Tag: MBA student life (page 2 of 3)

Executive MBA New York City Immersion: Changing for the Best

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 Immersion took place in New York City in November 2021, and the remaining Immersions for the EMBA Class of 2023 are currently planned for Dallas, 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 New York City.


One definition of immersion is “deep mental involvement.” There really is no better description of the 3-days our Executive MBA cohort spent together in New York City.

The learning theme of the weekend was “Leading Planned Change.” Fitting, as I believe my classmates will agree that we have all changed so much in the three short months we’ve been together.

A jam-packed first day began with a Veteran’s Day celebration. We honored the four veterans in our group and visited The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum Complex.

students standing in front of the Intrepid ship

A change simulation took place Thursday afternoon. Led by Dr. Luis Martins, our study groups had spirited discussions around best practices for implementing company transitions. We ended the day with the privilege of meeting and hearing from an incredible panel of top corporate executives across many industries. Many of our speakers were former longhorns and were in our Executive MBA shoes not too many years prior. They are proof that hard work, dedication, and being just crazy enough to go back to school while balancing full-time careers, and families pays off in the end.

Students working at a table

Executive MBA students work in teams to compete in a change management simulation hosted by Professor Luis Martins as part of their Leading People and Organizations course, held during their first immersive experience in New York City at the American Management Association, Thurs Nov 11th.

Despite many Executive MBA ’23 songbirds karaoke-ing until the wee hours, the group rallied for the portion of the agenda we likely dreaded the most; improv class. But, as with most things in life we stress over, improv class turned out to be a huge hit and a major topic of discussion for the remainder of the weekend. It reminded us of the art of listening, which came in handy as our speaker series continued into Friday afternoon. Professor Steve Limberg brought financial reporting to life through discussions with Blue Apron and Moody’s.

students in a circle with their hands in the air

Executive MBA students developing communication skills while engaging in Improv for Business Leaders during their Executive Seminar course, led by Professor Angie McDermott and co-led by the Executive MBA Career Management Team Sarita Soldz and Alma Moore.

Saturday morning, we turned to a conversation with Paul Levy. Levy’s impressive transformation of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a case we have been studying all semester. The access to such a profound list of leaders is a tribute to the dedication of the McCombs faculty who are ingrained in these experiences with us.

TK

Executive MBA students after speaking with distinguished guest Paul Levy hosted at UTNY Campus as part of their Leading People and Organizations course led by Professor Luis Martins on Saturday, Nov 13th.

Early in the year, we learned from Professor Angie McDermott that, “what got us here won’t get us there.” This immersion drove that point home. To be effective and engaging leaders, we must be honest, transparent, and collaborative. Luckily, it’s become clear those three attributes are stamped into the DNA of this amazing group of individuals. In three short months, we’ve helped each other through business problems and trusted each other with very personal conversations. We’ve enjoyed the social side just as much as the classroom through dinners, happy hours, and Broadway show nights. This is a special group. Everyone has a seat at each other’s table.

I am honored to be part of the EMBA ’23 cohort, grateful to learn alongside them, and eager to see how much transformation takes place over the next eighteen months.

The UT motto is “What Happens Here Changes the World,” and what happened in New York City changed us all into better leaders, and people.

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 deadline is February 15, 2022, and the final deadline to apply is June 15, 2022.

Celebrating Lunar New Year 2021

February 12, 2021 marks the first new moon of the year and the start of the Lunar New Year. The holiday is celebrated by many communities in Asia and around the world to welcome the spring season and is a time for families to reunite and honor ancestors.

In China, it is commonly known as Chinese New Year, or chunjie (春节) meaning “Spring Festival.” The festival is the longest holiday of the year beginning on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ending on the first full moon. We talked to a few of our current MBA students from the McCombs China Business Association to learn how they celebrate the new year.

dragon dance - a picture from Sujian

“First, Chinese New Year is for family,” says MBA student Sujian Luo. “We get together with parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters and relatives. And through this, we maintain and even create deeper bonds with each other. In the past year, we received help from people at work, in life, or somewhere else. This is the time to express sincere appreciation to them. Last but not least, it’s a time for every individual to take a pause, reflect, and prepare for a new sail.”

Sujian Luo headshot

Sujian Luo
 Texas McCombs MBA ’21

Sujian Luo was born and grew up in Sichuan Province in the southwest part of China. He remembers playing with fireworks when was younger during celebrations.

