MBA student balances classes and service with her first job
Nancy Garcia
A job offer was the last thing Nancy M. Garcia '08, MBA'10 expected when she walked out of her informational interview with the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Following what she had learned during the Willamette MBA program, Garcia scheduled the meeting to find out more about the chamber and better tailor her résumé and cover letter to an open position.
Instead, the president, Gale Castillo, used the meeting as Garcia's job interview and offered her the position.
"I thought she was calling back to interview me, but she said, ‘You're hired,'" Garcia says. "I never would have done the informational interview if Beth Ursin or Shelby Gould in Career Services hadn't taught me about it."
Helping Latino Businesses Now Garcia commutes to Portland several days a week to work as a business development coordinator for the Hispanic Chamber, while simultaneously finishing her MBA from the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.
Garcia says the position is a perfect start for her ultimate career goal: directing a non-profit that helps Latino youths seek higher education, similar to the Willamette Academy program, where she worked as an academic mentor during her undergraduate years.
"In my new job, I work on increasing the economic advancement of Hispanic-owned businesses," she says. "I support them in making their ideas a reality by helping them with a financial plan, a marketing plan or any other technical assistance they need. I'm using my MBA skills to help the Latino community, which is exactly what I wanted to do with this degree."
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Forty Under 40 Award Winner - Successful partnering makes the difference between career success and failure
Jus Singh
Early on in his management consulting career, Jus Singh understood that leveraging other team members' strengths with his own dramatically increased the odds for success. "I realized that we could provide a holistic solution to clients and exceed expectations by pulling in the expertise of partners and collaborating on deliverables," Singh said. "We've found that the synergies created from partnering lead to exponential results. The mantra is 'one plus one equals three'."
At Resources Global Professionals, where Singh is Managing Director, they pull in the expertise of outside firms when they cannot provide a niche service that a client needs. "Often, those companies are better equipped to develop solutions on the fl y. The resulting success to a client is a strategic win for us."
Singh recalled that during his second year in the Atkinson MBA program, the majority of coursework was set up in a team environment. "During the course of that time I started to recognize my areas of strength and weakness, and had ample time to hone my partnering skills prior to entering the workforce," he said. "In a partnership, planning, effective communication and leveraging complementary skills ensure success in execution."
"In my field of work, partnering, collaborating and teaming are not options," he explained. "Partnering definitely supports my goal of providing consummate client services."
The Portland Business Journal recently highlighted Jus as one of its top Forty under 40. This award recognizes professionals under the age of 40 in Portland who are making a significant impact in the business community.
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Atkinson student serves up innovative idea
Ashleigh Williams
While enrolled in the New Ventures to Market class, Ashleigh Williams had a simple idea: work with restaurants to develop a hosting system to page patrons via cell phones when their tables were ready. From this plan, EnQue was born — an electronic wait-list system that replaces the expensive pagers restaurants currently use.
"The ability to page patrons on their cell phones means lobbies are less crowded, which is often a major deterrent for potential customers," Williams said. "Our system increases the effi ciency of restaurants by increasing table turns and decreasing personnel needs." To date, Jakes Restaurant and Zao Noodle Bar in Portland have picked up the EnQue system and ran beta tests for students.
Upon leaving Atkinson and selling off the EnQue system, Williams now works as a Portfolio Analyst for Russell Investments in Seattle, Washington.
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Investing in people involves relationship building
Roland Zapata
Through his work with Xerox Corporation, Roland Zapata knows the importance of investing in people. As a Reseller Account Manager he provides training and education to his long list of resellers and keeps them updated on the latest industry trends while making sure that Xerox is the first and foremost on their minds. In addition, his territory takes him far beyond his Portland home — an area that includes New York City, Long Island and New Jersey.
"The position involves extensive relationship building," Zapata said. "It also involves a lot of on the job training where you have to earn the resellers trust." He accomplishes this by taking a genuine interest in his resellers' businesses and families — even attending personal events.
Zapata was attracted to Willamette's MBA program for working professionals for the same reason — the personal interest the program took in him. He is also applying what he is learning to his job. "I'm taking the management styles I learn in my courses and applying them to the way I interact with people."
Roland completed the MBA for Professionals program in September 2008.
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MBA for Professionals student follows father's example
Judy Hutchison
Judy Hutchison attributes her career path and involvement in civic activities to her father, a well-respected Portland CPA. After receiving her undergraduate business degree at the prestigious Wharton School, she embarked on a career in commercial banking that took her to Baltimore and later back to her roots in Oregon.
"As a Vice President and Client Service Officer for Capital Pacific Bank, I partner with my clients concerning their financing and cash management needs," Hutchison explains. "I'm also involved in the Rotary Club of Portland and Toastmasters International."
Hutchison connected with Willamette's MBA for Professionals program at just the right time in her personal and professional life, and found the experience rewarding. "I am honored to be affiliated with Willamette, its topnotch professors, and accomplished alumni network," Hutchison said. "I know that the relationships I built will be lifelong and meaningful. I am eager to learn skills I can apply in the real world."
Judy was part of the inaugural MBA for Professionals class in Portland, Oregon and completed the program in January 2008.
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