As the daughter of an entrepreneur, Yuliya Bass has always been interested in the business world. She earned a bachelor's degree in international economics and worked for organizations in several industries, including a logistics and transportation company, an IT consulting and outsourcing firm, and a government agency. But she realized she wanted an MBA to build more skills and enhance her career.

What drew her to Northeastern's full-time MBA program, she says, was the university's experiential approach. Not only are students challenged to apply concepts and analyze problems during in-class discussions and rigorous case studies; they are also required to complete a corporate residency. Unlike short internships, residencies are typically six-month, full-time jobs, during which D'Amore-McKim students learn the business world firsthand as professionals immersed in companies' day-to-day operations. They also network and build lifelong professional connections.

“What's different from so many other MBA programs is the hands-on experience. You're not just learning theory; you're out in the real world,” Bass says. “At every stage of the program, I was able to enhance my skill set and learn something new.”

Bass says Northeastern gave her a strong foundation in business by requiring MBA students to take classes in core disciplines, such as strategy, finance, accounting, and marketing. “It gives you the opportunity to try different things and figure out what you like and what you're good at,” Bass says. She was intrigued by the blend of logic and critical thinking necessary in finance and wanted to learn more. She did her six-month residency in the investment services division at State Street Corporation, where she supported client needs in the boutique client operations team.

“I functioned like a regular employee and part of the team. I also volunteered to participate in internal consulting projects outside of my day-to-day responsibilities,” she says. For one project, for example, she helped the team develop and apply “lean manufacturing” principles to improve efficiency.

Bass had not worked for such a large company before, and part of the residency was about getting used to internal procedures and processes. The other challenge was learning to tackle whatever came her way. “The real power of the residency is developing an ‘I'm ready to do it' attitude. I never said, ‘I don't know' or ‘I've never done it.' It was always, ‘I will try,' and not rejecting something just because it's new.”

Bass now works for the acclaimed accounting firm Ernst & Young as a transfer pricing consultant, helping clients navigate a complex international tax landscape and align tax strategy with market developments and business goals.

“With the Northeastern MBA, you gain the knowledge, skills, and right attitude to find good business solutions,” she says.