Work. Life. MBA. How I Balance it All

Pursuing an MBA has long been a dream of mine—one that I carried with me since my undergraduate years at UC Davis. At the time and for so many varied reasons, that dream was out of reach. I did not graduate with the GPA I had hoped for, and I let that overshadow my sense of possibility for too long.

I told myself I didn’t have what it takes to thrive in a rigorous academic program like the MBA, and I wondered how I made it through my undergraduate years. But life has a way of showing you just how wrong those limiting beliefs can be.

I now know that my GPA does not define me or my potential—my determination, perseverance and sense of purpose do.

That realization is what ultimately inspired me to pursue the Sacramento Part-Time MBA at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM). I wanted to invest in myself in a meaningful way, not just for the credentials, but to challenge myself to grow personally and professionally.

An MBA was the next step forward in becoming the kind of leader I envision as someone strategic, inclusive and deeply effective in both my personal and professional environments.

If you’re ready to invest in yourself, grow in ways you can’t yet imagine and surround yourself with a community that believes in your potential, you belong at UC Davis.

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Balancing MBA, Work, and Life

Like so many Part-Time MBA students, I juggle multiple roles—working professional, student, community member and family member. Balancing work, school and life has not always been easy, but it has been deeply rewarding. The key I have found to help manage work/life/school balance is meaningful structure and personal intention.

I live by my calendar now, and, to the best of my ability, I make room for rest just as much as I do for assignments and work obligations. It wasn’t easy, and I am still transitioning to this way of thinking. I’ve learned to give myself grace when things don’t go perfectly and to lean into my support systems: my family, my friends, my cohort, my professors, GSM staff and my colleagues.

My best piece of advice is this: Be honest about your bandwidth, communicate early and often with your instructors and team members and do not be afraid to ask for help!

Diverse Perspectives, Sharper Thinking

Your cohort will become one of your greatest assets. You will be amazed by the friendships you build and the community that uplifts you every step of the way. One of the most enriching aspects of the program has been the diversity of thought and experience among my peers.

The Part-Time MBA program attracts professionals from every industry, including education, tech, health care, government, and entrepreneurship, and learning alongside them has sharpened my own thinking and broadened my perspective.

From the first day of the first class we built a tight camaraderie as classmates, and this only helped me to experience the most amazing learning environment I’ve ever had. The courses are taught by world-renowned, accomplished and caring professors. The knowledge and life-changing education so far have helped me focus on a new career path that always seemed inconceivable.

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Redefining My Future in Accounting

I am in the first year of the program, and the Financial Accounting course has truly transformed my approach to finance, leadership and technology.

In this class, the professor introduced the concepts and objectives underlying financial reporting in a way that was accessible, but also incredibly thought-provoking because of my background in administration at a financial services firm.

The chance to expand upon topics of accounting that I was slightly familiar with and that piqued my interest and experiences related to business and accounting, was one that I did not realize I wanted.

Taking this course has shaped my choice for a future career path. I am extremely grateful to the professor for the care, consideration and time she dedicated to discussing career opportunities. I walked away from this course with a renewed sense of growth and the belief in a new career path that I feel will suit me perfectly.

Dream Bigger With an MBA

When I first applied to the UC Davis MBA program, my goal was to advance within my current organization. However, the MBA program has helped me dream bigger. I now see myself stepping into higher-level leadership roles, possibly in finance operations or strategy.

Being elected to the Graduate School of Management’s Sacramento Part-Time MBA Student Board as vice president of internal affairs will allow me to continue to build my leadership skills among my peer classmates.

The GSM has given me the tools to lead—and the confidence and sense of ownership over my future. To give back to the program, I also became an MBA Ambassador. If you are interested in learning more about the Part-Time MBA experience from a current student first-hand, I encourage you to connect with an ambassador today.