Tag: MBA student life (page 1 of 4)

Chris Stafford Reignites MBA at Houston eQual to Foster Community for LGBTQ+ Students

Written by Meena Anderson

Chris Stafford, MBA at Houston Class of 2024, is reigniting the Weekend MBA program’s eQual chapter, an organization aimed at fostering community and solidarity among LGBTQ+ MBA students. 

“When I started the Fall semester in Houston, I learned that eQual Houston had fizzled away during COVID-19 and needed fresh blood to give it a restart,” Chris says. “I know how important it is for community engagement and representation both internally and externally. I think it’s really important to have LGBTQ+ representation in the program and also for students to get involved in the local LGBTQ+ community.”

Alongside completing his MBA, Chris is employed at ExxonMobil. Prior to his MBA journey, he graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in 2010 and served as an Officer in the Navy Reserves. 

Photo of chris in his navy uniform standing outside of a navy hospital ship.

Chris during his time in the Navy Reserve in 2011.

“The ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy (DADT) was still in place while I was a Midshipman at USMMA and for the beginning part of my time as an Officer in the Reserves, this policy required that I keep my identity as a gay man a secret and live my life ‘in the closet,’” Chris says. “I actually wrote my admissions essay to McCombs about the repeal of DADT and how it shaped my career. Serving under the DADT policy was not easy and surely presented lots of obstacles, but I am a stronger person for it.”

Photo of chris and his husband kissing at their wedding.

Chris and his husband, Tyler, kiss during their wedding.

Chris says his background in maritime operations and trading influenced his decision to apply to the Weekend MBA at Houston program.

“I really want to grow my business acumen and enhance my understanding of different aspects of business that I have yet to be exposed to. My employer is very supportive of me getting my MBA and I am really hoping to bring back to the office what I am learning at McCombs,” he says. “When trying to decide on where to go for my MBA, there were a few options locally here in Houston I was considering. I wanted a strong academic program with a large network, great reputation and prestige and a big school atmosphere.”

After settling in at the program, Chris and his classmates got in contact with the Dallas and Austin chapters of eQual, who were instrumental in helping reboot the organization for the Houston program.

“We plan to link up with both Austin and Dallas eQual groups more in the future and try to host some joint events,”  Chris says. “We announced to our classmates on National Coming Out Day that eQual was back and that started the buzz. We had significant interest and were super excited to get it going.”

For the future of Houston’s eQual endeavors, Chris and other organizers in the group plan to engage with the local community and increase awareness about topics of diversity and inclusion.

Chris and his husband hold up a rainbow pride flag

Chris and Tyler pose with a rainbow Pride flag at Cross Fit.

“We plan to get involved in local philanthropic and volunteer endeavors, for example the Houston Pride Parade and Montrose Center,” he says. “We plan to bring in guest speakers to speak to eQual about inclusion and diversity in the workplace, and hopefully get local executives that identify as LGBTQ+ to speak to our cohorts about their experiences in the corporate world.”

Ultimately, Chris’ goal is to uplift and support the McCombs — and extended — LGBTQ+ community in both the corporate world and their academic ventures.

“Our main goal is to be a voice for the students in the Houston MBA program, especially those of us that identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. We strive to protect and promote an inclusive and safe environment and celebrate diversity in all forms within the program. We want to leverage LGBTQ+ alumni to help mentor and recruit students that are a part of the eQual group, as well as act as a recruiting tool for the admission team to continue to admit diverse classes in the future.”


Visit Texas McCombs MBA to learn more about our programs and upcoming events, or take a peek into student life on Instagram. Please reach out to the MBA Admissions Team with any questions.

Hook ’em!

Admissions Announcement: Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA Adds Round 4 for Fall 2023 Entry

The Round 3 application deadline to the Texas McCombs Full-Time MBA program is slated for March 28, 2023. However, economic uncertainty has impacted many prospective students around the world. With many prospective students facing layoffs or uncertainty in their professional situation, our team believes an additional application round will be helpful for those needing a little more time to work on their application and evaluate their next professional step.

