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24 Oct 2024, 07:00
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| FROM Haas Admissions Blog: Leveraging an MBA to create new opportunities |
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Creativity is a touchstone for Stewart Hendricks, EMBA 26. In his 15-year career he has worked in marketing and advertising, first at nonprofits then at large agencies like Ogilvy and iProspect, culminating in creating the first in-house agency for the global publisher, Hachette Book Group. But Stewart knows he can do more. He wants “to be creative at the level of influencing how an organization invests, how it positions its products and itself for the future. To do that, I need to be able to tap into different kinds of expertise—financial, operational—and to frame ideas and opportunities in the language used at the decision-makers’ table.” These were exactly the people I want to learn with." Getting an MBA would be an organized way for Stewart to learn those languages and diversify his networks. He considered full-time MBA programs until he found out about executive MBA programs, where Stewart described being “floored and elated” when he met his cohort in the Berkeley MBA for Executives program at an event for admitted students. “These were exactly the people I want to learn with: smart and down-to-earth. There was zero posturing,” he said. Just as important was their diversity of backgrounds, ranging from armed services veterans to a dozen people with doctorates, including engineers, physicians, a polymer chemist, and the owner of a veterinary hospital. He went on to say, “More than half of my classmates are from other countries, mostly in Asia and Southeast Asia. As someone of mixed race and someone who lived outside of the U.S. as a child, I’m familiar with being ‘the other.’ I find myself talking with classmates (both from the States and abroad) about their experiences, discussing the differences in the learning systems we’ve grown up in, and remembering that the ‘American Way’ isn’t the only way to learn or be in the world. We all have so much to learn from each other.” He also is “thrilled” with the residency and block format of classes three days a week, once or twice a month. Even though he lives just off campus, Stewart is “eager to check into the hotel with my classmates on Wednesday. By Saturday afternoon, I am both tired and exhilarated.” Core classes like Financial Accounting are helping Stewart fill in knowledge gaps and make the connections between disciplines. He recently completed the first field immersion, Leadership Communications, where he got to meet members of the EMBA classes of 2024 and 2025. They warned the class of 2026 that there would be tears and friendships formed that weekend in Santa Cruz. And for Stewart, it was a “profound” experience. “In our small group work, I heard feedback that reinforced the value of authenticity, of being true to my own voice. My classmates expressed a wish to see more, even when presenting, of the things that make me ‘Me.” That discussion drew my attention to my straining to tamp myself down in pursuit of a certain ‘palatability’. I hadn’t been aware that I was doing that, and I’ve taken that to heart.” Starting his MBA studies was just one of a series of significant life changes for Stewart in the past 12 months. A longtime New Yorker, he became a student again and moved to Berkeley. Now, resources like the Haas Alumni Network and Career Services are central to his “vigorous” job search. Classmates and recent EMBA grads have passed on tips about how the companies Stewart is targeting structure the roles and type of work he is moving toward. “Creative businesses attract me, and my advertising experience has been tech-heavy, both in terms of who my enterprise clients were and having done a great deal of AdTech, data, and development work across organizations. Looking ahead, I want to be in a position to use these skills to drive creativity, transformation, and bottom-line results,” he said. He chose to work with Jamie Breen, who retired as assistant dean of MBA programs and continues to consult as a Career Services advisor, for her familiarity with EMBAs and her experience in coaching executives. Their short-term goal is finding the right job; longer-term, they will explore growth opportunities. “I’ve never had anyone really invest in me as a mentor or coach. Having that is truly a valuable opportunity and such good fortune,” he said. Living so close to campus, Stewart takes full advantage of the multitude of academic, athletic, and cultural opportunities at Cal. For Stewart, being on a real campus is an “undervalued asset,” even for EMBA students, and he is intent on keeping his classmates connected with what’s going on. If he has his way, that will include the Cal Club Soccer team’s schedule. Stewart has been playing soccer—or football as he knew it when he started playing at age 5—most of his life, and he is eager to try out for the team. “In my career and on the pitch, I want to stay on the front foot, playing at the highest level that I can.”  
