Texas McCombs MBA Insider

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People celebrate the 48th annual Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade on June 25, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

Texas McCombs Community: Pride 2019

June 21, 2019 / / Comments Off on Texas McCombs Community: Pride 2019

Last week, Austin held its annual Stonewall Riots Rally at the Texas Capitol to raise awareness about violence against the LGBTQ+ community and to celebrate Pride in a safe space. This year is the 50th Anniversary of the historic Stonewall Riots in 1969 where members of the LGBTQ+ community fought against a police raid on June 28 at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York. A year later, the very first Gay Pride Parades in America took place in New York, California, and Illinois. Since then, cities all over the country host Pride marches and celebrations to highlight LGBTQ+ identities and allies in the community during the month of June.

Photo of rainbow pride flag in front of the Texas state capitol

Photo Courtesy of Austin Pride Facebook

Austin has many Pride Month celebrations around town in June but for various reasons, its official Pride festival and parade is held in August– this also gives the UT Austin student population, a very active part of the LGBTQ+ community, the opportunity to volunteer and participate. The MBA program is celebrating Pride Month by recognizing the impact, courage, and achievements of our students that are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

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MBA career management

Meet Your Working Professional and Executive MBA Career Team

April 24, 2019 / / Comments Off on Meet Your Working Professional and Executive MBA Career Team

This Insider insight comes from our Working Professional and Executive MBA Career Team.

Texas McCombs MBA Career resources are truly unmatched among other top business schools. Our Career Management team‘s vision is focused on the future, adapting and growing to meet the needs of tomorrow’s career landscape. And they understand that the MBA career path for our Working Professional and Executive (WPE) MBA student differs from full-time students, dedicating a team of career support specifically for our WPE students in Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Austin (Evening & Executive).

The McCombs Difference

MBA program administrators realized they needed to rethink their approach to career management for part-time students.

“We developed an entirely new career management framework that emphasized students’ strengths and interests and better prepared them not only for OCR (on-campus recruiting), but also for other channels that led to experienced hires and will allow them to continually progress in their careers.” – Joe Stephens, Assistant Dean, Working Professional and Executive MBA programs.

The framework, which can be applied in any phase of a student’s career and is tied to students’ career management curriculum and one-on-one advising, includes a market assessment (self-assessment, career exploration, and network creation); value proposition (your brand and competitive advantage, and elevator pitch); sales tools and channels (resume, LinkedIn profile, interview prep, and network cultivation); and launch (plan execution and offer negotiation).

“This career management framework has served as our WPE team’s vision and mission,” says Janet Huang, Director of MBA Career Management at McCombs. (source: Medium)

Meet the WPE Team

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MBA vs. MHA

Examining Your Healthcare Higher Ed Options

April 17, 2019 / / Comments Off on Examining Your Healthcare Higher Ed Options

Our MBA at Houston program is top-ranked, led by world-renowned Texas McCombs faculty, and positioned at the center of thriving Houston, Texas– the no. 1 city in the country for healthcare jobs. Over 736,000 people are employed at Houston’s world-famous Texas Medical Center alone. Many healthcare professionals pursuing a graduate degree may wonder what an MBA can do for their careers or if an MHA or MBA is right for their goals.

Angela Van Dyke headshot McCombs Houston Class of 2020

Angela Van Dyke, MBA 2020

We recently caught up with MBA at Houston 2020 student, Angela Van Dyke, a healthcare professional who has earned her MHA and is on her way to an MBA, to explore these options.

Angela holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. She currently works at PersonalMed as their National Sales Manager.

On Getting her MHA

Angela is passionate about the healthcare industry and sees herself working in the field long term.

“I pursued an MHA to gain a deep and abiding understanding of the entire healthcare industry. I wanted a fundamental grasp of law and economics specifically in their application to healthcare. I also wanted to learn more about public and population health, hospital management, and clinical services.” 

On Pursuing her MBA

Through the MBA, she is becoming more proficient in technical concepts, such as finance, accounting and analytics. So far, her experience at Texas McCombs has exceeded her expectations.

“Pursuing an MBA is like a journey of transformation that allows you to pick up new tools and sharpen old skills. It’s an incredible time in your life to grow personally and professionally. The MBA is well recognized across all industries and empowers you with the credibility, creativity, and ability to add value for any organization in a variety of settings in virtually any industry at any level. An MBA arms you with the necessary expertise to quickly assess problems and determine the appropriate strategy for success. This is why I found it valuable to return to school and pursue my MBA.” 

