Virginia Tech’s MBA can help new graduates sharpen skills, add credentials

In an uncertain economy, new graduates may find that earning a Virginia Tech MBA can be a productive way to sharpen skills and add credentials while waiting to launch their careers.

Virginia Tech’s part-time Evening MBA, based in the university’s Northern Virginia Center in metro Washington, D.C., has attracted many Hokies with undergraduate degrees for several reasons, said MBA programs director Dana Hansson. These include its stellar reputation and top 20 national ranking; dedicated teachers, many with industry experience; extensive alumni network; and great value.

Alumni who had majored in science, engineering, and other nonbusiness disciplines as undergraduates — such as Ryan Feber, a 2003 Virginia Tech graduate in computer science, and Bryan Gassenmeyer, who earned a degree in industrial and systems engineering at Virginia Tech in 2006 — have found that not only is a prior business education not needed to enroll or excel in an MBA program, but that technical backgrounds can be a basis for diversifying or rounding out knowledge and skills for managing or leading change in today’s data economy.

Others like Cody Neder, a 2014 finance alumnus, and Alexis Monahan, a 2006 graduate in communications and psychology, have lauded the program for the business and management knowledge and skills they’ve gained and the rich contributions to their learning from faculty and classmates with diverse professional backgrounds.

And, because life circumstances can change, a program that offers flexibility and affordability — students can shift between full-time and part-time status and apply for paid graduate assistantships — are two more pluses.

Maryann Romero’s experience reflects both these benefits. A stay-at-home mom at the time with an undergraduate degree in communications and rhetorical studies from Syracuse University, Romero finished up in two-and-a-half years and credits the program for opening the door to a new career as a client insights analyst at a media analytics company.

The MBA’s partnership with Virginia Tech’s Master of Information Technology in a dual-degree program is yet another draw for those looking to beef up their business knowledge and technology expertise for career advancement.

Carlos Muñoz knew he wanted to be “at the burgeoning intersection of business and technology” and to move up in management.

Muñoz was already an experienced and well credentialed IT professional — degrees from the University of Maryland and Georgetown University; 20-plus years of network engineering and information security experience, including with the U.S. Army; and a current job managing a team of network engineers for a Fortune 1000 company — when he decided the Virginia Tech MBA and MIT were must-have degrees.

Lastly, Virginia Tech’s caring and supportive community of faculty and staff left a lasting impression on Nicholle Clinton, who received a marketing degree in 2007 and currently expects to complete her MBA in December 2020.

Clinton coped with a series of serious family illnesses and losses during her senior year as well as early in her MBA studies. She is grateful for the compassion and assistance she received during both periods from the teaching faculty and program staff.

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Explore opportunities to strengthen your career goals and give you the edge in today’s market place with Virginia Tech’s nationally ranked MBA and online Master of Information Technology programs.

1. Join experienced professionals from top employers in the D.C. area and beyond. Work experience requirements have been temporarily waived for graduating seniors.
2. For fall 2020 only, all applicants will automatically be considered for GMAT/GRE waivers. 
3. The Evening MBA and MIT programs are both highly flexible and can be taken full time or part time.