MBA Blog

Financing an MBA Program for Working Professionals

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 20:46:45 +0000

Financing an MBA Program for Working Professionals Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/10/2022 - 14:46

If you’re currently working, you may wonder how you can manage going back to school on top of your workload and how you’re going to pay for it. Most MBA programs have a part-time option to allow working professionals to also attend school. Some businesses will even help pay for an employee's education if that education will apply to the work at their current company and other MBA financing options exist.

Leeds Evening MBA Program

Here at the CU Leeds School of Business, we offer a part time or Evening (part-time) MBA program for full-time professionals at our CU Boulder locations The two-year program, beginning in May each year, provides a variety of core courses in areas like finance, marketing, operations and management. We also have electives courses which allow specialization in a specific functional area such as finance, entrepreneurship, marketing or real estate. Our part-time program was designed with flexibility to allow professionals who are already working and have gained real-world business knowledge to complete their degree in a way that fits their schedule. Learn about the MBA admissions process.

Leeds Hybrid MBA Program

The Leeds Hybrid MBA presents an exceptional opportunity to gain a top-ranked education and powerful network—all while balancing your career and personal commitments.

Leeds Executive MBA Program

The Executive MBA program delivers the innovative business knowledge and skills you can immediately use to strengthen your company’s competitive advantage—and achieve leadership growth that will accelerate your own career trajectory.

Will Your Employer Pay for an MBA Degree?

Some employers will pay for part or all of an MBA program if it will help the business and there are positions that a business would hire with an MBA. Talk to your Human Resources department to see if there’s a tuition reimbursement policy, and if so, what’s necessary to meet the requirements. Some businesses may have conditions such as requiring an employee to stay at the company for a certain period of time after completing the MBA, paying back the company if the employee decides not to continue, what will and won’t be covered such as books, and other policies.

If your company doesn’t have a tuition reimbursement policy, you can develop a case to try to convince them that it’d be worth their investment, similar to what you might do when asking for a raise. Show them your value, what you’ve accomplished and how it has affected the company’s bottom line, how you plan to fit the program into your current schedule and what you can do for the business with an MBA.

Other Financial Possibilities

Other MBA financing options are possible, such as scholarships, financial aid and loans. At the CU Leeds School of Business, all applicants will automatically have the opportunity to receive merit-based fellowship awards. Other fellowship awards are available through the MBA admissions application process.

Learn more about MBA financing through the CU Leeds School of Business and contact us at cefinaid@colorado.edu with any questions.

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Women in Business Executive Series

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 18:39:59 +0000

Women in Business Executive Series Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/09/2020 - 11:39

Katherine Uhlir

For the 2019-2020 academic year, the MBA Women in Business Club has been bringing in local women executives. These events are capped at ten students from all the graduate programs and include a catered lunch. Jessie Dixon, the COO of eCommerce retailer Havenly, was one such executive recently hosted. She shared her academic and professional experience and talked tips for career moves and changes.

Dixon is a proud Buff and holds her BS in Business Administration from Leeds as well as an MBA from Kellogg School of Management. A babyֱ��app local, Dixon’s career has taken her to California before she made the move back. Her experience includes companies like Walmart eCommerce and eBags. Since 2014, Dixon has served as COO of Havenly, an eCommerce company based in Denver that has changed the interior design industry dramatically.

Jessie Dixon, COO of Havenly, discussing her career in eCommerce with women from the graduate program.

During the lunch, Dixon discussed how she got to the role she currently holds. Her career story holds both ups and downs, and some of the advice she offered was to try to maintain perspective when searching for a new job or accepting an offer. Dixon mentioned that some of the job moves she made were missteps; she has no career regrets but can acknowledge that some of the roles she accepted altered her career trajectory in less fulfilling ways.

She left students with tips for the career search and how to determine your professional goals in ways that compliment your personal ones. Also, as an experienced leader in the eCommerce space, Dixon talked about the industry changes she has seen and the opportunities now present for MBA and business graduate students. Lunches like these are a great way for students to connect with the professional community that surrounds Leeds and get real life perspectives from business leaders.

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Lunch and Learn with the CFO of Denver International Airport

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 16:31:41 +0000

Lunch and Learn with the CFO of Denver International Airport Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/03/2019 - 09:31

Katherine Uhlir

For a recent lunch and learn, the Adam Smith Society hosted Gisela Shanahan, the CFO of Denver International Airport. One of the first women in the airport industry, Ms. Shanahan has been with DIA for the last 10 years. Much of her talk touched on the history of DIA and the opportunity for future growth.