Why Both Degrees?

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Texas McCombs MBA Test Options

All Testing Options for Working Professional & Executive MBA Candidates

April 11, 2019 / / Comments Off on All Testing Options for Working Professional & Executive MBA Candidates

This MBA Insider Insight comes from our Directors of MBA Admissions, Sharon Barrett and Rodrigo Malta.

Preparing for and taking an MBA admissions exam is one of the best ways to get your mind back into academic mode. The most common questions we receive from candidates are about the standardized tests– how to prepare for them and if there are average or minimum scores. (Hint: There are not. Exploring the Class Profiles gives you the best idea of where our students tend to fall.)

Now, the Texas McCombs MBA Admissions Committee is excited to share that Professional or Executive MBA candidates– for Evening, Executive, Dallas/Fort Worth, or Houston— have more options than ever when considering which graduate entrance exam to submit.

Submitting Expired GRE or GMAT Scores

Many of our Professional and Executive MBA candidates come into the program with a master’s degree that was earned immediately following their undergraduate degree. Until now, only valid GRE or GMAT scores within the past five years were accepted from applicants. The reality is, prior graduate education and quality work experience are strong indicators of success in graduate business curriculum.

So if you hold a master’s degree and have your expired GRE or GMAT score report, a current exam score is not required and you may submit your expired scores.

The Executive Assessment (EA)

Three years ago, GMAC (who also delivers the GMAT) saw the need for a new test, tailored to the needs of MBA programs and their applicants who have significant years of work experience. Originally conceived for Executive MBA programs, the Executive Assessment (EA) was created in 2017. Today, over 40 MBA programs, both Professional and Executive, accept the EA. Unlike the GMAT or GRE, the EA is a readiness exam and a benchmark for academic preparedness.

If you have at least 8 years of work experience post-undergrad, you may consider submitting the EA with your Professional or Executive MBA application.

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MBA Student Parents

Student Spotlight: Dara Chike-Obi, MBA Class of 2019

April 8, 2019 / / Comments Off on Student Spotlight: Dara Chike-Obi, MBA Class of 2019
Dara Chike-Obi, Evening MBA Class of 2019

Dara Chike-Obi,
Evening MBA ’19

Dara Chike-Obi is an Evening MBA student from Houston and a new mom who recently shared her experience of being a new parent while in the MBA program. “Unthinkable exhaustion” is the very honest first response that comes to mind when she is asked about her experience, which was also rewarding and very possible with realistic expectations and family support on her side.

On Being A Student and a Mom

“Ignorance truly is bliss. I was naive and had no understanding of the amount of mental, physical, and emotional energy that is required of a new mom. But I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. As graduation nears, and my child gets older; I feel stronger, smarter, and quicker than I’ve ever felt before. If I can get through this, I can get through almost anything.”

Her Biggest Challenge

“My biggest challenge was figuring out how to balance school, new baby, marriage, and a full time job. Many times I had no other option but to put my head down and power through. You soon realize that the toughest parts of your journey are ALWAYS temporary. Take one day at a time, one breath at a time. Eventually, you look up and see how far you’ve actually gone.”

Dara’s Advice

“I have two pieces of advice:

1. Make sure you have help.

This cannot be done alone. Your support system needs to understand that this is an ‘all hands on deck’ situation for the next two years. My wonderful husband rearranged his work schedule so he can be home on class nights to put our son to bed. My mother in-law would drive 4 hours from Dallas with a trunk full of freshly prepared food for my entire family. You must allow people to help you.

2. Accept that there is no balance.

Madeleine Albright said it best:  ‘Women can have it all, just not at the same time.’ You’re going to be pulled in multiple directions by multiple people. Learning to prioritize will get you far.”

We encourage you to review our Parental Accommodation Policy for details on the kind of accommodations it can provide. When you enter a working professional MBA program, we understand that family support is a key element.  Please let us know if you have any questions or need further info.

Working Professional/Executive MBA Final Round Applicants

April 5, 2019 / / Comments Off on Working Professional/Executive MBA Final Round Applicants

This MBA Insider content comes from the Working Professional & Executive MBA Admissions team.

