Balancing school, work and life is a complex assignment for college students. At the graduate level, managing professional career and family commitments can mean the difference between completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or not. With Oakland University’s new 100 percent online MBA program, graduate business students can now earn an MBA without setting foot on campus, completing classes on their time and their schedule.
The convenience of online courses made it possible for Rachel Wiltgen, MBA ‘20, program manager, data analytics and insight, FCA, to earn her MBA after being transferred from the Auburn Hills office to downtown Detroit.
Rather than giving up on her dream of completing her MBA due to a demanding job and longer commute, Wiltgen worked with OU’s Graduate Business Advising team to find and enroll in the online classes she needed.
“The flexibility was a big part of why I chose to do the online classes. I could still take classes and travel for work,” says Wiltgen, who grew up in Chicago and moved to Michigan to work for FCA after earning her undergraduate degree in business informatics from Indiana University Bloomington.
In addition to convenience and flexibility, Wiltgen valued the expanded discussions with classmates. On the discussion boards and in group assignments, students contribute new opinions and messages throughout the week. “I enjoyed the continuous learning aspect,” she says. “You are doing the same thing you do in class, and I’d argue, that you actually do more and get more out of it online.”
Wiltgen also appreciated the open communication with OU business professors, who, she says, proactively check in with students or hold weekly phone-in times for lectures and discussions where students ask questions of the professor and each other.
Lessons from her OU MBA program have proven beneficial to Wiltgen’s career. In the middle of the program, she moved from business process specialist to program manager.
“I am able to apply a lot of what I learned in my MBA classes to my job,” says Wiltgen.
To learn more about the Oakland University 100% Online MBA and the online courses available, visit oakland.edu/business/grad.
May 15, 2020
By Alice Rhein