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29 Oct 2024, 08:00
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| FROM Haas Admissions Blog: Flex MBA student strengthens every business muscle |
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You can ask him. He’ll tell you. As a member of the top-ranked Berkeley Haas Evening & Weekend MBA program’s inaugural Flex cohort, graduating in 2025, Austin Hayden is a passionate advocate for the Flex MBA program. Austin’s path to the Flex MBA began a decade ago. After selling his startup, he began to think about what would come next for him. After interviewing with Wharton and considering several other top programs, Hayden felt none of them were the perfect fit. He was seeking a program that would challenge him intellectually, expose him to diverse perspectives, and fit his life. “At the time, I was just coming off of a startup exit and still working closely with the new owners, and an in-person program would have kind of thrown a wrench into that process. Since the co-founders that I had were in Utah,. I interviewed and was accepted and given a scholarship to one of the programs in Utah, but I determined I didn't want to do that program because it didn't fit the criteria I was looking for. I was looking for something that would help me diversify my thought process, something that would introduce me to more diverse people from diverse backgrounds and diverse industries.” “I also interviewed here in Arizona with my wife at ASU during their part-time program, but it didn't meet the criteria I'd set for myself. I wanted a rigorous, networked, and changing experience.” Dissatisfied with his options, he actually gave up on pursuing an MBA at all since he couldn’t find an option that met his standards for rigor and the flexibility he needed to manage his school and life responsibilities. When Austin discovered Berkeley’s Flex MBA program, it was a game-changer. "The Flex cohort was the right option for me...it allows me and my wife to continue to live in Arizona, which has been great for us," he explains. The program's flexibility and the rich diversity of the cohort, with students from all over the world, were precisely what he was looking for. The Berkeley Haas Flex option: A paradigm shift in MBA education The Flex MBA program is a testament to UC Berkeley’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of working professionals. It recognizes that the traditional MBA model, with its rigid on-campus requirements, may not be feasible for everyone. By offering a flexible scheduling option, the Flex MBA has opened doors for individuals like Austin, who seek a world-class education without compromising their careers or personal lives. Key features of the Flex MBA program Online + On Campus: The program seamlessly integrates live online instruction with asynchronous coursework, allowing students to learn at their own pace and convenience. After the first year, students can choose to take electives either online or on campus, providing additional flexibility. Same Top-Ranked MBA: Flex MBA students have access to the same renowned faculty, alumni network, and career resources as students in Berkeley Haas' other top-ranked MBA programs. This ensures a consistent and high-quality educational experience across all formats. Flexibility and Community: While the program offers flexibility in terms of location and scheduling, it also prioritizes community building. Students participate in three required on-campus immersion weekends, fostering strong connections with their peers and faculty. Proven Success: The Flex MBA has already garnered recognition, ranking #2 in the U.S. News & World Report's 2024 list of Best Part-Time MBA Programs. This demonstrates the program's effectiveness in delivering a rigorous and relevant curriculum in a flexible format. Evening & Weekend Flex MBA Program by the Numbers
When asked who would be a good fit for the Flex program, Austin shared, “I think that the Flex program, in particular, is a good fit for somebody who wants to have a top-quality education, is willing to put in work, and is a self-starter. I think people who have those qualities are looking to increase their network, or maybe they're looking to get more educated, or maybe they're looking to make a career change, and they're trying to get additional context for what they should change to. I think if you have those three basic qualities, the Flex cohort is going to be a great experience for you.” As an experienced entrepreneur, Austin had already honed his self-teaching skills across various business disciplines. However, he recognized the value of expert guidance and the way faculty helped him connect with "threads" of knowledge in a structured way. “So could I learn about conjoint analysis separately? Certainly, there's YouTube videos on it. There's books you can read. But the value of Berkeley's MBA is its top quality instructors who have significant levels of industry experience, who are teaching me concepts at a level that I can understand and remember.” Finding balance Balancing a demanding remote job, family