Soon to celebrate 25 years of flight, DIA is one of the youngest international airports in the US. It claims the 5^th spot for busiest airport in the country – despite Denver ranking only 19^th in size of metro area. Although a financially independent entity, the CEO does report to the Mayor of Denver, and DIA is owned by the government.

Gisela Shanahan discussing DIA’s sources of revenue.

In general, the airport industry is conservative financially to ensure that if the revenue mark is missed, operating costs are covered. This means planning 20 to 30 years out. For projections with such longevity, DIA stays on top of emerging technologies and changing travel patterns. Likewise, the nature of the airport industry means understanding operations in many different industries such as car rental, retail, aviation, and now hotel.

As a monopoly in the region with a seven-state reach, DIA has a competitive advantage and potential to continue expanding its business. Also, Denver’s location serves DIA well as the city continues to attract new companies and the economy grows. DIA anticipates serving 70 million passengers in 2019; by 2025 that number is projected to jump to 82 million.

Already babyֱ��app’s largest babyֱ��app driver, DIA is one of the few airports in the US with growth potential. The airport owns 53 square miles, which means DIA has space to physically expand. Additionally, Denver’s population growth consists of two primary groups: Baby Boomers and Millennials. Both demographics travel more than the average American, meaning DIA sees higher frequencies of average travel than other equivalent airports. Furthermore, new aviation technology, like the Boeing Dreamliner, doesn’t require international flights to stop on the coasts. With all these industry drivers, the future looks bright for DIA.

Lining up for Illegal Pete’s.

Optional lunch and learns like this are a good example of the academic but extracurricular offerings that Leeds MBA students enjoy. They help students glimpse unfamiliar industries, network with local businesses, and meet local executives.

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GMAT or GRE? Choosing Your Standardized Test

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 03:04:37 +0000

GMAT or GRE? Choosing Your Standardized Test Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/21/2019 - 20:04

Katherine Uhlir

When preparing to apply to a graduate program, one of the main questions prospective students ask is which standardized test, GMAT or GRE, should they take. Like many other MBA and MS programs around the country, Leeds accepts scores from either test and the admissions team does not have a preference of one exam over the other.

The GRE (Graduate Records Examinations) is a standardized test used by most graduate programs. It is owned by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and has been in use since 1936. The sections of the test include three sections: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. As ETS emphasizes, the GRE is intended to comprehensively assess a prospective student’s skills, knowledge, and readiness for further education. Scores are between 130 and 170 for the verbal and quantitative sections and 0 to 6 for writing. Unlike other standardized tests, GRE scores report individual section scores rather than combining.

On the other hand, the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a graduate business assessment used by management-specific programs. In 1953, nine business schools formed the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) with intention of developing a test solely for graduate management applicants. It has four sections: analytical writing, quantitative, verbal, and integrated reasoning. Composite scores are between 200 and 800 while scores for quantitative and verbal are 0 to 60, analytical writing is 0 to 6, and integrated reasoning is 1 to 8.

In terms of differences, while both tests measure verbal and quantitative skills they do so in different ways. The verbal component of the GRE focuses more on testing your ability to create and complete sentences. The GMAT is more about verbal assessment and being able to correct and assess text. Likewise, the GMAT’s quantitative and integrated reasoning sections center on analysis and data interpretation unlike the more straightforward math problems of the GRE.

Overall, the GMAT tests analytical and problem-solving skills, and the GRE sways more towards other straightforward standardized tests with vocab questions and math problems. Both tests can help reflect your readiness for a management program. When deciding which test to prepare for, consider your professional and academic background as well as your skillset. From my own perspective, I chose to take the GMAT because I have strong analytical and reasoning skills, which lends itself well to the format of the test. Also, I had previously taken the GRE and my scores were expired and not particularly solid, so I thought it would make sense to try the GMAT.

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New Product Development at Sterling Rice Group

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 18:01:30 +0000

New Product Development at Sterling Rice Group Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/19/2019 - 11:01

Katherine Uhlir

One of the benefits of an MBA program in Boulder is the ability to visit local companies. As an optional field trip as part of Professor Jay Waddell’s New Product Development class, a group of Second Year MBAs visited the downtown office of Sterling Rice Group. Founded in 1984, SRG is headquartered in Boulder, has just under 150 mostly female employees, and is proudly woman-owned. Now retired from consulting, Professor Waddell has two decades of experience with SRG – experience that he incorporates into his teaching.

JC Longbottom talking to the group about the work they do at SRG.