He learned about McCombs from his girlfriend who graduated from the program in 2019. He is currently the Case Competition VP of Operations Fellows and a member of the McCombs Ambassador Committee (MAC), China Business Association, and the Tech Club.

“Geographically, Sichuan’s location is similar to that of Texas in the United States. My hometown is a small city called Mianzhu. It has a long history and it can be dated back to the time of Three Kingdoms, more than 1000 years ago. My family has been living in Mianzhu since my great grandparents.

When I was young, the most impressive activity was playing fireworks with friends. These fireworks are not the same as those for shows and displays, they are fireworks played by hands. We used them to create different patterns in the dark.”

Traditions and Customs

Chinese New Year traditions include putting up red and gold decorations, eating reunion dinner with family on New Year’s Eve, popping firecrackers and fireworks,  and giving red envelopes.

“The Chinese New Year traditions and procedures all have significant meaning, from the New Year’s greetings we share with each other to the food we eat, and I am proud that these festivities are still very much a part of my life,” says Nicole Fung. “For the most part a lot of what we take part in helps to bring prosperity, luck, and longevity for the upcoming year.”

 

nicole fung headshot

Nicole Fung
Texas McCombs MBA ’22

Nicole Fung was born and raised in Hong Kong. Her father was born in Shanghai, and her mother was born in Hong Kong. Her ancestors are from the Guangdong province which lives along the Pearl River Delta.

Nicole chose McCombs because of her interest in tech, the growing city, and the McCombs network.

 

“When I was younger I celebrated New Year’s Eve with my family for our annual “reunion dinner”,  typically feasting for hours over a nice hearty home cooked Chinese meal together. Then we would spend New Year’s Day visiting my parents’ elder siblings and grandparents’ home to wish them happy new year, a Chinese tradition called “bai nian”.

A picture of Nicole Fung and her family.

Nicole’s family

“My mother loves decorating our home with Chinese New Year flora (lucky bamboo, orchids, narcissus), Chinese couplets written in beautiful calligraphy, and kumquats,” says Nicole. “Every year our living room always has a CNY candy box that is filled with sweets, Chinese seeds and nuts to signify togetherness.”

During the New Year celebration, Nicole prepares dumplings.

“I would love to disclose my recipe for homemade dumplings, but honestly I always go with the flow and my gut. Definitely get pre-made dumpling skins to save a lot of prep time! Traditional fillings include ground pork and cabbage, and tofu, carrot, mushroom, and cabbage for a vegetarian option.  For the filling’s marinade I use plenty of soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and a little Chinese vinegar.”
Fey Sheng headshot

Fay Sheng
Texas McCombs MBA ’21

Fay Sheng grew up in a mid-sized city in East China where her parents were born.  She celebrates with her family by eating fish on the eve of Chinese New Year and saving part of it. After dinner, they watch China Central Television’s Spring Festival Gala.

Fay chose McCombs for the culture and growing city. She is also a member of Texas McCombs Labs.

 

“The reason [we eat fish on Chinese New Year] is that in Chinese, fish sounds like “surplus” and we always like to have a surplus at the end of the year,” she says. “And if we manage to save something at the end of this year, then we can make more in the next year.”

“Chinese New Year is a time for families to reunite and for people to celebrate and appreciate the achievement in the past one year and also look forward into the coming year.”

Fey's niece writing couplets

Fay’s niece writing couplets.

In preparation for the celebration, she would get a haircut, clean the house, shop for new clothes, and hang up traditional red decorations such as Fu, couplets, and paper-cut art.

“When we hang up Fu, we sometimes hang it upside down because “upside-down Fú” sounds nearly identical to the phrase ‘Good luck arrives.'”

The Year of the Ox 

This is the Year of the Ox in the Chinese zodiac calendar. Nicole shares the story behind how the 12 animals in the zodiac came to be.

“The zodiac is a core part of Chinese New Year,” says Nicole. “There are a total of twelve animals in the zodiac and each New Year celebrates an animal from the roster. 2021 is the Year of the Ox. The fable behind the zodiac is the Jade Emperor, a Chinese deity, wanted twelve animals to serve has his guards. The animals on earth were asked to race to the Heavenly Gates to win their place beside the emperor. Met with a river with a swift current, the Rat had trouble crossing and jumped on the ox’s back for a safe ride. The Rat was cunning and jumped off the ox at the last moment to reach the Jade Emperor and won the race, consequently the ox placed second. The ordering of the zodiac is as follows according to their place in the race: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and finally the pig.”