responsibilities, and rigorous coursework required careful time management and prioritization. Austin shared, “I'm married and I have three children andwant to be a present parent, so I try to keep my weekends clear. I work a decent number of hours every week, probably averaging around 50, so that has made it somewhat challenging. I spend Monday through Friday doing my normal work schedule. I spend a few hours with my kids before they go to bed. Once they're in bed, I'll hop back on my computer and do some more homework. Sometimes that cycle can be pretty tough. It means probably three to four nights a week, I am doing homework, whether that's reading materials or whether that's doing assignments.” The Flex MBA is more flexible, but it is still a highly rigorous and demanding program. It can take some time to adjust to these extra demands on your time. In his first year, Austin admits that his physical health suffered as he struggled to juggle everything. “The first year for me, it was my physical health that fell off. This second year, I've done a lot better at managing my time and making sure that I can still get to the gym or go on a bike ride.” Thriving in a diverse and collaborative environment Austin wasn’t sure what to expect from UC Berkeley, but he has found himself feeling right at home. “I've been surprised how open-minded everyone is, both the students and the faculty. Sometimes it's easy to pigeonhole a university as a certain type of thing. So like business school, for example, they say everything's about money, but my experience here has been we talk about business because that's what we're here to learn about, but we also talk about the value of business to society as a whole, which you probably don't get at every business school.” One of the most significant advantages of the Flex program for Austin has been the diversity of his cohort. "The Flex cohort is just astoundingly diverse," he says. "People from all over the place who do all sorts of different things are coming together to learn and share stories and information and build relationships." This exposure to diverse perspectives has broadened Austin's horizons and enriched his learning experience. Learning online with the Flex MBA option Online programs sometimes struggle to replicate the close collaboration you experience in the classroom, but Austin found that the opposite was true for his MBA Flex cohort. “The people who have enjoyed it the most have enjoyed working with their study groups. The groups that work closely together have had the best experience. The group that I've worked with has been fantastic every step of the way, which has been really awesome. We are willing to work with each other's schedules. If somebody's busy, we are willing to pick up a little bit of extra work that week for them, and they'll do the same for us another week.” Reflecting on his experiences with in-person and online learning, Austin sees the strengths of both but has found the Flex MBA’s digital classroom experience offers several advantages. “If you're a remote student or a remote employee, any conversation has to be relatively intentional, since you have to schedule time for it. You can be anywhere, doing anything, at any time. I can be on a work trip and I can still attend which isn't something that any of the in-person students can do. It also means that I can interact with my classmates digitally throughout the week. It's just a different sort of dynamic.” As he nears graduation in 2025, Austin believes that the program's flexibility and global reach represent the future of education. "My personal opinion is, I think that what Berkeley Haas is doing is the future of education," he says. "It's going to allow the university to scale to its audience in a way that no other university has successfully managed yet, at least in any of the top programs around the world. So having people who attend class from China, because that's where they're from, or when somebody in my cohort attends from Egypt or from London or from Germany - I've gotten to see things that I would never have gotten to see in any other programs.” A transformative experience Austin’s experience in the UC Berkeley Flex MBA program underscores the program's success in catering to the unique needs of working professionals so they can pursue their educational goals without sacrificing their careers or personal lives. "It's been a fantastic experience," he concludes. "If I had to start over, I would still do this program 100%." “If I choose to go back into entrepreneurship, it's strengthened pretty much every business muscle, so I can be a better leader. Or, if I choose to stay in the corporate world, it still has made me a better leader. So I now have context and understanding for the decisions that are made within my current company in a way that I didn't have before I started the program, which is something I can now take into my future endeavors and use to make better decisions.” The Berkeley Haas Flex option offers some unique advantages and allows you to get the same top-ranked MBA without compromising your lifestyle.  