Earlier this semester, JC Longbottom, a managing director and partner at SRG spoke in class to students from New Product Development; so this company visit came as a follow-up to the anecdotes shared then. Our group was welcomed by JC and by Jenna Fraser, an associate strategist. They showed us the different workspaces that SRG has to offer, including their industrial kitchen that has helped them with many projects in consumer packaged goods and food products.

The office has beautiful views of downtown Boulder.

Part of the company visit was dedicated to discussing past projects at SRG and being in the office really brought the stories to life. SRG has a long history of success in the food industry with clients like Jack In the Box, Cinnabon, and Starbucks. For students interested in consulting and especially those interested in consulting for food brands, JC and Jenna shared valuable insights about the creative process in the space.

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Alumna Spotlight: Andrea Phillips, Military MBA ('17)

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 17:10:35 +0000

Alumna Spotlight: Andrea Phillips, Military MBA ('17) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/15/2019 - 10:10

Andi Sue Phillips

Andi-Sue in her Pilot seat

Current Job: Human Factors Engineer Consultant | Airline Pilot

Andrea "Andi Sue" Phillips elected to get her MBA after service in the Navy for 20+ years. She shares with us her reasons for pursuing the MBA after the Milltary and how our Evening MBA program helped her transition from military to civilian life.

Why did you pursue an MBA after the military?

After being in the Navy for 20+ years, I wanted to learn about leadership, business, organizational change and entrepreneurship from a civilian perspective. Even though I had many transferable skills from the military; management, pilot, human factors engineer - I thought it would be best to take some time to gain a valuable business education and explore all my options for the civilian business world. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I made after transitioning out of the Navy and created a seamless transition to civilian life.

Why did you choose the Leeds MBA specifically?

University of babyֱ��app – Boulder is an amazing school, in an amazing location. I came for a tour of Leeds School of Business and was thoroughly impressed with the Leeds MBA program! The flexibility and scope of topics is really impressive. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I wanted the Daytime, Evening or the Executive Program and the admissions staff was extremely helpful in answering all of my questions. I ended up choosing the Evening program because I wanted the smaller cohort style classes, as well as the flexibility for internships and networking during the normal workday. The variety of classes allowed me to try so many things, from marketing to building websites, learning SEO to understanding business financial documents, from entrepreneurship classes to learning organizational change for large corporations. Great choice for anyone transitioning out of the service!

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The Women in Business Annual Retreat

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 16:09:04 +0000

The Women in Business Annual Retreat Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/29/2019 - 10:09

Katherine Uhlir

Leeds has a dedicated approach to bridging the gender divide in business with its End the Gap 2020 Initiative. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to attend events and workshops, and participate in clubs and groups that strive to diversify the world of business. Within the graduate program, MBA candidates can participate in activities hosted by the Women in Business Club.

Most Women in Business events are open to all, with the exception of the annual Women in Business Retreat designed for First- and Second-Year fulltime women MBA students. The Retreat takes place during the Fall Semester with the aim to help break the ice between the two MBA classes and build relationships.

In the kitchen making dinner.

This year, the group stayed local with an overnight at a house in Boulder. With no planned events other than meals, graduate women enjoyed a relaxed evening getting to know each other, discussing career goals, and debating whether Ikon or Epic is the better ski pass.

Enjoying tacos and meeting new faces.

This is the first time in years that the graduate programs’ blogger has been a woman, and Leeds really wants to capitalize on that. I’ve got a number of women in business posts planned (including the entrepreneurial event). None of them are intended to feature the WiB club specifically. The goal is to show what the end the gap 2020 initiative looks like in the MBA program

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Leeds Through the Eyes of a Changemaker

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 15:43:02 +0000

Leeds Through the Eyes of a Changemaker Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/01/2019 - 09:43

Anneli Gray

Meet Hannah, a second-year MBA studying organizational change management at Leeds School of Business. She describes her decision to attend Leeds as “the best investment I ever made in myself.”

Hannah recently received the Rebecca Adamson Indigenous Rights & Business Scholarship. “I want to use my degree to remove cross-cultural barriers and make positive impact to those who need their voices heard,” says Hannah.

Another population that needs its voice heard, according to Hannah, is women in business. She uses her role as president of the MBA Women in Business club to foster unity. “I feel that as a woman, I have a responsibility to uplift and empower the women around me. If we nurture a supportive community of women in the MBA program, we are more likely to support one another post-graduation.”

The tight-knit community of students and babyֱ��app at Leeds has been a revelation to Hannah, who describes it as “extremely interpersonal and forward-thinking.” Likewise, she’s discovered that the broader Boulder business community is actively invested in Leeds students.

