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The First Generation of Rady MBA Grads
By Keri Peckham, Rady School of Management Staff
On August 20, the Rady School of Management’s inaugural class of 58 men and women received their MBA degrees. They joined the Rady School’s FlexMBA program for working professionals in September 2004, a year before the school’s first full-time MBA class began.
"As someone who was involved with the school from its initial planning stages, I am amazed with the progress that has been made and the impact the school is having on the community," said Ernest Rady, the school’s founding donor. "Students started companies before even graduating and it's an honor to be a part of it."
Rady FlexMBA graduates are making exciting career moves as a result of their MBA education – some earning promotions within their current companies, while others have transitioned into other organizations and industries using their newly acquired business and leadership skills. New graduates include:
Sean McCarthy
Prior Education: B.Sc., Biochemistry and Pharmacology, King’s College London and Ph.D., Molecular Cell Biology, Oxford University
"I had experience in the life sciences industry, but I came to the Rady School for more formal business training and the opportunity to expand my professional network. While at Rady I participated in the IPO process for the biotech company I worked for and was able to take newly acquired skills from my MBA program back to work to structure deals and assist in operating the company. I am now moving to North Carolina to become a principal in a venture capital firm."
Catie Harriss
Prior Education: B.A., English, UC Berkeley
"The Rady MBA has helped me see the big picture in my job at Hewlett- Packard – and to understand all of the cross-functional perspectives that make up business strategy. I feel more confident in communicating with the various functions that are critical to the new products and I have now become the marketing team lead."
Joel Zhou
Prior Education: B.S., Biochemistry and Biochemical Engineering, Fudan University and Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, UC San Diego
"My Lab to Market company evolved after a discussion with QUALCOMM Founder Irwin Jacobs and with input from faculty advisors, industry experts and venture capitalists. We now have a refined business plan, a functional prototype running over a cellular network and multiple letters of interest and validation. The Rady Lab to Market experience is an integral part of what made our company, MediReady, a viable business venture."
Niall O'Donnell
Prior Education: B.A., Biochemistry, University of Oxford and Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Dundee, U.K.
"As a result of the connections I made and the lessons learned from my Rady MBA, I was chosen as a Kauffman Fellow by the Center for Venture Education. I am now working as an associate at RiverVest Venture Partners in St. Louis, while participating in the two-year Kauffman Fellows educational program."
Greg Copeland
Prior Education: B.S., Electrical Engineering, Carleton University
"The Rady School allows students to create their own MBA experience, based on their personal career goals. I was able to do an independent study at my current employer, Tropos Networks Inc, which provided credit toward my MBA degree and added value for my company. I worked on a proposal for creating a virtual learning environment (VLE). The study helped me take a look at what others were doing, rather than just pushing forward with implementation. Work on the VLE at Tropos is continuing and I expect implementation to be complete in the next six months."
Robert Welborn
Prior Education: B.S., Industrial Engineering, Texas A & M University
"I worked with Rady students and a faculty member of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who is a capital markets economist and a fisheries expert. We developed a business plan for his innovation, including marketing and financials, and there are now talks with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the government of New Zealand to determine the next steps. In addition, the project piqued my interest in the hedge fund industry, which has led to a career change."
Sergey Sikora
Education: B.S., Biochemistry, UCLA and Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UCLA
"I came to the Rady School with a specific goal in mind – to move from research into a business leadership position in a biotech company. The CEO of GenWay Biotech saw my resume through the Rady School and I am now the senior director of business development there."
©2006. The Beyster Institute and its authors and their entities. All rights reserved.
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