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31 Oct 2024, 07:00
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| FROM Haas Admissions Blog: From theory to practice: how MBA students apply classroom knowledge to career and life |
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While earning an MBA degree from any institution is certainly an accomplishment, Haas students at the University of California, Berkeley have always wanted more than just a diploma. They are driven by a deep desire for transformational learning—seeking classroom lessons they can immediately utilize in their workplaces and lives. Over the past months, we’ve chatted with several Evening & Weekend MBA students, all MBA 25 students in our inaugural Flex cohort, to learn about how they are taking their MBA learnings from theory to practice. Let’s look at some snippets of each of their stories and see the diverse ways Haas students are applying classroom knowledge to career and life. Emily Harmon: mastering business strategy and wall street Emily Harmon, an HR Business Partner at Microsoft, struggled in meetings with business leaders before pursuing her MBA. Her role involved advising them on people strategy, but her struggle to understand their business goals created a disconnect. She adds “Sometimes there is a feeling like HR needs to earn their seat at the table with business leaders.” While she cites Data Analytics as being a particularly helpful class in her work, the program as a whole has greatly improved her confidence in working with these leaders. “I experienced a lot of personal growth in my understanding of how business works and in how I show up. The leaders feel like I understand what they’re trying to do, and I’ve immediately improved my partnerships.” Emily chuckles as she shares another example of applying classroom learnings. She says, “After I took my Asset Management elective, I would watch news segments about Wall Street and the stock market, and I understand what they’re talking about now. There’s so much value in what we’re learning.” Daniel Mitchell: becoming a mentor Sometimes lessons learned in the classroom extend beyond the workplace and also influence students’ personal lives. Daniel Mitchell wasn’t expecting such personal growth from an MBA, but he shares about this unexpected outcome: “One unanticipated way I’ve grown is through interpersonal skills. I’ve taken lessons from the communication courses, interpersonal skills, and Embodied Leadership classes and applied these to mentoring younger colleagues, and even in my personal life. These courses also gave me tools to bolster my public speaking capabilities.” For Daniel, the ample opportunities for relationship-building within the program have been a catalyst to this growth. He notes that Haas provides plenty of avenues for relationship development and that students who seize these opportunities can uncover a great “personal treasure.” Michele Obermeyer: evidence-based team leadership in a start-up During her time in the Flex MBA program, Michele Obermeyer took a big risk and decided to move to a smaller company where she could make a greater impact. She currently works as the Director of Engineering at a Pre-Series A company with a small team. Being part of a start-up is providing endless opportunities for her to bring her classroom knowledge into her career. To be able to sit in a class and immediately turn around and put it into effect shows that the professors really know what they’re talking about..." For Michele, the Leading People class especially sticks out. “We spent a lot of time on general best practices for leading a team. That was all immediately relevant to what I was doing. To be able to sit in a class and immediately turn around and put it into effect shows that the professors really know what they’re talking about and you’re truly getting something out of the program.” Because the team at her company was small, she had a lot of opportunities to build new processes in accordance with her learnings. She’s enjoyed putting more thorough development practices in place and has helped her team craft better goals and timelines. She draws confidence from Haas’ evidence-based curriculum and has found applying classroom learnings to her career to be nothing short of transformational. Bryce Powerman: healthcare structure and negotiation Bryce Powerman works for a genetic testing company, Natera, and shared how his courses helped him map out a team structure at his company: “I took an Organizational Behavior and Healthcare class that was about the structure of healthcare organizations. That really got me thinking about the most efficient team structures for various corporate settings. We are contemplating a shift of my team—creating a true business unit and segmenting various responsibilities all into one area. So I’ve been able to use takeaways from that class to map out what the team could look like.” Bryce also found a course on negotiation particularly beneficial. He says, “I do partnerships right now at my current company, so I’m in negotiations a lot, and I’ve applied this course quite a bit,” He adds with a chuckle that it’s also aided him in various negotiations with friends and family. Nour Abi Samra: stepping up to