Tim Bennett's journey balancing life, work, and an Executive MBA at UFred
Tim Bennett's decision to pursue an Executive MBA (EMBA) stemmed from a desire to complete his formal education after discontinuing his undergraduate degree before completion. During his career, he has expanded his business knowledge through hands-on learning and professional development but wanted to solidify this knowledge with a formal degree.
After exploring various options, Tim chose the University of Fredericton (UFred) for its unique Social Enterprise Leadership offering and flexible schedule. The ability to tailor his education to his busy life was a significant factor in his decision, allowing him to pursue his EMBA without compromising his professional and personal commitments.
“I looked at many different options when trying to find an institution to pursue my EMBA, and UFred quickly rose to the top. I liked the fact I could pursue a designation in Social Enterprise Leadership, which was unique to UFred.”
Returning to education and program applicability
The idea of returning to school left Tim feeling excited and nervous. Upon entering the program, he realized the most significant hurdle would be balancing his full-time job, family life with four kids, and other commitments. Ultimately, the support found throughout the program made this possible. Ultimately, the support found throughout the program made this possible, as he said, “I found everyone to be incredibly supportive, even when you have kids running on-screen during a presentation."
Given the hands-on nature of the EMBA program, students often discuss real-life scenarios they may be facing within their organization. This allows students to improve their organizations and discuss real-life scenarios with peers and faculty members, making the content highly applicable.
“I learned so much during my journey and really didn't realize the full scope of my learning until I switched jobs near the end of the program. I have used many of the different lesson plans or templates in my day-to-day work. I believe the learnings have helped me become a better leader and honestly helped me do a lot of self-reflection about the leader that I want to be.”
Advice to future students
Tim’s advice to future students emphasizes the importance of having a strong support system, proactively planning, and balancing work with leisure. He shares that although the experience is challenging, it is infinitely rewarding and results in personal and professional growth.
“First off, do it! It was a great experience. It was a challenge at times and that is why having a great support network at home is important.
Plan and be proactive as much as you can. You know the work early in advance so make sure you don't wait until the last minute to do everything. Also, make sure to schedule some time for you. It can be a busy time especially as you balance everything. Make sure to have some fun too!”