Executive MBA alum Carmen Pecican finds career success, friendship, and a passion for academia
For Carmen Pecican, pursuing an Executive MBA was a decision she made as a necessary step for career progression. With twenty years of diverse business experience, she had already experienced career advancement, but knew that further education would soon be required.
The decision to complete the University of Fredericton (UFred) Executive MBA program was dependent on a couple of factors, including the flexibility the program provided and the unique curriculum:
“I chose the Executive MBA degree because of its innovative curriculum that is targeted towards busy, experienced professionals who are looking to become successful cross-functional leaders, learn strategies to expand their influence and effectiveness, and increase confidence in all business areas.”
Highlights of the UFred Experience and Program Applicability
Throughout the MBA and Executive MBA programs at UFred, students work with peers from varying backgrounds, whom they may not have interacted with outside of the classroom otherwise. These group work and networking opportunities were one of the highlights of the program for Carmen. Not only was she able to broaden her network and meet individuals who are now a part of her mentoring group, she was also able to create friendships she believes will last a lifetime.
Carmen noted that the interactions with her peers in the program also helped her further develop her communication skills, as the program emphasizes the importance of valuing other viewpoints and experiences. The interactivity and ability to build relationships were common themes throughout her program that helped to ensure her experience was a positive one.
Another highlight of the program was how remarkably applicable the program was. While discussing how quickly new concepts learned in her Executive MBA could be applied within the workplace, Carmen said:
“One of the main advantages of this fantastic program is that you will learn new concepts in the evening and then apply them the next day at work. Day by day, I have seen how my perspectives have changed.”
This was particularly relevant while transitioning to a new department in her company. Carmen found that the skills she had further developed while at UFred helped her adapt to the new environment quickly and allowed her to have an immediate impact in her company.
Moving Forward: Goals and Advice to Future Students
With her Executive MBA complete, Carmen begins a new chapter, with her son entering high school. She plans to direct her focus towards his education, while also dedicating more time with her family now that she has concluded her Executive MBA.
Regarding academic pursuits, Carmen received graduate entry to the Bachelor of Laws at the University of London and has enrolled in her first two courses. In Carmen’s long-term academic goals, she would like to complete doctoral studies and will be spending the next while narrowing down the area of research she would like to focus on. Ideally, obtaining a doctoral degree would allow her to transition into a part-time career in academia.
UFred’s MBA programs offer students the flexibility required to pursue further education while maintaining their existing commitments, and Carmen’s advice to future students revolves around the notion that balance will be required, but the benefits of completing the degree are worth it.
“While it may seem overwhelming, especially if you have a full-time job and family, pursuing the EMBA program will be the best investment and will bring a lifetime of rewards.”