Sujian says the Ox is important in ancient Chinese agricultural society.

“It’s a symbol of wealth. And in modern society, Chinese people often use Ox as an adjective, for example, if a student gets 100/100 points in a difficult example, we’ll say: ”you’re so Ox(你真牛)”—like, you are so great.”


Visit Texas McCombs MBA to find out more about all our programs, events, and community, or take a peek into student life on Instagram. Hook ’em!

National First-Gen College Day
at McCombs

In conjunction with UT’s First-Generation College Celebration and the National First-Generation College Celebration this week, we’re proud to highlight several first-generation students in our Texas McCombs MBA community. 

Jose Carlos Rojas

Jose's headshot photo.

Jose Rojas
MBA at Houston ’20

Jose is a first-generation college graduate and Texas McCombs at Houston MBA ’20 student. The hardest thing about being first-gen, he says, was having, “no reference point,” he could go back to as he immersed himself in college. He explains the journey as being lonely as his parents tried their best to understand and help him adjust to this new environment. Despite the challenges, his motivation and dedication to his family were key factors to his academic success. 

 

“After my family and I moved from Chile, I always felt an obligation to make my parents’ sacrifices worth it. I see them work very hard and I continue to strive to alleviate some of that burden from them. I started looking at MBAs once I saw my career pick up steam. I have gathered a lot of technical knowledge through my experience and felt that I needed to round myself out by pairing it with some business acumen. I chose Texas McCombs because of its great reputation, world-class faculty, and the flexibility it allowed me to have without having to quit my job.”

When asked about what advice he would give to other first-gen students, Jose strongly believes in the value of community, and that you don’t need to go through this difficult journey on your own. Currently, he’s working on getting his younger sister into college, and trying to ease any stress points she’s presently encountering that he’s been able to overcome.

“Surround yourself with people that will help, motivate and care for you. There’s value in not making college just about studying: Join clubs and activities to immerse yourself into your college and get a full experience.”

Emy Hernandez

Emy with her parents at graduation.

“For my parents, they came with nothing and gave me everything.”

Emy is a Texas McCombs MBA at Houston alumna. Her family, who only had a primary school education, inspired her and her sister to pursue higher education, instilling the value of having access to education from an early age. For Emy, having a strong community and support system to guide her has been a key factor in her success. 

“Find your community within the school that you are in, and find a mentor, staff member, or professor who can help guide your decisions. Being the first in your family to attend college, whether undergraduate or graduate school, can be intimidating and it is important that students know there is someone who can guide them.”

Along her journey towards higher education, Hernandez had difficulty dealing with Imposter Syndrome. Nevertheless, Emy is proof that you can overcome any challenge with hard work, dedication and strong support systems.

“Do not be afraid to take the next step in your personal and professional life; whether you’re applying for a new job or pursuing an additional degree. I am a Latina, queer, daughter of immigrants, inner-city Houston-raised, and graduate of a high school known as a ‘drop-out factory’ – the statistics were against me. It wasn’t easy, and today I am proud of what I have accomplished and I know my parents and my community are too.”

Waldo Arreola

Headshot for Waldo Arreola

Waldo Arreola
Full-Time MBA ’20

Waldo is a first-generation Full-Time Class of 2020 MBA at Texas McCombs. As a child, he was raised by “hard-working immigrant parents” that highly encouraged his intellectual development, and his interest in puzzles and systems within math and science, which eventually led to a bachelor’s degree in engineering & management. 

During his time as an undergrad and graduate student, Arreola struggled to adjust to the demands that time management and personal accountability have on students. However, having strong mentorships and student involvement helped him stay engaged, help others and invest in his future.

“Be curious! Ask questions! Connect with people! Get involved! First-generation students might not have as many resources as others, including networks, and might have the added pressure of supporting family members with their personal success, so it is critical to be engaged and deliberate as you pursue your personal and professional goals.”


If you have any questions, please reach out to MBA Admissions. For more information on our community and programs, check out our website. Hook ’em!

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.

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!

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!