In response, Texas McCombs will add a fourth round to the Full-Time MBA Class of 2025. The Round 4 application deadline is Thursday, May 11, 2023.

Stacey Batas, Director of Full-Time MBA Recruiting and Admissions, provides insight on the addition of a new application round and advice for navigating the application.

Who is eligible to apply in Round 4?

Any U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident of the U.S. is eligible to apply in the new round. Round 4 is not open to international applicants due to issues with visa documentation timelines.

Are you still offering application fee waivers or test waivers to Round 4 applicants?

Yes! We have one more application fee waiver-eligible event, open to both Round 3 and Round 4 applicants in this application cycle. In order to obtain the waiver, you must register for and attend our Application Overview Virtual Session on March 7 at 8AM CT.  Register here.

As with other rounds, test waiver petitions are also available and can be found on our website. If you are considering applying in Round 4 and would like to submit your application without a GMAT, GRE or Executive Assessment exam, please read this document carefully to see if you’re eligible and submit the waiver form by no later than May 4, or 7 days before the deadline.

Are there still financial aid or scholarship opportunities available to Round 4 applicants?

It’s hard for the admissions team to predict merit-based scholarship availability for future rounds, since it depends on how many scholarships we have to award at that point in the cycle. Admitted students will be notified within their acceptance letter if they receive any merit-based scholarship funding from McCombs.

How will Round 4 work? When will decisions be released?

Round 4 will work much like our other rounds – you need to submit your application by 11:59 PM  CT on May 11, 2023.   Decisions will be released on or before June 8, and the enrollment deposit deadline for those admitted will be June 15.

I was laid off. How do I explain being laid off in my application?

Though unfortunate and stressful, lay-offs happen! Once you upload your resume on the “Employment Information” section of the application, there will be a question asking whether or not you’re currently employed full-time. If the answer is no, you’ll be given a chance to explain your situation. This response is limited to 255 characters, so you don’t have to go into full detail here! If you’d like to include additional details about your employment to the admissions committee, complete the optional statement for us to review.

I was laid off and I don’t have a professional recommender. What are my other options?

There are lots of great sources for recommendation letters! Here are some of our tips to help you choose a recommender who knows you well and can speak to your strengths.

What are the benefits of applying in Round 4 vs. applying next cycle?

The biggest benefit is that you potentially won’t need to wait a full year to enroll! Round 4 is a great option for those who definitely know they want to go to McCombs, but who may have figured that out a little later in the game. We’d also like to dispel the myth that having to reapply the following cycle is a bad thing. We value re-applicants and never look down on someone who applied late cycle and then re-applied the following fall.

What advice would you give to an applicant submitting in Round 4?

Get to know us! We’re hosting campus visits until late April and will be hosting virtual events to help you navigate the application process. Attending our events can also help you craft your essay and prepare for the video assessment.


Visit Texas McCombs MBA to learn more about our programs and upcoming events, or take a peek into student life on Instagram. Please reach out to the MBA Admissions Team with any questions.

Coming In for National Coming Out Day

The MBA Insider content below is written by eQual MBA Students.  Engaged Queer and Ally (eQual) MBAs is one of 40+ student organizations at Texas McCombs. 


In honor of National Coming Out Day, Texas McCombs is excited to celebrate the students who are “coming in” to their identities and the community shared amongst our Engaged Queer and Ally (eQual) MBAs.

Students and staff pose by stairs in Rowling Hall decorated with rainbow balloons.

Texas McCombs MBA students and staff pose by stairs in Rowling Hall decorated with rainbow balloons for National Coming Out Day. 2021.

Coming out is a significant moment in a queer person’s life but it’s important to note that the process of coming out is not finite. As an LGBTQ+ individual enters new spaces, they constantly make choices about sharing their identity with the people around them.

Most students in the McCombs MBA program are coming back to school after spending years in the workforce. It’s an ongoing activity to share aspects of yourself with new classmates, study team members, or during the process of recruiting for full-time positions of internships. eQual is focused on creating welcoming spaces and supporting our students as they navigate these experiences!

