About Christine
Current Position: Marketing and Consulting Solutions Manager, The Kessler Group
Previous University: University of New Hampshire
Undergraduate Degree: Business Administration/Marketing
Q:What are you studying at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business and when do you plan to graduate? When did you begin the program?
A:My MBA with concentrations in marketing and international business. I started the program in the fall of 2015 and will finish in the spring of 2019.
Q:What do you do in your current job? What are your responsibilities?
A:I'm a marketing supervisor for a financial services firm here in Boston. I manage the execution of direct mail marketing campaigns for one of our clients. Some of my responsibilities include managing vendor relationships, generating creative packages, maximizing efficiencies of production runs, and assisting in strategy development.
Q:How has being enrolled in the program impacted your current job?
A:It's incredible how much I see rolling over from school into work and vice versa. I've learned that there isn't always one solution to a problem. Listening to classroom discussions, you hear different points of view and realize that multiple vantage points make sense. That's something that's carried over into my current job – realizing that sometimes different solutions aren't necessarily right or wrong but rather just varying approaches that could very well solve the same problem.
It's rewarding to study material directly related to my immediate line of work. As someone who learns best with visuals and real life examples, the MBA program has enabled me to apply lessons into my everyday work interactions and performances.
Q:What skills are you building at D'Amore-McKim that you are using in your current job or will use in your future career?
A:The biggest skill, I'd say, is the ability to step back and assess a problem from the perspective of the greater picture. When an issue arises, it's sometimes automatic to focus on that isolated area but in business, everything is part of a process and affects the end goal. Ultimately, looking at the whole picture enables me to think of solutions that might not have come to mind if I wasn't able to take a step back.
Q:What has been your most valuable experience so far?
A:The IFS (International Field Study) course, for sure. A group of us traveled to South America during my first summer term at NU. The program included students from the Northeastern MBA online program as well as on-campus students. I didn't know anyone else enrolled before going and I'm actually glad I didn't. We had an incredible group of people from all over the country. I made a lot of close friends on that trip abroad and the experience was one to remember. I highly recommend the IFS to any and every student. It's a one-of-a-kind experience.
Q:Why did you choose D'Amore-McKim?
A:D'Amore-McKim's reputation speaks for itself but I also have a few good friends who've attended Northeastern and only had positive things to say about the university. They recommended checking it out and the rest is history.
Q:What would you say to a prospective student considering D'Amore McKim for their business degree?
A:I'd tell them to get familiar with the term “case study”. In all seriousness, I'd tell them to strongly consider the positive impact the program could have on their career path. In my opinion, one of the greatest strengths of this program is the heavy emphasis on independent thinking. Classes are geared towards open discussions and students are encouraged to incorporate their own personal experiences into classroom contributions. The professors at D'Amore McKim recognize and celebrate each student's unique background and expertise. You learn a lot about your own strengths and weaknesses, which pushes you to constantly self-improve and evolve.
Q:Where do you see yourself in 5 – 10 years?
A:That's the million-dollar question. Ideally, I'd love to be involved with brand marketing, advertising, or creative marketing development. I've learned though, that life sometimes has its own agenda planned out so I'm eager to see where it leads me. No matter where I end up down the road, my ultimate goal is to be happy, healthy, and financially secure.