James M. Brendel
Student Ambassador
MBA Candidate 2008
Part-Time Student

Concentration(s): Finance/Management
Industry/Field of Work: QA Analyst, Ibbotson Associates
Undergraduate Degree: Business Management
Undergraduate Institution: Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Career Goal: Chief Financial Officer for a venture capital firm
Club or Committee Involvement: MBA Association
E-mail: Jbrend3@uic.edu

Why did you return to school to obtain your MBA?
To maintain a competitive advantage in the financial industry and advance my career, an MBA is required. The MBA demonstrates your desire to become an industry leader and establishes personal commitment to continual growth and improvement.

What were the most important factors for you when choosing an MBA program?
University accreditation - There are many choices for an MBA, not all from accredited schools. To ensure the quality of the MBA program, AACSB accreditation is required.

Access to faculty - Professors at UIC are genuinely interested in the success of their students. Faculty members are easy to contact and work with; they are approachable and work closely with students throughout the program. The UIC Liautaud MBA program closely resembles a mentoring program rather than a strict academic environment.

Average work experience of the student body and network opportunities. Part-time students with diverse backgrounds bring their years of industry experience to the program adding to the overall classroom experience. The UIC Liautaud MBA students represent a broad range of industries in the Chicagoland area providing exceptional networking opportunities for all students.

What impact has the UIC Liautaud MBA had on you?
The UIC Liautaud MBA program has exposed me to a diverse group of industry professionals. Interaction with these professionals, both in classes and professionally, has allowed me to see different perspectives on issues and approach opportunities in unique ways.

The UIC Liautaud MBA program has also helped me understand the true meaning of time management and commitment. MBA programs are time consuming and require a high degree of time management to balance work, family and academic requirements. Additionally, a high degree of commitment is required to complete the program. At some point in time, almost every student will question whether the MBA is worth it; students committed to the program reevaluate their goals and arrive at the same conclusion that brought them to start the program.

We all know that people pursue an MBA to increase their business knowledge. Since starting the program, what has been the most unexpected gain the experience has given you?
The program has taught me to listen more and speak less. The MBA curriculum forces students to interact in groups to complete projects in limited time frames. To achieve success in the limited time frame, students must listen more in group settings and communicate complicated ideas in concise statements. Working in groups greatly improved the communication process in my career; speaking less often and clearly articulating concepts and communicating ideas. The change continues to have a noticeable affect on the way I conduct myself in classroom and professional environments.

Which professor changed the way you think?
All of the classes, professors, and students have contributed to changing the fundamental way I view problems and opportunities. The UIC Liautaud MBA program provides an environment where a diverse group of individuals interact with professors who mentor the group and transform above-average individuals into extraordinary industry leaders. The principle-based, pragmatic approach changes the fundamental process for working through problems and addressing opportunities in the marketplace.

Which course or professor has been your favorite thus far and why?
Professor Chris Barlow - MBA 590: Cross-Functional Teams. Professor Barlow's pragmatic approach to teamwork really cuts through all of the industry hype and focuses on techniques that not only work, but are applicable in both personal and professional situations. The class doesn't focus on the latest management fads, but instills a principled approach to teamwork and creative process that successful industry leaders require.

What is your favorite aspect of the UIC Liautaud MBA program or the Liautaud Graduate School of Business?
The UIC Liautaud MBA program maintains a wide variety of courses available to part-time students. Additionally, class sizes are small allowing greater interaction with the professor during class.

How would you define the Liautaud student?
-Motivated to achieve personal success
-Industry Leader
-Strong ties to the business community

What advice would you provide to incoming UIC Liautaud MBA students?
Network. Network. Network. The MBA is a great way to leverage your current career or transition to a new career. Unfortunately, too many MBA students wait to complete their degree before conducting a job search, and fail to network with other professionals throughout the program. Get involved, network with the other professionals in your program - a strong network provides the opportunities to leverage your MBA into a successful position at the completion of the program.

Get your employer to buy into your MBA before starting the program. The MBA program is very time consuming - work from the program will undoubtedly cross over to your personal and professional life. Let your employer know that you are in an MBA program - it lets your employer know that you are serious about advancing in your career field and provides you with some leeway in spending some work time on MBA projects. If your employer isn't supportive of you while pursuing an MBA, that is a clear message that your degree will be part of a career transition to another company.

The UIC Liautaud MBA professors are continuously involved in researching new business trends and innovations. How have you felt the professors have been able to integrate their theoretical knowledge into practical applications?
The best example in the finance community is the UIC International Center for Futures and Derivatives. Quantitative methods for financial engineering are an emerging field which continues to drive the largest markets in the world. UIC is at the forefront of developing how quantitative finance will shape the future structure of world markets.


CONTACT THE LGSB:

Liautaud Graduate School of Business
815 W. Van Buren (MC 077) Suite 220
Chicago, IL 60607

Phone: (312) 996-4573
Fax: (312) 413-0338

E-mail: mba@uic.edu