Emily Siegers headshot“Finding community within eQual is amazing but we are also so grateful to the broader McCombs community for their support, involvement, and enthusiasm in celebrating our eQual members this October.”
– Emily Siegers, Class of 2023

This year the organization is celebrating National Coming Out Day with two days of programming including a Storytelling Hour hosted by the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM) where current LGBTQ+ students and faculty will share stories of journey and discovery, as well as a community event with local alumni and the Graduate Business Council (GBC).

Nick Shea headshot“Coming into McCombs, I had not been out at work and had only recently confided to my family and friends that I was in a same sex relationship. The amount of support and community I’ve found at McCombs to be my authentic self every day has been not only invigorating but also life changing. As a member of eQual, I hope to spread this positivity and acceptance to everyone at McCombs.” – Nick Shea, Class of 2023

Who are eQual MBAs?

The student-run organization has grown to include over 60 members, including allies, and many of the members are involved in other affinity organizations and diverse programming opportunities.

In the past year eQual has been active in the following ways:

  • Student-led group chats for applicants interested in LGBTQIA+ at McCombs
  • Mentorship program with undergraduate QBSA (Queer Business Student Association) to foster learning, development, and knowledge-sharing between LGBTQ+/allied students and professionals
  • Alumni panel at the Elevate D&I conference on developing community and experiencing allyship in the workplace
  • Student and faculty attendance at Reaching Out MBAs (ROMBA) 2022 Conference in Washington D.C.
  • Allyship workshop, co-hosted with the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) featuring Mx. Shane Whalley (ze/hir/hirs)

How to Support eQual

Texas McCombs MBA students and staff at the annual ROMBA Conference in Washington D.C.

Texas McCombs MBA students and staff at the annual ROMBA (Reaching Out MBA) Conference in Washington D.C. 2022

Interested in repping eQual MBAs? Their custom rainbow Longhorn shirts are available for purchase ($25) and you can email christopher.novak@mba.utexas.edu for shirt size availability. Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram at @equalmbas to see all the latest activities and ways to get involved.

Hook ’em and Happy National Coming Out Day!

Creating Connections: The Weekend MBA at DFW and Houston Student Experience

The MBA Insider content below comes from Rebecca Gavillet, Managing Director of Working Professional MBA Student Affairs. She writes about the Working Professional student experience and different ways to connect with classmates while in the program. 


The MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth and MBA at Houston programs are offered to those who want a Texas McCombs MBA but do not want to stop working while pursuing their degree. Students take classes every other weekend at the Centrum in Dallas and the Cizik School of Nursing in Houston. The Working Professional MBA programs allow students to immediately apply learnings at work, enhance their careers, as well as transform themselves into leaders. Students can tap into the robust Longhorn network, building lifelong connections with their classmates, other Texas McCombs MBAs, and alumni.

Cohorts and Study Groups

Students are put into cohorts at the beginning of the program and take all classes with their cohort mates. The cohort-based model offers a collaborative learning environment, helping students to network and support one another in their classes. Additionally, each student is assigned a study team of 4-6 students within their cohort. Study teams are created to promote diversity across backgrounds and strengths. Each student will be assigned to four different study teams throughout the program, encouraging student interaction and community building.

“The cohort system allowed us to quickly get comfortable with one another and speak freely in class. As for my study group, I can’t say enough positive things. We all pull the weight and our skills benefit one another so well – like complementary puzzle pieces.”

– Trevor Baugh, MBA at Houston ’23

“I absolutely enjoyed the cohort experience. Looking back, I would not have been able to choose my own classes or plan my MBA path. On top of that, being able to learn through the coursework with the same groups of classmates brought us even closer together. I couldn’t imagine an MBA experience any other way.”

– Jospeh Shih, MBA at Houston ’22

“My study group was one of the most impactful and valuable aspects of McCombs for me. It was just another element of the program that showed me how customized the school made the program. Our study groups were so well-rounded in terms of background that it made learning that much more collaborative and insightful. One person might run point as the subject matter expertise and could help the others by providing real-world examples, etc. It truly helped bring the material to life and make it that much more impactful.”

