Sunday, September 2, 2012

New Life As A 1st Year Howard MBA Student

By Autumn Smith, MBA Candidate, 2014

First two months of school, done!

The past two months have been filled with classes, studying, meetings, networking, and so much more. At times, it still feels surreal that I am in the MBA program at the Mecca, Howard University. The HUMBA family has welcomed me with open arms, and the guidance thus far is most appreciated.

The Howard MBA program has been everything I expected, and more. We have already had the opportunity to connect with employees in leading companies, such as Deloitte, to discover the opportunities available. We took an excel VBA crash course in preparation for use in course analysis and practical business.  In addition  the case competition training prepared us for the rigors of deconstructing a business  problem and using the available tools to analyze it, present scenarios, generate business models and project possible disruptive outcomes.  

 The two important factors that build confidence for me, were reinforced in my first few weeks; which were to  schedule priorities and  prepare. Arriving in a new and exciting city with unlimited academic, professional, cultural and social activities available can entice one to loose focus. Hence, the opportunities presented with in the HUMBA program to participate in  professional organizations, volunteerism, consulting,  and professional development classes are incredibly important to ones career.  The key to a successful outcome requires prioritization and maximization of said opportunities. These  two years  will greatly effect my career development.  Therefore, it's critical to learn the ins and outs of navigating  the waters post HUMBA, by mastering the use of the tools, techniques, connections and information to accelerate.

In just two months, I've grown immensely.  I look forward to my continued transformation within the Howard MBA program.  Moreover, the connections I've acquired thus far,  have made memorable impressions and hopefully lasting relationships throughout my career and for years to come. 

Autumn Smith is currently an MBA candidate at the Howard University School of Business, Class of 2014. Autumn earned a B.S. in marketing from DePaul University and worked for the Chicago Tribune Media Group as a Social Media specialist before entering the Howard MBA program.  

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