See if you can spot the two true statements and one myth about applying to the Texas McCombs Working Professional or Executive (WPE) MBA programs:

  • The MBA is seeking the most qualified candidates for its WPE programs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Austin.
  • We consider a candidate’s academic performance, work experience and overall motivation in reviewing an application.
  • Candidates must apply early in the process to have a chance at being considered.

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Elevate Diversity & Inclusion Conference at Rowling Hall on February 8, 2019. Photo by Lauren Gerson DeLeon.

Elevate: Diversity & Inclusion Conference at McCombs

April 2, 2019 / / Comments Off on Elevate: Diversity & Inclusion Conference at McCombs

On February 8th, Texas McCombs hosted its first-ever Elevate: Diversity & Inclusion Conference. This event aimed to identify how companies and business leaders create effective strategies to transform their current culture into one where both diversity and inclusion become embedded into the organization’s core values. Texas McCombs students and staff have been participating in more D&I conversations within the program and with the outside business community in recent years with an understanding that MBA community strength and positive growth is fostered through these efforts.

Elevate Diversity & Inclusion Conference at Rowling Hall on February 8, 2019. Photo by Lauren Gerson DeLeon.

The First Conference of Its Kind

Elevate was first conceived by MBA students Ashley Fox and DeAndrea Staes. They identified the diversity and inclusion space as a big opportunity for growth and community outreach for the MBA program.

Through the conference, Ashley and DeAndrea targeted the recruitment of underrepresented minorities as a potential improvement area for MBA programs and created an Elevate Diversity Scholarship to provide support to underrepresented minority students accepted to the McCombs School of Business.

Ashley Fox and DeAndrea Staes at Elevate Diversity & Inclusion Conference. Photo by Lauren Gerson

“The most impactful part of the conference was seeing what started as a small vision, grow into something phenomenal. Over the course of two days, seeing our sponsors, speakers, students and community come together in a collaborative fashion for a common purpose truly sparked something great for the future of McCombs,” says DeAndrea. “I truly enjoyed seeing participants roll their sleeves up at the design thinking session hosted by IBM to address critical questions like, ‘How do you find acceptance inside a company’s culture?’ and ‘What happens financially when companies are not diverse and inclusive?’ This set the tone for an amazing conference with powerful conversations.”

Elevate Diversity & Inclusion Conference at Rowling Hall on February 8, 2019. Photo by Lauren Gerson DeLeon.

“We created this event to evoke change in the McCombs community and create a sustainable, long-term solution that would provide a forum for the University of Texas and greater Austin community to engage and learn about diversity, inclusion, and culture,” says Ashley. “The feeling after the Elevate Conference ended was indescribable. After we gave our closing remarks, we knew that this conference would be a marquee event and change agent for the Texas McCombs and Austin community for years to come.”

Elevate Diversity & Inclusion Conference at Rowling Hall on February 8, 2019. Photo by Lauren Gerson DeLeon.

Elevate Diversity & Inclusion Conference at Rowling Hall on February 8, 2019. Photo by Lauren Gerson DeLeon.

“I am truly proud of what Ashley and I were able to accomplish and know that this is just the beginning,” says DeAndrea. “We are excited to see what the future holds for this dynamic, student-led, electrifying conference!”

The Keynote Speakers 

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Texas McCombs MBA Class of 2021

Meet the Evening MBA Class of 2021!

March 20, 2019 / / Comments Off on Meet the Evening MBA Class of 2021!

A new class of Evening MBA students have joined us at Rowling Hall in Austin this spring to kick off their MBA journey! During their January orientation, our first group of ’21s  prepared for their classes, got to know each other, met MBA faculty & staff, and had a great week of networking and fun. Evening MBA students start their program annually every January, with classes held Monday and Tuesday evenings in Austin. With their weekends more flexible and their careers un-interrupted by their class schedule, our Evening MBA students are truly unique.

We had a very strong and enthusiastic pool of applications to pull from when putting together our Working Professional MBA classes this year, and the numbers certainly reflect that. The Evening MBA welcomed a larger class than last year, with 65 new Texas McCombs students. Texas McCombs Evening MBA Class of 2021 has 65 students; 25% women; 9% international; 27-34 middle 80% age; 3-10.5 work exp middle 80%; 3.34 GPA average; 661 GMAT average; are Q:155 & V:156

35% of the Evening MBA Class of 2021 submitted a GRE score either exclusively or with a GMAT score

8 different nationalities and citizenships are represented, including India, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Spain, Syria, Italy and the U.S.

