Thanksgiving Holiday...a time to be grateful, rest, and study!

At last, Thanksgiving break is here. For some, this means lots of hectic traveling, amazing food, and great company. For others, it’s that time of the year when friends and families gather around the dinner table to celebrate an important tradition in the American society. But for everyone, it’s the time of the year when we stop from our busy lives to reflect on the year that is about to end (very soon!) and extend our gratitude about the good (and sometimes the bad) things that have happened in our lives.

As I am waiting for my next flight to go visit my family, I start to reflect on how blessed I've been all my life. I have so many things to be grateful for…I don’t even know where to begin: I’m thankful for my family who has supported me on every level throughout my entire life; I’m blessed to have a number of amazing friends who I can count on no matter what; I’m thankful for the people who have entered in my life at one point or another and who have shaped me into the person I am today; I’m thankful for having a healthy life; I’m thankful for the opportunities I was blessed with (the ability to play tennis and travel around the world doing something I so much enjoy; the opportunity to work under the leadership of some amazing people from whom I learned so much about business and life; the opportunity to attend not one, but two very distinct and respectful universities in the US and get an education that I will carry with me throughout my entire life); and I’m thankful for the challenges I had to face as they made me a better stronger person.

Although I look forward to this mini vacation and spending time with my family, life as a graduate student requires you to be engaged in your school work even during this time. As a graduate student you cannot get away from your studies not even for a few days. I’m sure my classmates can agree with me on this part. As this semester is coming to an end, all the semester-long projects and papers are coming due and the final exams are creeping around the corner. I know I will use these days off to try to catch up not only on my sleep but, in between the copious meals, also on my studies. 

What are your plans for this Thanksgiving break?

What I like about my MBA program so far...

In August, I embarked on a journey of professional and personal development by pursuing my MBA at UNCC. And where did the time go? Many hours were spend studying, reading, writing papers, and doing homework but I'm not complaining because I loved every second of it.

Almost three months into the program, I can say that I made the right decision by attending UNCC. I find the classes challenging but these are challenges that you can overcome through hard work. The professors are pushing you to overcome your own limitations by exploring new ideas and thoughts that further develop you not only as a manager but also as a leader in your organization as well as your personal life. One of the things I enjoy the most is that as students we can customize our papers and projects to fit the areas we are passionate about. For example, in my Organizational Behavior class I will write my research paper on the gender gap within the management of sports organizations, while in my Service Operations class, together with my group, we will be able to do an in-depth study and analysis of a sports franchise in the Charlotte area. These types of assignments no only allow you the opportunity to network with people in the field (by playing the student card) but also develop your knowledge base about the field you aspire to work in one day.

As I mentioned before in a previous blog, my classmates have a very diverse cultural and professional background. I have learned so much in these past three months through my classmates' experiences. Most of my classes are case based and we have open discussions about different topics. It is extremely eye-opening to see how people with diverse backgrounds think about the same subject matter. A financial analyst, an engineer, an artist, and a former plant manager - they all have different perspectives and insights. As someone who doesn't have a lot of work experience in the business world, I was also able to expand my knowledge and understandings by listening to my classmates.

Although I might be a bit "biased," but I found the staff members in the Graduate Student Services office to go above and beyond to accommodate and help not only the current students but also any prospective students who are interested in attending the graduate programs in the Belk College of Business at UNCC. They are all very passionate about their work and understand that they are successful when their students succeed.

These are the things I like about my MBA program. What did/do you like most about yours?