I graduated with my MBA from Moravian University on May 7, 2022. The 12-course online program took me a little less than two years to complete while working full-time at Moravian. Going back to school for a master’s degree was never on my to-do list, but it’s hard to resist when you work at a higher education institution!
I was pleasantly surprised by the genuine connections I made during our online classes. There were students of all different ages from various industries in my cohort. We all got along so well and actually enjoyed seeing each other every Wednesday night for class. There were even inside jokes that our professors would just never understand. I think these connections alone made the time and energy spent on this degree worth it.
But there was more to it than that. My leadership classes were insightful, offering a new perspective on my own style and providing context to how my boss and teammates lead. I identified my skills and strengths, focusing on how best to turn those into leadership from any seat. We looked at leadership from an individual, team, and organization level. According to CliftonStrengths® Finder, my main strengths are: Relator, Empathy, Strategic, and Futuristic (so my main domains are Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking). Big surprise!
I also enjoyed my first lessons in R Studio and big data management, accounting, and economics. While math isn’t quite my top skillset, I appreciated the perspective that a manager should have an understanding of these topics in order to make decisions and gain insights from the data. But let’s leave the nitty-gritty to the experts here.
Overall, I’m glad I completed my degree, but I’m even happier to have my Wednesday nights back and weekends free from homework. Emmett can’t walk himself, after all!
