Full-time Student
Industry/Field of Work: Market Research
Undergraduate Degree: Marketing and Minor in Economics
Undergraduate Institution: Northern Illinois University
Career Goal: Successful Entrepreneur and Professor
Organization Involvement: Social Co-Chair, MBAA; Member
E-mail: stephenwkerr@yahoo.com
Why did you return to school to obtain your MBA?
I have had an appreciation of and a desire for a higher education since completing my B.S. at NIU in 2005. After working for several years in the Market Research industry, I quickly realized that in order to achieve my (now realized) career goals, I need to obtain an MBA and eventually a PhD.
What was the most important factor for you when choosing a MBA program?
I considered a multitude of factors when I was in the process of choosing a MBA program, which included: 1) strength of Entrepreneurship and Marketing concentrations; 2) campus location (Chicago); 3) price; 4) faculty and industry connections; 5) strength of alumni relations; and 6) social/professional atmosphere, ranked respectively. Overall, these factors, after applying specific weights, led to the most appropriate decision. After applying and being accepted to several MBA programs in Chicago, I ultimately chose the UIC Liautaud MBA because it offered everything I was looking for at a very reasonable price. More specifically, I was immediately drawn in by the strength of the Entrepreneurship concentration, and eventually won over by the faculty. The reassurance, or confidence, that my career goals are within reach. Coming into the program, I already had a decent amount of business knowledge as a result of my undergraduate studies and work in the Market Research industry. However, at the time, my career goals, although clearly defined, seemed very far off. Being a little over halfway done with the UIC Liautaud MBA, I can now safely say that I am well on my way to achieving these goals. Organizational Behavior taught by Dr. Barlow. This class was structured such that you would read exhilarating material from differing sources, analyze it, and then state how you could use the information in your life. I was incredibly impressed with not only the practical applications of the knowledge learned in this class, but also the constant personal introspection that allowed me to evaluate how I was going to achieve my goals. I was recently elected as the MBAA social co-chair for 2009-2010. Although new to this role, I have directly benefited from the role via being able to represent the social/ professional networking needs of the entire UIC Liautaud MBA student population. It is, without a doubt, that these needs are becoming more and more relevant in the competitive business landscape. The year I spent in the program, before becoming elected, allowed me to assess how I could use my specific skill set, and what skills I needed to sharpen, in order to effectively put together the best events possible. Through this, I have gained, and will continue to gain, invaluable leadership skills. The faculty is comprised of extremely knowledgeable and genuine professors. I have definitely felt challenged in the last year, but in a good way, since it has and will continue to, allow my professional development. Also, the professors have always made me feel welcome, positively affecting the student atmosphere. A very hard working, determined, motivated student with a constant thirst for knowledge, who will effectively change the way the world does business. “The UIC Liautaud MBA: Make your MBA matter.” Get involved in as many student organizations/activities as possible. Meet as many of your professors and fellow classmates. Take the most challenging courses. Explore what the entirety of the program has to offer, because it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Overall, make the most out of our MBA. Set yourself up to enjoy the benefits of your MBA for the rest of your life. The How Chicago Does Business event at Piece Pizzeria and Brewery. It was such a great experience, because we had a chance to hear firsthand from a highly successful entrepreneur what it really takes to penetrate and flourish in a hyper-competitive industry. I have had relatively few problems with this. Going into the program, I understood that obtaining a MBA would be a significant time commitment, and I actually even left my previous job to make sure I could more narrowly focus on obtaining my MBA. I know that leaving your job is not feasible for everyone, but I think that prospective students should be ready to commit a decent amount of time each week to their classes. In the end, you will prosper from the additional work you put into your MBA experience. As for my personal life, my family and friends have been very supportive.
Why did you choose UIC Liautaud for your MBA?
We all know that people pursue a MBA to increase their business knowledge, but since you have started the program, what has been the most unexpected gain the MBA has given you?
UIC Liautaud MBA professors are continuously involved in research of new business trends and innovations. How have you felt the professors have been able to integrate their theoretical knowledge into practical applications? Do you have any examples? Overall, I feel as though the UIC Liautaud MBA professors have done exceedingly well in this category. An example of this would be Dr. Barlow, who was my Organizational Behavior professor. He has such a wealth of industry experience, and was always able to effectively apply managerial theory to the course of everyday business.
Which course or professor has been your favorite thus far and why?
What organizations have you become involved in? How have they benefited you?
What is your favorite aspect of the UIC Liautaud MBA program?
How would you define the Liautaud student?
If you were to come up with a tagline for the Liautaud MBA, what would it be?
What advice would you provide to incoming UIC Liautaud MBA students?
What has been your favorite networking event?
How difficult have you found it to balance school with work and your personal life?