– Kelsey Charles, MBA at DFW ’22.

Austin Intensives

Austin Intensives are week-long immersions that happen at the beginning of your first and second year on The University of Texas at Austin campus. DFW and Houston MBA students come together for a week of orientation, team building, career management sessions, and McCombs+ workshops, along with academic classes. We still leave time for students to socialize – offering program planned activities, such as dinner and a tour of DKR Football Stadium, and student planned events, such as a Graduate Women in Business (GWiB) hosted social at historic Scholz Garten. While in Austin, students stay in their own room at AT&T Conference Center and Hotel on campus. Most meals are provided, including all breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and some dinners. Meals and accommodations are included in the program cost. The week is definitely intense, but students gain a great amount of learning and networking during the week, along with time to explore campus and Austin.

“I had no clue what Intensives was when I got to Austin. I wondered why we had multiple days of orientation, but I soon realized it was much more than that. I still remember going out the first night with my classmates, building the bicycles in the auditorium, as well as the festivities the last night and the impending headaches while in class Friday before driving home. A truly valuable experience in more ways than one.”

– Trevor Baugh, MBA at Houston ’23

First Semester Residency 

During the fall semester of the first year, students stay at a nearby hotel on class weekends. In Dallas, students stay at the Marriott Uptown and the Hotel Zaza Museum District in Houston – both are a short drive from campus. The residency experience allows students to build community with one another and faculty. It also decreases commute times and allows students to focus on academics. Typically, students go to the hotel immediately following class on Friday and socialize at the hotel bar. There are also ample meeting spaces throughout each hotel for study teams to gather and prep for class the next day. Each student gets their own room during the residency, which is included in the program cost.

“The residency was a great feature of the program. The hotel was the perfect spot to congregate for group work…or meet at the bar for drinks. I wish we had the option to sign up for a room throughout other semesters.”

– Trevor Baugh, MBA at Houston ’23

“Residency is great because it gives you a chance to truly get to know your peers. This program FLIES by. You will be done before you know it and residency is just another way to get to know your fellow classmates and make friends and connections that will last a lifetime.”

– Kelsey Charles, MBA at DFW ’22

Global Trips

One of my favorite components of the program is the Global Studies course, which incorporates a week-long international study tour providing students with a global perspective on business and leadership. Students from the DFW, Houston and Texas Evening MBA students travel together to learn how business is done in another country, as well as experience another culture. This past year, we traveled to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Panama, Portugal, Spain, and the UAE. In the course, students gain background knowledge of the history, culture, politics, and economics of the region, enhancing their knowledge and understanding of global business.

A student who recently traveled to Italy said the “trip made me a well-rounded and more internationally aware”, while a DFW MBA classmate said, “the best part was interacting with students in the other programs. It was nice getting to know new people that can sympathize with your situation and also exchange stories on classes, projects, etc.”

A Houston MBA student who went to the UAE said he enjoyed, “Spending time with business leaders seeing how strategy, marketing, and operations look in practice, plus visiting the cultural sites including the Burj Al Arab and the spectacular Burj Khalifa; it was completely worth the time and money from a cultural and educational standpoint”.


To learn more about Texas McCombs, visit us online, join us at an upcoming event, and sign up to receive MBA news.

The MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth and MBA at Houston applications are open. The next and final deadline to apply is June 15, 2022.

Executive MBA Dallas Immersion: Moving through Transitions toward Transformation

Each semester the Executive MBA program hosts an off-campus, Immersion class weekend, to provide opportunities for in-depth experiential learning. The first Executive MBA Class of 2023 Immersion took place in New York City in November 2021. The second immersion was hosted in Dallas, Texas in March 2022. The class has two more planned for Washington DC and the Austin-area Hill Country. Each is linked to course content and includes executive/company visits, alumni networking, cultural experiences, and time to network and bond with classmates. Immersions provide real-time, real-place exposure, and direct application to what Executive MBA students are learning in the classroom. Read more about the Executive MBA Immersions here.