management Nour Abi Samra shared a bit about the ways she has seen herself grow in her role as a Project Solutions Architect since beginning her MBA at Haas: “The program has helped me think more strategically and align my work priorities with what benefits the company the most. More importantly, being in the program has empowered me to recognize that I am capable of performing beyond my current role, and that I am ready to step into a leadership and management position.” Gene Lee: foundational knowledge for a startup One of the reasons Gene Lee wanted to pursue a part time online program is that he saw the value of simultaneous learning and implementation, instead of just full time classes. When he joined Flex, he was serving as the Chief of Staff to the President at a higher education startup, Reach. Like in any startup, staff wear many different hats, and one of the hats Gene wore was coordinating the auditing process with a consultant. He was able to immediately implement his learnings from his Accounting class for this project. Gene says, “I think it’s really important to be able to learn the fundamentals and then do it. The nice thing about being in a smaller startup is that you really get the chance to apply a whole swath of things across the board—general management, finance, accounting, to strategy. I found the classes to all be very applicable for these areas.” Another example he gave was an in-person course he took about Business Models. During the class, they would look at a case and then a guest speaker from that case would come and speak with the class. He says Reach was sorting through some of the same questions covered in the cases, so he also found that to be very applicable for his work life. Mei Headley: perfecting the art of data presentations Mei Headley says she has seen significant growth in her professional life since beginning the program. This especially manifests through increased confidence in presenting data in compelling and authentic ways. She says, “Previously, I sometimes found it challenging to command attention and convey complex information effectively. However, classes like Leadership Communications and Inclusive Leadership have been transformative.” She shared an example of a specific speaking technique that particularly resonated with her: The Vertical Takeoff: “This technique emphasizes beginning a presentation with a powerful statement or story that immediately grabs the audience's attention. The week following this class, I had the opportunity to apply it directly in a high-stakes situation. I was tasked with a speaking role at our Annual General Meeting in front of our Limited Partnerships, a critical audience for anyone in the industry. Remembering the class discussion, I crafted my opening to make an impactful start, aiming to capture and hold the LPs' attention right from the beginning. The result was noticeably more engagement and a positive feedback loop that boosted the rest of my presentation.” Now equipped with the skills and confidence to effectively present data, Mei has become a more persuasive communicator. For her, this has “marked a substantial step forward” in her career development. Tony Lee: an unexpected journey of entrepreneurship During the second on-campus immersion experience, Leadership Communication, Tony Lee and his classmates were tasked to write a letter from their future selves and then read the letters to their classmates. The letters revealed that he and classmate Ike Ma had remarkably complementary goals. Tony envisioned a change in the health care delivery system while Ike dreamed about new generative AI opportunities. Tony approached Ike after class and proposed they work together to create a new healthcare startup. Together they founded AidRx with the goal to “revolutionize the clinical documentation process making it more streamlined, accurate, and efficient, thereby empowering healthcare professionals and ultimately improving patient care.” Starting from the ground up, they’ve leveraged insights from a variety of classroom topics, immediately implementing those lessons into their startup. They have also been able to leverage Berkeley Haas’ resources and do an accelerator program through UC Launch. Two threads in a powerful combination While the dreams, careers, and life goals of Berkeley Haas students are diverse, two common threads unite their journeys in the Flex program: closing knowledge gaps and building the confidence to reach new heights in life and career. Whatever challenges or knowledge gaps students faced upon entering the program are addressed through practical, evidence-based, and immediately applicable classroom learning. But beyond just filling knowledge gaps, Haas instills in its students the confidence to act. Whether it’s speaking up in meetings, leading teams, mentoring colleagues, strategizing in business, changing jobs, or even launching startups, Flex students gain a transformative confidence that propels them forward. This powerful combination of evidence-based, practical content and a renewed confidence equips students to take bold steps toward their dreams—proving the real value of a Berkeley Haas MBA degree reaches far beyond the classroom. 
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