Skip to main content

Welcome MBA Class of 2021!


Dear Class of 2021,

2019-2020 Graduate Business Association (GBA) officers and club leaders! From l-r: Jeremy Walton (Net Impact chair and co-chair of Toastmasters), Rob Grabowski (VP, Mentorship), Steven Menhorn (VP, Finance), Maggie Rheney (President, Graduate Women’s Business Association), Brenna Tudor (President, GBA), Alvin Borum (VP, Program Improvement), Margo Didier (VP, Events), Jillian Farr (VP, Communications).
Welcome to the Terry College of Business Full-Time MBA Program, the University of Georgia, Athens and perhaps most importantly, Bulldog Nation! My name is Brenna Tudor; I am a second-year MBA and the president of our student government, the Graduate Business Association (GBA). I’m originally from New Jersey but lived in New York and Atlanta before business school and worked in Public Relations.

I’ve found that my involvement in campus groups has been some of the most rewarding time I’ve spent in Athens. There are a lot of different ways to get involved off and on campus and it’s a great way to learn more about your new home, meet Athenians outside of Terry and have a lasting impact on the greater Athens community.

We have many different Terry MBA clubs and opportunities to get involved, including:

GBA: The Graduate Business Association is the MBA program’s student government. GBA is responsible for student life activities and program improvement. Activities include a welcome back event, happy hours, tailgates, student/faculty mixers, a formal, MBA Follies, an alumni/student golf tournament, and more. Program improvement efforts focus on our goals of increasing the quality of our experience and value of the MBA degree every single year. GBA leadership positions are held by second years but first years are welcome to run for two “First Year Representative” positions. If you are interested in learning more about GBA, please reach out to me directly!

GWBA: The Graduate Women's Business Association (GWBA) aims to strengthen the bond of women in business, assist with purposes/interests while in business school, and develop a network that will continue after graduation. The GWBA organizes panel or roundtable discussions and other events, such as golf clinics, to gain various industry perspectives, expand networking opportunities, and challenge members to think about their objectives in the business world. If you are interested in learning more about GWBA, please reach out to Maggie Rheney.

Net Impact: With 400 + chapters in nearly 40 countries, the Net Impact network is a diverse and determined force for good. Its local actions create ripples that reach tens of thousands of individuals and make an impact on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Annually, the chapter hosts a "Careers with a Purpose" networking night in Atlanta that gives students the opportunity to network with professionals working in impact careers. If you are interested in learning more about Net Impact, reach out to Jeremy Walton.

Toastmasters: Open to all Terry students, the Toastmasters chapter provides those wanting to improve their communication skills with unlimited opportunities. Members practice leading teams and conducting meetings, giving presentations and short speeches, and providing and receiving constructive feedback. If you are interested in learning more about Toastmasters, reach out to Rob Grabowski.

Non-Profit Board Fellows: This program places first year MBA students on boards of directors of non-profits in the Athens area. Students serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members through the four semesters of the MBA program (a 20-month term). Participating non-profits benefit from the energy and fresh perspectives of dedicated Fellows, the network of the Georgia MBA community, and help shape the next generation of civic leaders. Students gain valuable governance experience as well as a unique avenue to put their MBA skill set into practice while making a positive impact on their adopted community. Through my Non-Profit Board Fellowship with Java Joy, I’ve had the chance to discuss operations strategy with the founder of Jittery Joe’s and learn about inventory management from the owner of Cheeky Peach, all while working to create employment opportunities for people with special needs in Athens. For more information on Non-Profit Board Fellowships, reach out to Andrew Salinas.

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in Athens!

Best,
Brenna

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 »

Meet the MBA: 1st Year Vishakha Tiwari

A native of Northern India, Vishakha Tiwari has worked for KPMG in Bangalore, India, and as a Business Analyst for Accenture. She has worked for various causes such as education, gender equality and with different NGOs. Tiwari is now pursuing her MBA, concentrating in Strategy with additional focus areas in Analytics. Tell us about your hometown and what you were doing before the MBA program. I am from Patna, one of the oldest towns in the northern region of India. Patna is known for its hospitality, exceptionally decadent cuisines and its contributions to the Indian Independence movement. Before the MBA, I was working full-time as a Management Consultant with KPMG in Bangalore, India. I have worked on several client service transformation, revenue diversification, project management and claims analytics projects. I have also worked with Accenture as a Business Analyst between 2016 and 2019. My undergraduate major was Electronics and Electrical Engineering. Outside of work, I w...
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 »