The MBA Insider content below comes from Lexy Scheen, EMBA ’23. She writes about her experience during the inaugural Executive MBA Immersion weekend in Dallas, TX.


It’s hard to believe we’re nearing the end of our second semester as Executive MBA students and have just wrapped up the second immersion of the program. While our trip to NYC was focused on change, this weekend was centered around transitions. It’s abundantly clear that the transitions the class of 2023 is going through at work, home, or in the classroom, are becoming transformational.

Our week started with an inside glimpse into our cohort’s favorite HR guru’s workplace, Order My Gear (OMG). Jaclyn Unruh helped host a fantastic event at her office and led us through a compelling discussion with her CEO, Dave Dutch. Dutch was refreshingly honest, and transparent about his role, and what it takes to become a CEO; qualities he told us are imperative to holding that title. Dutch has led through many corporate transitions, and his message was something familiar to us all; culture is key.

Thursday, we kicked off our time in the classroom with Professor Angie McDermott and Deidra Stephens leading the Executive Seminar. We discussed the results of our 360 assessments, a tool where our managers, peers, direct reports, and friends rated us on our leadership qualities. This was, let’s just say, an eye-opening, and humbling experience. Much to our dismay, it turns out the Class of 2023 is not perfect after all! Joe Semma, of Alix Partners, spent the lunch hour with us discussing several big corporate transitions and the strategy behind them. He was knowledgeable and forthcoming about the highs and lows of corporate transitions. Thursday afternoon we discussed corporate strategy with Professor Toh. He led us through an acquisition game that demonstrated strategy behind corporate integrations and brought out a lot of passion and laughs from the class.

Thursday evening, Alma Moore facilitated another fabulous networking event with many star-studded longhorns of MBA classes past. These panels are always inspiring and full of some incredibly impressive leaders. The most striking thing about these events is always how approachable these important and influential people are. Every one of them openly offered help and guidance to the audience.

Friday was spent with one of our cohorts’ favorite professors, Britt Freund, discussing Supply Chain. While supply chain is certainly a hot topic these days, Professor Freund is possibly the only person who can make supply chain exciting for an entire cohort. He brought in UT MBA alum Ken Do from PepsiCo to discuss supply chain in the “real world.” Then, he let us embark on “the beer game.” We became responsible for getting cases of beer from the factory to retail locations, through wholesalers, and distributors. Though it was “just a game,” this competitive cohort was quite passionate about the outcome, which made for a very lively and entertaining afternoon (despite the lack of actual beer involved)!

It was over happy hour cocktails at our “EMBA Connects” social hour Friday night that I realized our group has gone from 60 strangers getting to know each other, to 60 friends who would do anything to help each other. It’s evident from the photos of that evening, and the entire weekend, that this group respects, admires, and genuinely likes one another.

More karaoke ensued post-dinner Friday night, with video proof that will live in infamy. Luckily, this group knows how to rally and was bright eyed and ready for Saturday. Professor Toh taught us about corporate hierarchy and organizational strategies before we took a trip the AT&T Discovery Center. We had a fun tour, followed by a compelling talk with Steve McGaw, SVP of Corporate Strategy for AT&T. The talk on “AT&T’s Transformational Journey” was the perfect way to wrap up the immersion.

The weekend was filled with so much more than can be encompassed in the classroom and scheduled events. We had dinner together, deep conversations over cocktails in the hotel bar, worked out together, laughed together, and shared even more about ourselves with this special group. We know that what happens at UT changes the world, and what’s to come from this class is going to transform it. But first, we might need a nap!

Hook ’em!
Lexy Scheen, EMBA ’23


Learn more about the Texas McCombs Executive MBA on our website, and contact us with any questions at TexasEMBA@mccombs.utexas.edu. Sign up to receive Executive MBA news here, and register for an Executive MBA event to meet admissions and program staff, current students, and alumni.

The Executive MBA program application is open for Fall 2022 enrollment. The next and final deadline to apply is June 15, 2022.

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