Earning an Edwards MBA: Insights from a mother, entrepreneur, and full-time employee, Charlene Brown
Tell me a bit about yourself and what program you are taking.
My name is Charlene Brown, and I am the Director of the International Student and Study Abroad Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. I am currently enrolled in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and am doing the program over three years.
Why did you choose to take the MBA program and what are you hoping to get out of it?
I knew for a long time that I wanted to do a master's program, and the MBA really stood out to me because I felt it would open the most doors in terms of future opportunity. I always thought that I should have done a business degree for my undergrad, but it wasn't something that I considered when I was looking into undergraduate programs. It was the applicability across industries and various areas that could further develop my career that really stood out to me.
How are you seeing your coursework apply to your role?
I have found that almost every class I have taken in the MBA is applicable to my career. I have found that I use the skills that I developed in my classes, in my work on a day-to-day basis.
What obstacles did you have to overcome to attend school / while you’re attending school?
First and foremost, I had to overcome my fear of math and that was a big deal for me. Now that I am in the program and balancing full-time work and studies, the flexibility that I have within the program has been extremely helpful. Because of the flexibility of the program, you can make it work for you and being able to do that has been critical for me. I am a mom of two small children, I work full-time, I also own a small business, so I'm an entrepreneur as well so I am wearing a lot of different hats. The flexibility of the program allows me to shift around my priorities and make my schedule work so that everything works for me.
What resources and support did you find useful at Edwards and USask?
I work on campus, so I had the ability to take advantage of a tuition waiver, which was key for managing the cost for my family. Also, I found it helpful to speak to the program administrators prior to applying for the program to get a sense if this program was the right fit for me.
What is something you wish you knew coming into the program?
Realizing how much content is provided in each of these classes was an eye-opener for me, along with the amount of reading. I think just be prepared to drink a lot of coffee, have some late nights, and do a lot of reading.
Visit the Master of Business Administration program page to learn more or chat with a staff member. The Edwards MBA program is a transformational experience that focuses on teambuilding, leadership and business strategy. Our students develop management skills that are both integrative and strategic, gaining a deeper understanding of organizations and their local and global context.