Flexible MBA

"Make sure it [grad school] is something you want to pursue. It’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a lot of work but very rewarding."

My name is Keith Wolhert, I'm 35 years old and I currently work as the Senior Project Manager for WCI-GC, a local commercial general contractor.

• Why did you choose Saint Mary’s College?

There are three main reasons that SMC stood out to me. Proximity, class size and faculty. I live and work about 10-15 minutes from SMC, making it very accessible. Class sizes are small, engaging and made up of a diverse group of peers. Professors are subject experts and very accessible. All my classes were taught by the main professor vs a teacher assistant. 

• How do/did you balance school and work?

I work 40-50 hours per week, have two young children and a family, and school. There is no free time and barely enough to accomplish what is required. The best way I’ve found to fulfill all of these needs is to be very intentional with my time. That means when you are with family, work, school you give it your full attention and invest in that activity.  

• What did you learn about yourself?

I learned that you can be successful when you commit the time and effort to each class. It’s simple to say, but hard to execute. I’ve found great satisfaction in putting in a lot of hard work and the reward has been great. The PMBA program pushed me that much further and required me to hone my time management and organizational skills. 

• How has attending Grad School benefited your personal and professional growth?

Professionally it has validated my role and future roles with my company. Having an MBA provides a great foundation for strategic decision making and responsible leading. It’s a collective exposure to different subjects and others' experiences that are now shaping the way I operate and how I approach life and business decisions.

• What advice would you give your pre-program self or someone considering grad school?

Don’t do it just because it sounds cool, the novelty will wear off after a few quarters. Dive in 150%, you will get out of it what you put in. Engage in discussion during class and get to know your peers. The material is useful but the discussion and learning from others is what makes a PMBA so much more applicable. 

• What challenges or obstacles did you experience while completing your program at SMC?

Time management was my greatest challenge. Working full time, family responsibilities, class and homework means there is little time for other activities. Don't procrastinate - finding time when you can focus on the task at hand is key. I completed most of my homework/studying/writing in the evenings after 8pm and a lot on the weekends.

• Who was your mentor or who supported you during your studies?

I was very motivated to prove [to myself] that I could achieve success, as I was never an outstanding student in undergrad. Putting in the long hours and hard work was confirmation that I could excel in Grad School. Two great profressors that really promoted getting the most out of the topic and group discsussions were Marco Aponte-Moreno and Kelly Weidner. Both were passionate about their courses and really facilitated great conversation.

• If you could highlight one experience that could sum up your entire SMC experience, what would that be?

I've always enjoyed going to the Basketball (men's & women's) games with my daughter (4.5) and we get really excited when we get to see the Gaels. I also really enjoyed the start of a new quarter and new group project. It was rewarding and satisfying when your research and presenation came together at the end. Typically it was the culmination of weeks of group work and collaboration and a successful presentation always validated the time and effort.