BYU MBA Academy

Two years ago I received a formal invitation to attend an information dinner regarding the MBA Academy. The invitation stated that the dress code was business casual. When a Google image finally clarified what appropriate business casual was I asked myself, “Me? An undergraduate painting major? In business casual?” At the dinner, people spoke about all the benefits of an “embee-aye”—which didn’t sound too bad. I sat at a table with two business undergraduate majors and a mysterious MBA student. Once we finished dinner, we were asked to network with the MBA student at each of our tables. “So… do you have any kids?” I asked.

This was the beginning of many exciting and worthwhile experiences with the MBA Academy. The MBA Academy is a program that helps undergraduate students who are interested in getting an MBA achieve just that. It helps prepare students for the GMAT, holds a one credit-hour lecture class, and provides opportunities galore to excel in business. I have made friends and have learned about and been trained in some of the most important aspects of business because of the Academy. Here are two:

1. How to Network. Yeah, obviously I needed help. But help did not come through classes about good networking. Instead, imagine being invited to lunch every month with representatives from Intel, HP, and American Express who want to talk to you. It’s the scariest and most efficient way to master networking. After about two of these lunch meetings, I had networking down. I was able to keep up an interesting conversation with business representatives because I had experience in networking, and I was no longer afraid of asking questions. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to get out there and do it. The Academy provided me with opportunities to train in networking. Now, I am used to networking. I can do it well, and professionally without asking unfitting questions about personal family characteristics.

2. Understanding Where I Fit In. One of the best perks of the MBA Academy, however, is the people I've met through the Academy. I met people like me—who weren’t completely occupied with business their whole lives. I met people who did not have expertise in business, but rather medicine, photography, or political science. Each of them was excelling in the MBA program. They excelled because they were different. They had different understandings and brought diversity and new insights to business. They showed me that a painting major, who spends most of her time networking with a canvas, has the ability to succeed in business because I was a painting major. This understanding alone has shifted the direction of my life completely—and I could not be more excited about it.

Two years ago I had no idea what an MBA was. But I know now because of the MBA Academy. Sometimes I still ask myself, “Me? Get an MBA?” Because of what I have learned from the MBA Academy I can answer with a confident “YES.” I am indebted to the MBA Academy for empowering me and giving me the skills and knowledge I need to make my goal of an MBA attainable.

-Stephanie Godinez, BYU MBA Academy Member, Future MBA Student

*This email was written in direct response to the following prospective student question:

I am wondering if any of you have attended the BYU MBA Academy and if it was beneficial for you if you did? --Annie