Student Spotlight: Lily Yap, DFW MBA Class of 2020

Lily Yap Headshot

Lily Yap, MBA Class of 2020

Our Dallas/Fort Worth Class of 2020 welcomed its largest class ever, with 88 new students. This is also the most international class the DFW program has ever had and the most diverse in terms of companies/organizations represented.

We recently caught up with Lily Yap, a DFW MBA student originally from San Francisco, California. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University in Business Management and works on coordinating life-saving programs and operations for animal welfare services in Dallas.

Lily’s “WhyMcCombs?”

Lily was excited to see how passionate the current MBAs in her field are and looked forward to taking leadership classes. She believes classes that refine “soft” skills are extremely beneficial and looks forward to sharing her unique knowledge with other students and organizations.

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Student Spotlight: Guilherme Junqueira, Full-Time MBA Class of 2020

Headshot for Guilherme Junqueira

Guilherme Junqueira, MBA Class of 2020

Our Full-Time Class of 2020 is composed of 284 impressive MBAs from all over the world.  Students from outside the U.S. are a valuable part of the Texas McCombs network, bringing their individual perspective and cultural background to Austin. 24% of our 2020 Full-Time MBAs are international students.

We recently caught up with MBA ’20 Guilherme Junqueira, a student originally from Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil. His journey to Texas McCombs offers insight to future international students wanting to earn their MBA here.

Guilherme’s “Why McCombs?”

Guilherme lived in Sao Paulo for nine years where he attended university to study Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Before coming to Austin for his MBA, Guilherme worked at Oxiteno as a Lead Product Management Analyst.  

When applying to graduate school, Guilherme researched different schools and their admission process online and attended events in Sao Paulo. He expanded his research after taking the GMAT by attending Texas McCombs MBA events, and speaking with current students and alumni via phone calls and emails.

“I wanted to join a top MBA program located in a small to mid-size city and with a small class; these were important factors because I wanted to develop close connections with my classmates in a more focused program environment. After submitting my applications, I came to the U.S. to visit five schools that I had applied to; this definitely was the best way to confirm that McCombs was the best fit for me.”

He attended business school events in Sao Paulo and multi-school events such as the MBA Tour. For him, events offered clarity to understand the similarities and differences of each program. After being admitted, he attended company-sponsored pre-MBA events in both Brazil and the United States. The A.T. Kearney Bootcamp helped confirm and narrow his career priorities post-MBA. He found that he enjoyed participating in national career fairs, such as Prospanica, in career treks and entrepreneurship events.

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Texas MBA Love Stories

This post was written by Jolene Ashcraft, Head of Marketing, Texas McCombs MBA Programs.

This Valentine’s Day, we checked in with some of our MBA alumni who found love at McCombs and have tied the knot in the last year. Find out how they met and what they’re up to now.

Michelle Sutton ’16 and Javier Armenteros ’16

Wedding Date: October 21, 2017

Wedding Location: Chapel Hill, NC

How We Met: By chance, we were seated next to each other at the MBA Orientation Banquet on our very first day of the program, but we did not get to know each other well until our second semester when we traveled to Park City, Utah on the Graduate Business Adventure Team (GBAT) Ski Trip and then to South Africa as part of the McCombs Global Connections Study Tour program.

Currently: We live in Dallas, TX, where Michelle is an Associate Brand Manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and Javi is an Associate Finance Manager at PepsiCo Frito Lay. We are both proud Longhorns and are involved in MBA recruiting for our respective companies.

“We loved having such a strong contingent of McCombies at our wedding!”

Christie Sutton ’15 and Patrick McConnell ’15

Wedding Date: October 14, 2017

Wedding Location: San Francisco, CA (We originally planned for Healdsburg in Sonoma County, but due to the Northern California fires, we made a last minute move to San Francisco with the help of many of our McCombs friends.)

How We Met: We met in Austin during one of the McCombs Adventure Program (MAP) Day Trips, which take place before school officially begins. We sat next to each other on the bus to the wine tasting tour in Fredericksburg, TX and were friends from the start.

Currently: We currently live in San Francisco, CA and both work at Apple. Christie works in market development for the Corporate Retail division, and Pat works as a program manager on the new product launch team.

Christie and Pat with MBA classmates at their wedding

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Texas MBA Epilogue: From an Executive MBA

Twenty-one months. Thousands of miles traveled and hours spent studying. Dozens of trips to Austin. More caffeine consumed than I care to admit. It all leads to the ceremonies scheduled for this afternoon. Continue reading

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