Skip to main content

Reflections of a Second Year MBA Student


By Miller Radford, MBA '19

“If you think you won’t learn much, you have much to learn.” Those were the words uttered to me as I contemplated graduate school. Prior to pursuing my MBA at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, I completed the Fulbright Scholarship in Malaysia and returned to Atlanta to flip starter homes. After a series of investments, industry mentors suggested I attend business school in order to penetrate the commercial real estate market. It was time to move up, and those around me knew it. Within days of announcing my interest in continuing my education, several alumni began reaching out in ways I never expected. I first thought to myself, “Is this the type of support the UGA community offers?” After all, I was only a prospective student.

All along, the answer has been a resounding yes. Whether I found myself surrounded by Career Management staff eager to tackle my many inquiries or professors willing to spend an hour after class repeating a lecture just for me, the program’s patient and cooperative culture gave me the gut feeling that “this just feels right.” And though a significant part of me entered with the goal of enhancing my career, I also knew a heightened understanding of the fields in which I lacked exposure (e.g., marketing, business intelligence, business law, etc.) would enable me to profitably continue entrepreneurial activities as well. Now as I reflect upon my decision, I do not believe I could have made a better one.

Eight months into the program, I signed my first graduate-level internship as a private equity analyst at my target firm, Jamestown LP. The vertical achievement was something that left family and friends astonished. My gut feeling was once again validated. Shortly after my summer working alongside asset managers responsible for properties including One Times Square, Chelsea Market, Ponce City Market, etc., I called the University’s office to deliver the news I had just signed the return offer with a beaming smile. Over the phone, I heard “You really did it, wow! Well done!”

Since then, I have interacted with arguably triple the amount of industry professionals who just so happen to be alumni, and that is no hyperbole. You name it: dinners, social outings, sporting events; there simply has not been a shortage of opportunities to connect with fellow students, professors, and managers. The excitement of beginning a new life is noticeable with every step I take on campus this semester, but so are the memories of playing tennis under the autumn canopies, touring four local breweries just minutes apart, running down the downtown streets while artists perform in red and black, and the sound of the marching band practice as I enjoy the site of Athens from the Georgia Theatre Rooftop.

It has been a great two years, only for several amazing years to follow. For these reasons and many more, I would like to thank each of my professors, counselors, and classmates for making this a time never to be forgotten. The degree of comradery that I experienced is more than I could have asked for, so my only hope is to now give as much as I have received.

Still, there is one thing I have left to say…

Gooooooo DAWGS!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

The Bike is the Answer: Charlie Mustard and Jittery Joe’s Coffee

Like many other schools during this pandemic, the University of Georgia has been closed since mid-March, and students and staff are working remotely. In lieu of in-person meetings and events, MBA Admissions staff launched a podcast, Dawgs on Top, to bring the program to a larger audience. In Season One: The Rona Files, we covered Georgia football, provided highlights of the first annual Graduate Women’s Business Association Summit, and heard more about the student veterans experience, the March trip to South Africa, and our Non-Profit Board Fellows Program. In Season Two: Town & Gown, we focused on the Athens community and interviewed local business leaders. One of those interviews was with Charlie Mustad, owner and Head Roaster of Jittery Joe’s Coffee. Jittery Joe's Coffee opened in 1994 on Washington St. near the 40 Watt Club and was open 24 hours a day to serve everyone: students, townies, and artists. Since then, it has grown into a roaster on Barber Street and 14 loca...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Three Veterans' Perspectives on the Georgia MBA Experience

(L-R) Brandon A. Shah, Phillip Edmondson, and Nicholas Cherry, MBA Class of 2018 Below is summary of our three Active Duty Military Officers within the program, each has their own motivations for selecting an MBA, specifically at Terry, but cumulatively their choices have been influenced by slightly different motivators than the rest of their cohort. You’ll hear words that resonate with the military, retirement positioning, and family. Albeit other students have just as many special considerations, these members bring a much different perspective to selecting and experiencing Terry. Brandon A. Shah I debated incessantly about the right school, the right graduate degree, and right location, both internally and with family. The struggle was more than just finding and being accepted into a competitive school, it was about a strategic reflection on what would benefit my family and I during our remaining years in service and what I might find myself doing in a future civilian care...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Crystal Ivey Pivoted Careers with a Georgia MBA

By Crystal Ivey, MBA '14 I graduated with my bachelor’s in marketing and finance in 2009 at the onset of the recession. Entry-level marketing positions were practically non-existent, so my first job out of school was as a case manager with the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). But I didn’t give up on my dream of brand management. Fast forward a few years, I decided to try again to break into the business world in brand management – this time using an MBA as my launch pad. This was also very special for me, because, as a first generation college student, an MBA was always one of my goals. I chose the University of Georgia’s MBA program for lots of reasons, but the most important factor for me was to not go into a lot of debt achieving this goal. I wanted a highly ranked program – one that would create opportunities - but not a huge financial burden. I found all that and more at Georgia. The MBA Career Management Center (CMC) connected me with MBA alum...
Post a Comment
Read More »