Tag: Texas MBA at Houston

Student Spotlight: Taina Schuster, Houston MBA Class of 2020

Taina Schuster,
Houston MBA Class of 2020

Our Houston Class of 2020 welcomed 84 new students this year. Our representation of women in Houston grew from 27% to 32% and we were also excited to see that 29% of these MBAs are international students from 15 different countries.

We recently chatted with Taina Schuster, MBA ’20 and President of the Houston Graduate Business Council. Taina is originally from Brasilia, Brazil and received  her BBA in Marketing at UniCEUB.  She currently works with Houston Eye Associates. 

Taina’s “Why McCombs?”

Taina always knew that she wanted have a strong impact on society. She plans to get her MBA to provide her with a broad and diverse learning experience and to be able to quickly grow her career.

“The key factors for me in choosing Texas McCombs were the strong Alumni network and the school’s commitment to a diverse classroom. I believe that diversity builds a stronger and more creative work environment, especially in the business world where there is still a lot of room for improvement. It was really important for me to find a school that had similar values and was a good cultural fit. Coming from Brazil, where I got my undergrad and where most of my network was, I knew I needed a school with a strong brand and excellent connections in order to succeed.”

Student Leadership 

The Graduate Business Council (GBC) gives student leaders the opportunity to work directly with program leadership on to oversee the development, improvement, and maintenance of a strong sense of community and pride within the MBA program. GBC serves to promote diversity and inclusivity across all MBA programs.

“As GBC’s Chief Student Body Officer, I am working as a liaison between students and administration to make sure the student body is fully represented and involved. The Graduate Business Council is one of many opportunities for leadership that McCombs offers to students. For me, it was a great way to combine my passion for diversity and inclusion and provide the connection to get to know everyone in our class better.”

McCombs Impact

Taina notes that she had to refine her time management skills in order to succeed in the program. She says her favorite experience from McCombs so far was a Business Integrity class with Professor Christopher Meakin.

During the MBA, and especially in the professional program, you will have multiple projects and managing your time efficiently is extremely important in order to succeed. The Business Integrity class approaches one of the most important subjects in business in my opinion, with discussions from ethical dilemmas to corporate social responsibility. It was amazing to see the entire class collaborating, having strong discussions about the study cases and sharing their points of view.” 

Taina’s Advice to You

“Talk to as many people as you can about the program and learn about their experiences and challenges. Definitely reach out to alumni and current students and don’t be afraid to ask questions. One common characteristic I found along the McCombs network is that everyone is always willing to chat, answers your questions or put you in contact with the right person.”


Visit Texas McCombs MBA  to find out more about all our programs, events and community, or join the #WhyMcCombs conversation on Twitter. Hook ’em!

Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Row, Texas MBA at Houston ’07

maggie rowSince graduating from the Texas MBA at Houston Program in 2007, Maggie Row has been helping to provide high-quality cancer care to patients around the world through her work at MD Anderson. Her MBA education provided her with new insights into the healthcare industry, and not only gave her the skills to become a better leader, but a better healthcare provider as well.

 

We recently caught up with Maggie to see what she’s up to and to learn about her reasons  #WhyMcCombs.

What were you doing before you decided to pursue an MBA?

I was the medical director for the Emergency Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center and a practicing emergency oncology physician.

Why did you decide to pursue and MBA and why did you choose McCombs?

Upon completion of my residency in 1994, I decided to pursue an MBA. I always enjoyed business, in fact, I did the accounting for my dad’s business while I was in high school and college. At MD Anderson, I’ve been given many different leadership opportunities and I felt that the additional skills I would gain would help me to be a more effective leader.

I chose McCombs because of the excellence of the program and the opportunity to stay in Houston –the program was literally two blocks from my house.

What was the most valuable lesson — inside or outside of the classroom — you learned while completing your MBA?

Time management. My children were in kindergarten and first grade when I started my program at McCombs and I was also working full-time at MD Anderson. I had to be very disciplined, so I was able to be a mom, while at the same time being a wife, a student and a physician leader.