This is also one of the most diverse classes in terms of job functions and industries, that the MBA program has ever seen.

Industries represented in the Class of 2021-- tech; financial services; consumer products/retail; manufacturing; energy

In addition, over half of the Class of 2021 earned their undergraduate degree outside of Texas. After entering the workforce, these students earned an average of 5.8 years of work experience before applying to the MBA with notable companies like Apple, Tesla, Whole Foods, Facebook, IBM and Yeti.

The class has 25% women, holding steady within the overall growth in the number of women in our Working Professional programs. The number of underrepresented minorities in the class doubled this year, marking another success as we continue to advocate for the inclusion of individual perspectives and diverse backgrounds in our classes.

Our Evening students come from a wide range of companies and some of the most exciting and innovative employers in the U.S.

Where our students work

18 members of C/O 2021 already spent their undergraduate years at UT Austin… Welcome back Longhorns! 🤘

We feel humbled and privileged by the amazing experiences and perspectives making up the Texas McCombs MBA Class  and cannot wait to see what they accomplish during their time in the program. If you’d like to join them as part of Texas McCombs MBA network, our 2019-2020 application is open!

Hook ’em!

Texas MBA Community photo

Student Spotlight: Ricardo Robles, Houston MBA Class of 2020

February 13, 2019 / / Comments Off on Student Spotlight: Ricardo Robles, Houston MBA Class of 2020
Ricardo Robles Jr. Headshot

Ricardo Robles Jr. Houston MBA Class of 2020

This past fall, 84 new MBA students started at Texas McCombs as part of the Houston MBA Class of 2020!

We recently caught up with Ricardo Robles Jr., a Houston native who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He has worked as an engineer at Pacific Drilling, an engineering consultant at Lloyd’s Register and is currently a Senior Specialist for Performance at Rowan Companies.

Ricardo’s “Why McCombs?”

Ricardo first saw an MBA as a “springboard” for developing his skills in business and expanding his network. He believed an MBA would accelerate his professional progression and open up new avenues for success. He is most excited to continue building relationships in the program that will impact him for the rest of his life.

“Texas McCombs was always at the top of my choices for multiple reasons: the reputation of the program, the excellent professors, and the global network to name a few. Analyzing the program on paper put it on the top of my list but meeting the staff and other prospective students through information sessions made me sure that Texas McCombs was the right choice for me.”

McCombs Impact 

Ricardo’s notable experiences include studying statistics with real world applications and collaboration with students from different backgrounds.

“The diversity of the student body has really helped me refine my collaboration skills with people who may be very different from me. Collaboration has been a major part of this program from the beginning and I’m looking forward to working with my classmates more.”

Ricardo’s Advice to You

For those of you interested in applying for your MBA at Texas McCombs, Ricardo has some advice for you:

“Attend an information event!. They are helpful at every stage of the process. Whether you are still wondering if an MBA is the right choice for you or which program you should pursue at Texas McCombs, events are a great resource to experience the culture and talk to current students.”

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

MBA Student Parents

Student Spotlight: Srija Dasika, MBA Class of 2019

January 22, 2019 / / Comments Off on Student Spotlight: Srija Dasika, MBA Class of 2019
Srija Dasika, Evening MBA 2019

Srija Dasika, MBA 2019

Srija Dasika, Texas McCombs MBA ’19,  recently shared her experience of becoming a new mom while working and being part of the Evening MBA program.  She is originally from  Portland, Oregon and works as an R&D engineer at Verizon. She says it was, “tough, but very rewarding and not impossible!” to become an MBA parent. Srija had her first baby in April 2017, during her first year as an MBA in Austin.

Being A Student and a Mom

“Becoming a new parent is one of the best things in the world, but it’s not easy. Your whole world changes, your responsibilities and priorities shift, you are actively learning to live a new way of life with very little sleep. The moments that make parenthood wonderful are what inspire me to do well and work hard. Having strong support at home, school and work helped me a lot. My MBA cohort is very close and that was a huge motivation for me to work hard and stay with my class without taking a break. My company also had a generous maternity policy that allowed me to recover and bond with my baby before going back to work. Overall, I have learned a lot, it has been a satisfying experience and I am very thankful for my support structure.” 

Juggling School and Parenthood

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