Student Stories

I don't have to be there for the live classes—I’m listening to it on my phone, on my drive into work. I do my homework during my lunch hour so that I still have plenty of free time with my family when I get home.”

— Candice Borek, Class of 2023

The WSU Online MBA program was the perfect fit for my lifestyle as a professional athlete, allowing me to manage my time and workload while continuing my education. The program’s class recordings and deadlines provided me with the flexibility to travel with my team to any country or time zone in the US, Australia, or Europe.”

— Celia Jimenez Delgado, Class of 2023

I was already a clinic operations manager, typically working 50 plus hours a week. I'm a mom of a very active child, and I'm a wife, and a volunteer. I was a scout leader. I run a support group. I do all kinds of stuff, and I still had the time to fit this in.”

— Denise Thrush, Class of 2023

The program is set up, I was able to connect with a lot of people. I gained some relationships I’ll carry on throughout my career and the rest of my life.”

— Jason Hostetter, Class of 2023

It was really nice for me to go back to school and do things the right way and prove to myself that I had what it takes to do well in a master's program.”

— Jeff Browne, Class of 2023

Despite the challenges of balancing the role of a solo parent and that of a full-time career professional, I believed that I could strike the right equilibrium. Somehow, I did—emerging with a stellar 4.0 GPA to boot.”

— Melanie Wood, Class of 2023

My EMBA degree has opened doors within my industry that would not have been available to me otherwise. It has given me the confidence to trust my instincts without being complacent, the courage to be visible in a predominantly male industry, and the humility to admit my mistakes and move forward.”

— Paulina Gastelum, Class of 2022

My EMBA allowed me to pause and think beyond my work. I felt energetic to work on something completely different. I found more opportunities to read and learn new things beyond my profession. I gained new insight on how other companies or industries work during the class discussion and homework study.”

— Rachel Tsang, Class of 2022

When reflecting on the early stages of my career, I recognize the value of mentorship. Armed with knowledge acquired from the EMBA program, I am excited to pay it forward and make a difference in developing outstanding business leaders and scholars.”

— Tina Zingmark, Class of 2022

Although my career pathway is not solely in business, my business degree has been an asset. I used my business education to operate my own private practice law firm for 12 years. It also prepared me to work with budgets and financial statements in government operations and (in) sitting on boards of nonprofit organizations.”

— Gloria Ochoa-Bruck, Class of 2021

It’s teaching me things about being a leader, connecting with different students, and connecting with different soldiers and encouraging them to go back to school. Education in general and the outreaching effects that go beyond academia—I think that's probably the biggest benefit I've seen from getting my MBA.”

— Taler Brazell, Class of 2021

My director saw the change in me from when I decided to go back to school. Then he volunteered to be my mentor at the hospital. My hard work is already paying off.”

— Aurora Weddle, Class of 2020

I took a strategy and leadership course and it changed my outlook on how I approached my work. It helped me apply principles to certain situations and become more effective in completing my work and working with others. And perhaps it will help others see me in a different light that can help me advance.”

— Debbie Sands, Class of 2020

It's amazing how you can build relationships with folks based off little Zoom squares, right? But it was pretty easy. One classmate and I would have side conversations and he would encourage me to share my thoughts and opinions with the class. Those little pushes made me a stronger student and reinforced my confidence.”

— Hazelmae Overturf, Class of 2020

The time spent pursuing an MBA is well worth it. It's important to further your education so you can work in whatever field you want, wherever you end up. The more education you have, the more qualified you’ll be for different roles. At a school like WSU, you’ll also have a lot of great resources—even while you’re overseas—to help you through the program.”

— Heather Bobzin, Class of 2020

I've gotten a feel for people who've been in business all their lives, people who work in different industries, or other transitioning military members. Just exposure to other people, and knowing that if I wanted to reach out to people in the future through the Washington State network, I have that opportunity.”

— Heather Bui, Class of 2020

I was big into data before, but now even more so. As an executive director, my EMBA has really helped me analyze data and apply it across the organization.”

— Karli Barich, Class of 2020

The military taught us to go out and utilize concepts, not just memorize things,” said Beasley. “And I think that's the great thing about Washington State—it's not about rote memorization. The educational experience is fully based on your ability to use the concepts you’re taught—to integrate and articulate those concepts in your business environment.”

— Kevin Beasley, Class of 2020

The entire Executive MBA program was able to provide me those skills to speak the language of business. The military has its own language, and there are a lot of parallels between the two. But the courses offered by Washington State University provided the Rosetta Stone, the Rolodex, of translation points. When I look at my resume of what it was to what it is today, it's vastly different.”

— Shane Sullivan, Class of 2020

At the end of the day, the program is truly about building your network and growing your community so you and your classmates can be successful in the industry. Your capstone class prepares you to integrate real-world concepts with your projects, something I am also able to bring into my current position.”

— William Culey, Class of 2020

While in the Executive MBA program, I made eight trips to China for work. The program was designed so I could join classes live or listen to a recorded version. I was traveling a lot more than most students, but I wasn't alone in having a schedule that prevented me from attending lectures on a set schedule.”

— Gary Poelma, Class of 2019

I love the fact that I’m able to work in a team environment and collaborate on projects with different classmates. Even though you start with a cohort of individuals all at the same time, sometimes when you’re in a class, the people that are on your team may be few classes ahead. So, there’s a wealth of knowledge among them and I’ve been able to pick their brains and ask them about some upcoming assignments and projects.”

— Victoria Burke, Class of 2018

I am a strong believer in the MBA education as an opportunity to really let you launch pad into another industry. It worked for me, as a Marine transitioning to the private sector, and several of my close contacts. This Executive MBA program at WSU is a phenomenal opportunity for you to gain a much broader perspective of the business world and the instructors in this program really have a vested interest in your success.”

— Brian Lewis, Class of 2015

The WSU online MBA program far exceeded my expectations. Not only was the classwork really relevant and applicable to what I was doing as a business professional, but the students were of a really high caliber. I was really excited to be around peers with so many different backgrounds and so much knowledge that they brought to the table.”

— Kristin Minetti, Class of 2015

The networking aspect of the Online MBA program is amazing. Alumni do not hesitate to jump in and address student concerns or help them. You are definitely a Coug for life."

— Mike Gump, Class of 2015

If a colleague of mine with a lot of commitments asked about an Executive MBA program, I would recommend the WSU EMBA almost exclusively. Actually, I have done this several times already, and my physician colleagues who enrolled have thanked me for the recommendation. The WSU EMBA program is well situated for professionals like myself, combining substantial flexibility and comprehensive education with an efficient virtual classroom.”

— Joseph Jasser, Class of 2014

Open the Door to Countless Career Options

Whitney Weigum explains how WSU’s Online MBA program helped her gain crucial skills needed to accelerate her career, so she can move into c-suite roles in the future.

Nick Hill’s life as a Marine took him all over the world. But how could he continue his journey around the globe after his time in the military? See how WSU’s MBA helped Nick learn the language of business, which translated into an international career.

We take you inside Candice Borek’s busy world as a mother and full-time professional. She explains how the WSU Online MBA fits her lifestyle and why a new career is important to her family’s future.

Meet Esteban Martinez, MBA student, as he explains his experience with the user-friendly software used for the online MBA degree program at WSU and how it lived up to his expectations.