How has your McCombs MBA experience helped shape your success?

I think a business background is essential for a well-rounded clinician. The knowledge I learned in business school has been useful in every faucet of my job, even with direct patient care. This expansion of my skill set allows me to see medical issues, both business and clinical, from a different viewpoint. The ability to understand the financial and economic aspects of health care decisions has been a valuable asset.

What is your current position at MD Anderson?

I am currently Vice President of Operations for the MD Anderson Cancer Network. Our network works with hospitals and health systems around the world to help provide high-quality cancer care to patients in the communities where they live. In my role, I’m responsible for making sure that the exceptional care we provide here at our Texas Medical Center campus is integrated into our network member sites.

What do you love about your job?

I love that I’m helping cancer patients receive better care by extending the knowledge from MD Anderson to oncologists worldwide.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I spend time with my family – Jim, my husband, and children, Catalina (16) and Billy (15). We are either traveling, running, golfing, going to movies or just hanging out at our pool in Houston.

What advice do you have for future Texas MBAs?

Enjoy your undergraduate experience and learn as much as possible about life and the opportunities available for your future. I didn’t know what I was going to be doing when I graduated from college. Taking the time to work and obtain additional education helped me gain the tools I need to navigate my career.

First-Year Texas MBA Student Wins Consulting Case Competition

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Last month, the Texas MBA at Houston Consulting Club, the Consulting Club at the Jones Graduate School of Business, and the Consulting Club at the Texas Medical Center hosted the first annual Greater Houston Consulting Case Competition. Ten students from the Texas MBA at Houston Consulting Club represented McCombs and came together with students from the other two organizations to form six mixed teams.

Participants had 5 hours to get acquainted, analyze the case, create a slide deck, and practice their presentation. All of this preparation was then expended in a 10 minute presentation to spectators and guest judges from McKinsey, BCG and Ernst & Young. After careful deliberation, the judges announced the top-performing team, who won the $500 prize! Ashutosh Shinde (MBA ’17) from McCombs, Felipe Armaza and Paul Surpenant from Jones, and Alessandro Alabastri from the Consulting Club at the Texas Medical Center were selected as the winning team of the 1st annual competition.

The purpose of the event was to:

  • Boost awareness and interest in the consulting career track
  • Provide participants with the ability to showcase the key skills that consulting firms are looking for such as teamwork, analytical ability, communication, problem-solving, and business acumen
  • Provide a venue where individuals pursuing a career in consulting can network, both across the various consulting clubs in Houston and also with current consultants
  • Unite the local candidate pools and open the door for holding more joint events between the MBAs, PhDs, and MDs within consulting clubs
  • Demonstrate to consulting firms that Houston has an extremely attractive recruiting pool

Team 3 - Houston Case competition Alessandro Alabastri (CCTMC), Paul Surprenant (Jones), Ashutosh Shinde (McCombs), Felipe Armaza (Jones)

The case centered on the future of Apple Inc., exploring three new (actual or potential) product offerings: the watch, the television, and the car. Given the current market trends and Apple’s previous successes, the teams prepared a recommendation outlining the optimal product portfolio for Apple to focus on in the near future.

Teams were assessed on their ability to create, assemble, and present their recommendations to judges, founded thorough data-backed analysis and representing a practical and economically feasible business strategy for Apple to potentially implement. Judges additionally considered the team’s poise while answering questions, the creativity behind their analysis, and the level of professionalism demonstrated by the team members.

Congratulations to Ashutosh and the rest of the Texas MBA at Houston Consulting Club!

 

Original Source: Consulting Club at the Texas Medical Center

The Texas MBA: A Career Enhancer for Working Professionals

Whether you are looking to change careers, explore new opportunities, or start your own business venture, the Texas MBA has a part-time program to help you get there. The Texas Evening MBA, the Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth, the Texas MBA at Houston, and the Texas Executive MBA are all flexible, part-time MBA programs that allow you to pursue your degree while continuing to work full-time. The FINAL application deadline for our Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Executive programs is May 12th! Apply Now.

