Weatherhead School of Management’s part-time MBA program is designed with the busy, ambitious professional in mind. The three-year, cohort-based program is an ideal option for working professionals to further their education.
The curriculum will help you to recognize opportunities to innovate for sustainable value in your company and community, but the network of people you meet in our program striving for betterment in their companies and communities is just as valuable.
Get to know some of our part-time MBA students and see how the program has changed their careers and their lives for the better:
Bhadra Nair
Assistant Director of Capital Projects and Property Management at Case Western Reserve University
As a part-time MBA student, full-time worker and mother, Bhadra Nair says she’s never felt like she’s had to choose between the three to successfully complete her school work.
“The part-time MBA program is tailored in a way that any working professional will find it easy to manage school, work and family life in balance,” she says.
The program has helped grow Nair’s confidence and has changed her perspective on the art of negotiation, she says, through a course named, "Economics of Negotiation."
“The idea that negotiation can be learned and applied with the proper understanding of different techniques truly changed my perspective,” Nair says. “After the first few negotiation exercises [in the course] my confidence level and morale improved.”
She has also begun seeing success in her career from a different lens.
“My biggest takeaway from this program was my personal understanding that you need to have a wholesome growth as a person to be a successful leader,” Nair says. “I am now confident I would be able to make a difference at both my work and society from my learnings at WSOM.”
As a Case Western Reserve employee, Nair says she’s extremely proud to receive her MBA from her workplace. Upon graduating, she is looking forward to giving back to Case Western Reserve through implementing what she has learned over the past three years.
Erin Gdaniec
Value Stream Manager at Parker Hannifin
Erin Gdaniec chose to pursue an MBA at Weatherhead to aid in transitioning from her engineering role to operations management. Since the start of the part-time MBA program, she has made this transition and subsequently been promoted twice.
“The leadership classes were key to working with my direct reports, learning in my cohort helped me better relate to my peers, and my operations-specific classes are helping me excel in my current role,” she says.
Among her favorite classes at Weatherhead are Professor of Organizational Behavior Chris Lazlo's "Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship," and "Quantum Leadership" courses. Through these, Gdaniec has learned principles to tie into her business practices and goals that will contribute to a more flourishing world.
Beyond growing in her career, the program has helped Gdaniec discover more about herself by becoming a “better person” and “better leader,” she says. “I learned who I am as a leader, who I want to be, and steps to get there.”
Looking ahead, Gdaniec is excited to make an impact on the world through the experiences she had at Weatherhead.
“I can use what I learned to connect with and influence others,” she says. “My vision is to lead others with skill and integrity to move the world forward toward a better future in any way I can.”
Rich Fong
International Research Manager at Case Western Reserve University
"Entrepreneurship and the Good Life"––a course Rich Fong took through Weatherhead––changed his mindset of how he wants to pursue his life goals.
“This course could be beneficial to anyone,” Fong says. “Even if you're not interested in entrepreneurship, it would still be beneficial to hear how successful people obtained their success.”
Another course Fong says has been really valuable to his career is a course on project management he attended, which has taught him different ways to manage projects and is helping him to achieve the Project Management Professional certification.
Fong, who works in the Cleveland healthcare systems, says studying at Weatherhead has advanced him in his career by giving him confidence that has aided with interviews for companies he is interested in working at.
“Every course you'll learn something that will help you in your career,” he says. “The program is very welcoming and educational. You will feel ready to advance your career.”
Sara Donnelly
Associate Director at PowerFAIDS Training
Throughout the Part-Time MBA program, Sara Donnelly has been able to use what she’s learned in the classroom at her work the very next day.
In her current role, she creates and implements training for customers new to the company’s software. During a design course with Assistant Professor of Design & Innovation James Gilmore, she says, “I was able to take away so many immediately applicable skills, whether that was changing my way of thinking about a process, or the design of a presentation.”
Another course she found valuable was a women in organizations course. “It was empowering to see women who have not only succeeded, but done so on their own terms and in many different ways.”
The flexibility and cohort style of the program was something Donnelly says is unmatched compared to other part-time MBA programs. “My cohort and working group have, throughout the program, been an encouraging and supportive group of people who have a range of experiences and specialties that enhance our classroom learning,” she says.
Looking ahead, Donnelly is thrilled to one day be a part of the Weatherhead alumni community.
“Weatherhead alums have done some amazing things,” she says, “and I am excited and hopeful that I will add to that great list.”