Looking ahead, Hannah plans to take what she learned as an intern at Charles Schwab in San Francisco and work in the organizational change management field, while serving her community.

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Disco Intern-O! 2019: A Fun Way to Network

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 18:53:50 +0000

Disco Intern-O! 2019: A Fun Way to Network Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/12/2019 - 12:53

Katherine Uhlir

Students are back on campus, and classes are underway for Fall 2019. As Leeds welcomes the MBA Class of 2021, it encourages students to step outside the classroom and explore other ways to get involved with the program and with each other. Disco Intern-O! offers one such way to mingle with classmates in a laid-back networking environment.

This year marks the third annual Disco, and we had a strong turnout from both MBA classes.

The event looks like a career fair with Second Year MBAs representing the company where they interned.

Designed to help facilitate networking between First Year and Second Year MBAs, the event provides a way for Second Years to share about their summer internships in a career fair type format. This year, we had students representing companies including Amazon, Ball Aerospace, Twilio, and ZOMA Capital. Likewise, First Years can ask questions about particular companies, find out more about the internship application process, or get tips on interviewing.

For the First Years unsure about what industry or role they want to pursue, talking with classmates who had the same experience a year ago is a great way to discover how to focus an internship search. Not quite ready to dive headfirst into the internship search? Many students use the Disco as a fun way to meet new faces and ask questions about classes and professors – or about hobbies and living in the Boulder area. As one of the earliest networking events of the year, Disco Intern-O! is meant to be fun and set-up to let students guide their own networking.

Fueling up for Disco Intern-O!

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Barney Ford Silent Auction: The Most Anticipated (and Best) Event of the Year

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 20:30:30 +0000

Barney Ford Silent Auction: The Most Anticipated (and Best) Event of the Year Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/11/2019 - 14:30

Eight first-year Leeds MBA students, six months, zero dollars in the budget, and countless hours of working closely with the administrators at Leeds, after classes and on weekends, all to host one of Boulder’s most exciting events of the year: The Barney Ford Silent Auction 2019. This year’s $30,000 record-breaking event at the Dairy Arts Center can be attributed to the almost 200 patrons, over 100 donated items, and crucial sponsorships from a wide range of individuals and businesses.

For the curious ones, every year, a group of first-year MBA students organize and host this silent auction fundraising event for an MBA student diversity scholarship. This year’s team included eight stellar students: Gibson Hoyt (President), Ashton Collins (VP of Event Planning), KJ Jungne (VP of Donations), Evan Peleaux (VP of Donations), Robin Pope (VP of Special Projects), Walker Boswell (VP of Sponsorships), Lindsay Randall (VP of Volunteer Coordination), and Chrysanthia Cheung-Lau (VP of Marketing)

On April 12^th, the Arts Center’s doors finally opened at 6:00 PM after the team made their final touches ensuring the check-in tables, food, beverages, and auction items were in the right spots. However, the crowd didn’t reach its full capacity until 45 minutes into the event when attendees rushed to win the bidding wars for their items of interest. Students, babyֱ��app, staff, alumni, and community members all mingled happily throughout the night while bidding, wining and dining on catered food from A Spice of Life and beer from Sanitas Brewing Company. We also cannot forget to mention the 250+ freshly baked cookies and keg of freshly brewed root beer donated from BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse along with tasty dishes from Rincon Del Sol, Tibet Kitchen, Kalita Grill Greek Cafe, and Ali Baba Grill

After everyone was content with food and drinks, the silent auction heated up between individuals competing for items such as vouchers for a month of yoga classes at Yoga Pod. With a fair market value of $160, community supporter, Angela Hansen, snagged this amazing deal at $60, outbidding student Nicole Jozwiak by $5. Fortunately, there were plenty of other options for Nicole to win, including a month-long climbing membership for $56, originally an $88 fair market value. These two ladies were both good sports, shook hands at the end, and both went home as winners.

The highlight of the night was the live auction portion of the evening with John Helmers, the Associate Director of the Graduate Career Management, taking the reins as the official emcee once again. During these thirty exhilarating minutes, second-year MBA student, Ethan Lake, won the “Wob-B-Q” (A BBQ meal at Professor Rich Wobbekind’s house for ten) with a winning bid of $1,000, while the highest bidding item of the night, a 4-night stay in Breckenridge, went to first-year MBA student, Kimberly Cowan, for $2,500! We hope all these students, along with everyone else who attended had a wonderful time, and we hope to see everyone again next year for another epic, record-breaking night!

Also, check out the Leeders of Tomorrow Instagram page for more on diversity efforts and general happenings at the Leeds School of Business.

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