For those seeking opportunities for advancement within their current profession, check out what some of our current students, graduating this spring, had to say about “Career Enhancement” in the Texas MBA:

Raven Honsaker, Dallas MBA ’15

Texas MBA student, RavenBackground: BS Mechanical Engineering , West Virginia University; BS Aerospace Engineering , West Virginia University 7 years; Engineering, Bell Helicopter

Employment:
Bell Helicopter 2013  Business Ventures Specialist (April 2014  Promoted to Manager, Business Optimization)
Coming from the engineering world and moving into strategy  development, I was looking for a more formal education in business.  The courses I have taken through the Texas MBA program have helped me immensely. I have yet to go through a semester without learning a concept in class that is directly applicable to a new project I’ve been assigned at work.”
 

Laura Handley, Houston MBA ’15

Background: Texas MBA student, LauraB.A. Political Science,  Texas A&M; 1.5 years – Maersk Line, Sales Support Specialist; 1 year – Foxconn, Business Analyst (supply chain); 3 years at M&H, HR Recruiter

Employment:
Started at Noble Energy (June 2014) in Talent Acquisition
Moved to new role at Noble Energy (Jan 2015) as a Global Mobility Advisor
My pursuit of an MBA brought a lot more credibility to my resume when I was trying to make a switch to a larger company. Thanks to both my experience in the MBA program, I was able to move into a top notch HR department and then make a change to a more analytical HR role reporting under the compensation group.”

Ben Kleckley, Houston MBA ’15

Texas MBA student, BenBackground: B.S. Agriculture Systems Management, Texas A&M; Undergrad Intern at HEB Distribution Center 4 years; IT consulting; Accenture
Employment:
KPMG, Senior Associate, Strategy Group (anticipated start date: July 2015)
Involvement at McCombs:
Graduate Business Council, President
Consulting Club, Member & Supporter

Sarah Matt, Evening MBA ’15 Texas MBA student, Sarah

Background: BS Biology, Cornell University; MD, SUNY Upstate Medical University; Surgery Training, Washington Hospital Center
Employment:
Started September 2012  Attending Physician Mobile Doctors; Started Nov 2013  NextGen Healthcare, Physician Director of Clinical Content; April 2014  NextGen Healthcare – Sr. Dir. of Clinical Product Management
“Going through the Texas MBA program gave me the confidence to move from medical practice to software.  It has been a big jump, but now I manage a large team and am doing more of the strategy work I enjoy.  I use my MD and my MBA every day.

Working Professional & Executive 2015 Women’s Forum Recap

Texas MBA Women's Forum - Welcome sign and table

The Texas MBA recently held its annual Women’s Forums for all Working Professional and Executive MBA Programs in Dallas, Houston, and Austin! Faculty, staff, alumni, and current students from the Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas MBA at Houston, Texas Evening MBA, and Texas Executive MBA programs hosted around 60 prospective women MBAs for a day of information sessions and networking receptions.

Women attendees at information session - 2015 women's forum

Texas MBA at Houston Women’s Forum, Career Presentation

These events give prospective women MBAs the opportunity to discover all aspects of the Texas MBA program and how they can unlock their potential and develop as business leaders. Women’s Forum attendees had the opportunity to hear an overview of the Texas MBA program and connect with women in the program to learn about their experiences.

A highlight of the event was a talk from premier professional development coaches, Valerie Savage.
Valerie is a seasoned executive with 30 years of financial, strategic, operational and investor relations experience as an executive and consultant for private and public companies. Her session at the Women’s Forum demonstrated how to identify and articulate unique credentials to help position professionals for a successful career.

Choosing to pursue an MBA presents unique challenges for women, especially working professionals. The Women’s Forums provided realistic insight into the program, life as an MBA, and opportunities for candid discussion with former and current students.

If you were not able to attend the Women’s Forum this year, check out some of the other events happening on campus. We hope to see you soon!

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