Program testimonials
Executive MBA Testimonials
Cheryl Blalock
Director, EMS Oracle Implementation, Sanmina-SCI Corporation
"The Executive MBA Program profoundly increased my ability - and confidence - as a business analyst and strategist. The analytical tools I took from the program have fundamentally changed the kind of contribution I make to my company. Being a member of a close-knit class was also an extremely beneficial aspect of the program. I enjoyed and was motivated by the sense of dedication to each other and to the program that developed in my class. I also got to learn new roles and to participate in consensus-building processes that have made me a more insightful and effective manager."
Amy L. Tsui Collins, Ph.D., J.D.
Chief Ececutive Officer, Biolicense.com
"The Saint Mary's Executive MBA program is an excellent program for busy executives who want to earn an MBA degree in a fairly short period of time while maintaining a high-profile managerial position at work. The Staff is very dedicated and strongly emphasizing learning as the end goal. The program has some of the best instructors I've ever had, and they gave me the skill set and confidence to become an entrepreneur in these challenging times."
Steve Forshay
Vice President, R & D and Business Development, Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
"I decided to pursue an MBA out of a desire to augment 20-plus years of technology development and R & D experience with the underpinnings of a formal business education, and as part of positioning myself for future, broader corporate management opportunities."
"Within a year of graduation, I had the opportunity to spearhead development of a comprehensive strategic plan for our company. The plan's purposes were to build internal alignment on corporate direction and business strategy, and to enable the investment community to better understand the synergies of the company's multiple businesses in anticipation of an initial public offering. This work challenged me to integrate and leverage much of the knowledge I gained in the Saint Mary's Executive MBA program, in particular the work on strategy."
Raf Lambrecht, Ph.D.
Associate Director Regulatory Affairs, Bayer Corporation, Biological Products
"Executive positions in the pharmaceutical industry require a well-balanced skill set, experience in marketing or sales, people skills and broad vision. Having the MBA from Saint Mary's, I am confident that I will be ready for new opportunities as they rise."
"I would recommend the Saint Mary's MBA to every friend, neighbor or colleague considering an MBA. Saint Mary's College has an excellent reputation in the Bay Area and fully deserves it. The Program exceeded my expectations and the teachers are outstanding. They have impressive corporate careers behind them and share their personal business experiences with the students. The program covers all the fundamentals. In the Executive Program, the entry criteria are set very high, guaranteeing that all participants contribute to each other's experience and learning."
Rick Lewis
Northern California Chain Manager, Brown-Forman Spirits Americas
"Moving into the new millennium, many companies are emphasizing and focusing on the bottom line. One of my objectives was to better understand the financial management of the company and gain tools to understand financial decision-making. Innovation is also critical to staying ahead of the competition. I wanted to gain knowledge on how to transform creative and innovative ideas into successful business solutions."
"Saint Mary's provided an invaluable experience that blended both qualitative and quantitative analysis to achieve a total understanding of today's ever-changing business environment. My MBA is a real necessity to compete successfully and meet the business challenges that managers and executives face today."
Larry J. Oliver
Retail Team Leader, North American Products Company, Chevron
"To me, the Executive MBA experience at Saint Mary's was a learning sabbatical. I like to learn and pursuing the MBA reinvigorated my desire to grow as an individual and professionally. Completing the program while working full-time and raising a family was a challenge, but demonstrated my ability to raise the bar and make it all happen. I really enjoyed the teamwork that develops during the program. As a result, I have also developed excellent friendships and a network of associates from a variety of industries and backgrounds."
Virginia M. Robbins
Director, Information Technologies, Chela Financial
"Immediately following graduation, I started at a new company. Within 90 days, I was promoted to manage the entire department. Without my MBA I could have seen the opportunity, but I would not have had the skills to see either the necessary solutions or myself. I feel that my ability to see problems analytically, to present logical solutions, and to work well with all sorts of people helped create that and other opportunities, including co-founding a company. All three were skills that I learned at Saint Mary's."
"I've taken many risks with my career and all have been rewarding in some way. Maybe I've been lucky, or maybe it's my MBA at work, or maybe it's my MBA creating luck."
Karen Willett
Vice President of Product Marketing, Learning Solutions Division, PeopleSoft
"Completing the Saint Mary's Executive MBA program has had an important impact on my career. It expanded my awareness and capabilities, and gave me the qualifications expected for senior positions in marketing, a level to which I was promoted shortly after graduation. Additionally, completing this program while working full-time in a challenging business environment proves - to yourself as well as to others - your ability to set and achieve goals."
Executive MBA Hybrid Testimonials
Nadine Lezada
Information Management Director, Alza Corporation
"The Hybrid EMBA has allowed me to balance my home life, family time and work schedule. With a husband, a 12 year old daughter and 14 year old son, and a full-time job, I didn't believe I'd have the time or energy to devote to the 100% classroom EMBA Program on campus. The Hybrid EMBA classes are held every other Saturday which allows me to still enjoy weekend plans with my family. Being at home online Tuesday and Thursday evenings, I have no commute time and cost, and my family appreciates that I am home safe and sound, spending dinner time with them before attending class. If I need to travel during the week for work, I don't worry about missing class because I am easily able to participate online, even from across the country."
Jeff Aidt
Marketing Communications Manager , Hitachi Chemical Diagnostics, Inc.
