Today my teammates and I presented our final assignment in our Managing Innovation and Technology class. I'm unofficially done with the Duke MBA! According to Duke, we're not officially done until the degree is conferred at commencement in May, but I'm already celebrating! Thanks to everyone on this board - I showed up here in 2003 and lurked for a good long time, then became a more active poster as I got closer and closer to finishing my BSBA and moving on the MBA. The advice and community I found here have been invaluable in helping to keep me motivated, even when it seemed like I was going to be in school forever. I'm so jazzed to be done! For those of you still plugging away, keep going. When you feel like I feel right now, you'll understand why all the hard work is worth it! --Fortunato
Congratulations! Earning a master's degree (or any degree for that matter) is not a small accomplishment. Alright, to stay in line with this board, where are you planning on going for your doctorate?
Congrats. Duke! Great accomplishment. Are you using the degree to switch careers or move up on the company/industry? Would you recommend the program to others?
No idea as yet - going to take some time off and enjoy not being a student for a while. For right now, I'm just going to enjoy the run-up to my graduation, where my family will finally get to see me cross a stage. (It's a long story as to why I've never actually walked in a graduation ceremony, just suffice it to say that it involves a tornado..) If I do go back, it will probably be something like Case Western's Executive Doctor of Management - its format is very similar to the program I just completed, so I know I would do well there. I'm not sure I'm intrinsically motivated enough to pull off one of the UK research-only docs, although they do interest me. --Fortunato
Eventually, I'd like to switch careers. I'm currently in IT, would like to move into consulting. However, for the immediate term, I owe my employer some payback for putting up with (and paying for!) my schooling for two years, so I'm staying put for now. As for whether or not I recommend the program, the answer is definitely yes. The CCMBA gave me access to some of the best business education in the world without having to give up two years of my career. The professors are all top notch and I have learned as much from my classmates as I have from the assignments. Thanks to the foreign residencies, I've also gotten to travel to Europe and Asia and hear business leaders from all over the world speak. It's a life changing experience, and I'd recommend it to anyone. --Fortunato
Congrats - and I am glad to see you are planning to attend your commencement ceremony - I am glad I did for my MBA! Shawn