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Meet the MBA: 1st Year Carson Walters


A Georgia native, Carson Walters earned his BBA in Management from UGA and is returning after launching a successful career at Macy’s. Walters began in the company’s Executive Development Program. During his tenure, he was promoted four times over the course of four years and managed more than 30 direct reports, plus about $45 million in business. Walters is now studying for his MBA, concentrating in Finance with additional focus areas in Strategy and FinTech.

Q: What made you choose Georgia’s MBA program?

Walters: As COVID-19 unfolded, I decided I wanted to make a career pivot and made the decision to come back to UGA. I had a unique perspective compared with some of the other MBA students because I completed undergrad here. I knew the type of reputation the school had in terms of ROI the program offered, as well as how much the professors care about the success of their students. Another big component was the success of UGA MBA Alumni. The network you build and the type of reputation “Terry” has when you speak with people is unmatched. I also think UGA does a great job of having a genuinely great group of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures in the program and affording us the opportunity to be vulnerable and learn from others with unique backgrounds and experiences.

Q: What is your favorite part about living in Athens so far?

Walters: To be honest, I really am practicing perspective. When I think back to my undergraduate experience, I couldn’t wait to graduate and join the “real world”. I really missed and took for granted the experiences I was having. I am really enjoying this program and trying to be grateful each day. I am very fortunate to be able to come back for a second time at the best school in the South (I may be a little biased), especially when there’s so much going on right now. I know others may not have the same opportunity so I am very grateful that I was afforded this opportunity to pursue my dream of obtaining an MBA.

Q: What did you find valuable about participating in the National Black MBA Career Conference?

Walters: The most valuable aspect of attending the NBMBAA conference was the unique ability to speak with the employees and executives from companies across the globe. It gave each student the ability to speak with business leaders and recruiters who provided a perspective from within a particular function or target area. Having a virtual platform this year also allowed for a unique opportunity to network with a wide range of individuals, even if only briefly; so the ability to network post-conference has been invaluable.

Q: What did you learn from speaking with the various companies in attendance?

Walters: I think the biggest takeaway was just attending the conference virtually versus the traditional in-person format. We were all going through that transition together, recruiters and students alike. What made candidates successful was their ability to stand out against the others in attendance. Having your personality stand out and differentiate yourself from others was key. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd when everyone is posting their “hard-pitch” and I can only imagine the recruiters getting bombarded with hundreds of messages. Having something personable, unique and memorable on a virtual platform is easier said than done, but adjusting and learning from the CMC gave me the ability to separate myself.

Q: What are you hoping to get involved with in the MBA program?

Walters: I really want to be involved with some of the MBA clubs. I am already part of the Consulting Club so that’s been a great experience so far. As far as the whole program, I think this class has such a diverse background and I would love to learn from each member as I think they have a unique perspective. Many members of MBA programs stay connected long after graduation, so I really would hope that we can all form some great friendships and professional relationships that we can carry forward to help one another and future Alumni of the MBA Program at UGA.

Dawgs on Top!

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