My Advice for Exploring Graduate Business School

In choosing a graduate school, I suggest first determining the career path that interests you. Second, if there is someone whose career you admire, ask them how they got to where they are. Third, understand that the time commitment to school can be intensive, and to succeed in school prioritization will be required. Last, a graduate program can be invaluable to your career if you choose one that fits your needs and goals.

My Background

I am a Senior Energy Analyst for a consulting firm. I work directly on a contract for the Energy Trust of Oregon, managing delivery of a commercial energy efficiency program. I have been in the energy industry in some capacity since I graduated from college in 2010 with a mechanical engineering degree. I am passionate about energy efficiency and renewable power generation. For fun, I have two dogs, and we like to romp around the PNW!

My Future Goals

My goal is to continue to work in sustainability operations within a large firm. Specifically, I am most interested in sustainable business strategy. I ultimately decided to invest the time and money into an MBA because I wanted to move from a highly technically focused position to a management role.

My Experience at Portland State University

I started the MBA program in the Fall of 2018. I knew I wanted to get an MBA but was uncertain about the best option for me. I made the decision that I wanted to go to a school with a sustainability focus, and I would rather have an in-person education. After looking at several schools, I took the leap and enrolled at PSU. It has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. I have learned a lot of hard skills, such as business strategy, finance, and accounting. The soft skills, leadership, team dynamics, and how to be professional, are also immeasurably valuable. Most importantly, PSU has allowed me to develop meaningful relationships with my peers and other professionals.

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