision.
What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at Scheller, and why?
I love Scheller Soirée, the MBA prom, which is a fun celebration and tradition we re-started in 2021 after the pandemic. It’s a time for us to reflect over the past year, gather with new and old friends, and celebrate all our accomplishments together.
What was your career journey in the Evening MBA program? Did you pivot, get a promotion, or change jobs?
While I stayed at my company and will continue to stay with Newell Brands post-graduation, I was promoted during my time in the Evening MBA to a senior product development engineer. I plan to use my MBA to progress faster in my career into the management and people leadership pathway.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
I want to be known not only for servant leadership and kindness, but also for being wise and strategic. And second, I’d also like to serve on a non-profit board.
What was a moment when you had to practice persistence and/or resilience while in the MBA program?
Last fall when I took nine credit hours, it felt as if my personal and professional plate was overflowing with the amount of work, school, and everything in between I had to do. However, I leaned on my dedication and grit to make sure I was staying on top of homework and projects, and I knew that everything I was learning and applying was helping me in some way. That semester alone taught me that with patience and persistence you can achieve more than you think is possible.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from your Scheller MBA?
When you really push yourself, you can achieve great things. Sure, it was at times very stressful to balance a full-time job, school, family, and friends, but you don’t know how much you’re capable of achieving until you push yourself to the limit. There’s so much potential in every one of us, and going through this program made it more apparent to me personally.
What will you be doing to celebrate your graduation?
Eating barbeque with my family! My mom, dad, sister, and my husband will all celebrate with me on this special occasion!
What is a fun fact about yourself?
My sister and I share the same birthday, but we are not twins! We are exactly four years apart!