Full-time MBA Student Experience

On Mondays, I attend my Management class where we take real case studies from Harvard Business Review and analyze them as a group. We actively seek to eliminate bias and increase process fairness while we brainstorm solutions to each case as a class. Afterward, I attend my Marketing class where we also read case studies and discuss how the topics we are learning can be implemented in each case. After class, I eat lunch with my Business Communications team as we prepare for our Crisis Communications Presentation acting as the executive team of a company. As a group, we research and create strategies to answer tough questions during our simulation. After lunch, I attend 1:1 Finance office hours for extra help with my problem set. I usually go home around 3 p.m. and get ready for the gym. I spend the rest of the night finishing up my Finance problem set, then begin my readings so I can contribute to the discussions in Management and Marketing on Wednesday. 

On Tuesdays, I attend my Finance lecture, where we build future cash flow tables and discuss real market implications. I then attend Business Communications where we will continue to prepare for our Crisis Communications Presentation. We focus on communicating bad news, controlling crowds, and spinning negative statements. The second half of class is left for group time, so my team grabs lunch together, then we strategize our crisis responses in a study room. The Crisis Communications presentation is one of our hardest deliverables this semester, but it offers real insight into issues that executives face and the skills we need to be successful executives during a crisis.

On Wednesday, I repeat my Monday classes then meet with my Business Communications team again to prepare for our presentation one more time before tomorrow. We order a pizza, grab a study room, and practice drilling each member on t a negative statement about the company we are representing. We critique each other's responses and continue preparing for the presentation the next day.

On Thursdays, I begin with my Finance lecture, where we solidify what we learned on Tuesday,  and begin learning how future cash flows are used in the market to find opportunities for arbitrage. After class, my team meets to give each other a quick pep-talk before our Crisis Communications presentation. We are nervous and excited, but, most importantly, ready to learn from this experience. Our professor Marisa Michaels brings in executives from T-Mobile, Whirlpool, Raytheon, and other local businesses. After our presentation, the executives give us insightful feedback and we go to lunch to connect further with each guest. 

There are no classes on Fridays, so I usually spend it on personal time, attending office hours, or meeting with my team at school to work on a project. Next week, we have a Functional Friday event from our Professional Development team where we connect with alumni in professions we are interested in. This Friday, however, can be used as personal time for myself. 

Activities on the weekend vary, but in general, weekends are catch-up days for me. Sometimes I have optional MBA Student Association (MBASA) events we can attend - this weekend MBASA is hosting a football tailgate. MBASA pays for our food and drinks, and we have the opportunity to connect with alumni, Evening MBA students, and professors. I always love these events because we get to connect in a laid-back and relaxing setting - it's a fun group break from our rigorous school work. We have a really tight-knit cohort and enjoy spending time together outside of school for bonding events. It is a difficult program, but the cohort is always encouraging and supportive. 

The MBA Student Association (MBASA) is a student-run organization that serves as a liaison between the student body and the faculty/administration. MBASA officers work with Eller faculty and administration to implement new ideas, resolve issues of concern and enhance the experience of Eller MBA students.

Students are elected near the end of the second semester of their first year and are trained by outgoing officers for succession planning of full leadership responsibility.

The Healthcare Entrepreneurs, Administrators and Leaders Club (HEAL) is a new Eller student organization committed to "providing resources and opportunities to students and faculty passionate about healthcare endeavors." The club undertakes the following activities:

• Establishes linkages with regional and national affiliation networks and organizations for healthcare
• Sponsors College-wide and regional educational events, including outside speakers
• Promotes the Center for Management Innovations in Healthcare
• Provides a forum for interested students in Eller to gain insight and connections into internships and employment opportunities in the broad field of healthcare management

Eller’s student working groups allow you to enhance your professional development and expand your networks. The following working groups are active:

• NAWMBA
• Net Impact Club
• Lean-In Circle

MBA students also have access to campus chapters of national associations such as:

• American Marketing Association (AMA)
• MBA Women International
• Net Impact—Students for Responsible Business