Applying MBA skills to drive long-term strategic business impact

Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

A: I'm a Full-Time MBA student at D'Amore-McKim, concentrating in Finance and Operations and Supply Chain Management. I'm also a double-husky, meaning I completed my undergrad at Northeastern. I earned my BS in Accounting and worked in the investment industry for a few years as a pricing and corporate actions analyst. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career path combining both finance and strategy. That's what attracted me to earning my MBA, and it's been a great experience so far. Through the MBA program, I was offered a yearlong Corporate Residency with the Boston Ballet.  

Q: What made you decide to pursue the Full-Time MBA program at D'Amore-McKim? 

A: After completing my undergrad, I worked with a Boston-based investment company for three years. I learned a lot from my role working in the investment firm's back office, but after a few years, I realized I wanted to gain experience working in a strategic role that would make a significant impact and help a business grow. I felt that combining my experience in the investment world with the skills earned from an MBA would allow me to pursue this new path. 

I knew that D'Amore-McKim's Full-Time MBA was a good way to advance my career. I was familiar with Northeastern from my undergrad and knew there would be an emphasis on practical experience, including a corporate residency with a company that I found interesting. Through the program, I strengthened the business skills I already had and learned new concepts within my two concentrations. I also committed to a Corporate Residency, which would allow me to acquire the new skills and experience I was looking for.  

Q: What inspired you to choose your concentrations in Finance and Operations and Supply Chain Management? 

A: The focus of my work and study is centered around financial subjects. Finance has always been an area that I've enjoyed and felt like I had an aptitude for. My finance professors early in the MBA program made it interesting and engaging for me.  

I took an introductory supply chain course during my first MBA semester and realized I had an interest in that too, which was strengthened after a conversation I had with my professor. He noted my aptitude and urged me to pursue it further as one of my concentrations. 

The combination of these two concentrations makes me a more well-rounded professional. While in my corporate residency, my classes in Corporate Finance and Operations and Supply Chain Management enabled me to see how both domains touch every area of business and allowed me to apply the concepts I learned in class within a real-life business setting. 

Q: You're currently doing your Corporate Residency as a strategic development project manager at the Boston Ballet. Tell me about your role. 

A: I'm the project manager for strategic initiatives to generate significant growth for the Boston Ballet's financial resources. My role is focused on project planning, designing workflows, and managing the steps necessary for success in our strategic initiatives. I also draft solicitation strategies for major philanthropic gifts, align diverse stakeholders to maximize efficiency within our projects and represent the Ballet at events and in the theater. Additionally, I work with data analysis and financial modeling and contribute to strategic analysis that helps to inform the company's long-term competitive positioning. 

Recently I had the opportunity to present key findings from one of my financial models to the Board of Trustees, with support from senior management. Taking ownership of a high-visibility project that had a tangible strategic outcome was the highlight of my residency. From the beginning, I was working directly with senior leadership and participating in high-level conversations. It's fulfilling to know that the work I accomplish over my yearlong residency will leave an impact on the Ballet for years to come. 

Q: Tell me a little bit about your Global Field Study experience in Denmark. 

A: As a Full-time MBA student, you have the opportunity to take a weeklong, intensive travel elective while deepening your global perspective. I visited Denmark, which immersed me in a new culture and expanded my learning outside of the classroom. My professor introduced us to Denmark's business, economic, and socioeconomic trends while we explored the capital, Copenhagen. We met with multiple companies there, including Orsted, a prominent renewable energy firm in the global market, and Osterberg Ice Cream, which recently expanded into the Asian market. Gaining that global perspective is invaluable to me now as I implement the skills I learned there. 

Q: What is a piece of advice you would give to new Full-Time MBA students? 

A: Students coming to business school for a graduate degree should keep an open mind. In these two years, you're able to try a lot of new things and figure out what it is that interests you most. I went into business school thinking that since I'd done investment operations before, I'd do investment operations after I graduated. But now, I have a variety of paths available to me, including investments, strategy and operations, endowments and mission-driven finance, and project management. Being open to new things was valuable for me because it's given me a whole new perspective and potential career paths.