"I really appreciate the flexible schedule offered by the EMBA Hybrid Program, including an open weekend every other week. The program allows me to engage in the same great quality education (as the 100% classroom EMBA) from the comfort of my own environment. The Hybrid EMBA has far exceeded my expectations. The quality and genuine caring of SMC faculty make the program second to none. My confidence has grown immeasurably as a direct result and it continues to drive my professional and personal success. I would highly recommend the Hybrid EMBA Program to family and friends. This program is possibly the best thing that's ever happened to me (other than my wife and kids)."
Bob Gundel
Vice President, Preclinical Research, Xoma
"The Hybrid EMBA has a number of features that make it one of the best for working executives such as myself. The courses are taught by experienced professors who are experts in their fields and provide high quality information. The combination of small class size and fellow students who are experienced working professionals creates a very rich and interactive learning environment. The course material is current, directly applicable and relevant to today's business environment. Finally, the course is designed with the working professional in mind, both in terms of flexibility and convenience. The online classes are very effective and facilitated by using state-of-the-art technology and professors who are experts at effectively using these tools. The combination of online and face-to-face classes is a nice balance and provides a great deal of flexibility. This makes the St. Marys EMBA program very doable for the working professional. I am very happy with the program."
Kathy Hill
Safety Laboratory System Business Office Manager, UC DAVIS-California Animal Health & Food
"I reluctantly signed up for the EMBA Hybrid because I was skeptical of the online portion of the program. Now, after more than seven months into the program, I must say I was wrong. Classroom meetings every other Saturday have given me the opportunity to interact in person with my instructors as well as my classmates. And, taking classes online affords me the luxury of using the time it would take me to commute to St. Mary's to better prepare for class. With today's technology, I have been able to attend online classes from my home in Davis, as well as a hotel in Grant's Pass Oregon, without any noticeable difference.
During the online portion of the program, I have interacted well with my instructors and my classmates. The online delivery system allows students to participate in many of the same observations, problem solving, and discussions as they would in a classroom. The Hybrid EMBA allows me to experience the high quality of education that is St. Mary's, while not having to give up my career over 60 miles away in the Sacramento Valley."
Janet Foster
Senior Learning Consultant, Kaiser Permanente
"I chose the Hybrid EMBA because my job required that I be available for travel up to 75% of the time. The 100% classroom EMBA format was not a viable option for me. I am a proponent of online learning because I have led training initiatives for my own organization using the same format offered in the Hybrid program. It was a natural fit for me. I find that the Hybrid EMBA gives me a better return on my time (than the 100% classroom EMBA model). I would recommend it to anyone who wants an MBA, but requires a flexible and time efficient format. I am even more enthusiastic about the program now than when I applied last year."
Professional MBA Testimonials
John Cassady
Sr. Quality Assurance Investigator, Bayer Corporation
"The memorable moments associated with my academic growth at Saint Mary's revolve around study sessions with my core group of classmates and with the many good conversations I had with faculty. Students looking for a dynamic learning environment will find professors willing to extend the class beyond the required curriculum."
Penny J. Cortez
Executive Advisor, ChevronTexaco Merger Integration
"Business is my passion so pursuing an MBA was a natural next step. Saint Mary's has an excellent reputation because of its high standards and the quality education it offers."
"Having a master's degree from a well-respected institution has positioned me for new opportunities. This year I have had the wonderful opportunity to work on the Chevron and Texaco merger. I am responsible for helping educate Chevron-Texaco's leaders in the visions and values of the new company."
Christina Jennings
Senior Project Manager, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
"Earning my MBA at Saint Mary's has given me a broader perspective and expanded my career options. Much of what I learned in class has been directly applicable in my job. In my international marketing class, for example, the instructor required us to apply all the skills we had gained in a project that had us develop a real-life venture in another country."
"Near the end of the MBA program, I was successful candidate for a Senior Project Manager position in my company's customer research department. The skills that I learned in the MBA program ensured a smooth transition to marketing research from my previous position in technology research."
John Middlebrook
Western Regional Director, TIAA-CREF
"The Saint Mary's MBA has allowed me to see business situations and strategy in a completely different light. I have a greater sense of how corporations allocate capital and defend or expand their markets. I have been able to make a larger contribution to our organization. The MBA has provided me with a foundation to make better business decisions."
"After attaining my MBA at Saint Mary's, I was promoted to a management position in my company. I subsequently gained greater responsibilities, opening a new office in Southern California before being appointed to a new position in the Bay Area. As part of a new division in my company, I apply tools that I gained at Saint Mary's almost every day."
Jason Alan Skeoch
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, TriNet Communications
"My undergraduate education provided me with an understanding of the basics of business. But it didn't provide me with the tools needed to run a company, I had heard through the business community that the program at Saint Mary's was well respected and challenging, but also provided the flexibility to continue working while earning my degree."
"When I was admitted to the program, I was working as an account manager in outside sales for my company. I am currently vice president of sales and marketing. The Saint Mary's MBA program has given me more confidence, not only in my business, but in all aspects of my life."
Derek L. Watry
Associate Principal, Wilson Ihrig & Associates, Inc.
"Prior to coming to Saint Mary's, my educational experience had been at two large, public institutions that seemed to foster competition among students. In contrast, the students at Saint Mary's were very cooperative, and we worked together on group projects from the first class."
"In business today, knowing how to work cooperatively with a variety of people is a valuable skill, and it's a skill that is developed in the Saint Mary's MBA program."
