An MBA for Uncertain Times: Holly Lehmann (MBA ’12)
Published: August 1, 2020 / Author: Holly Lehmann
I was working for a Christian nonprofit prior to the [recession] crisis in 2008, having graduated college in 2007 with a degree in business marketing.
After three years I decided that I wanted to shift to the business world. I looked at jobs but it was difficult to find employment in 2008 and the years after. I also didn’t have any traditional business experience on my resume – even though I knew my time in the nonprofit space would translate well to the for-profit [space].
The value of the Notre Dame MBA for me is summed up simply in that it helped me connect my pre-MBA experience to the job I wanted post-MBA, and it gave me the network I needed to find a great fit for me at United Airlines.
Mendoza’s emphasis on business’ ability for positive impact really appealed to me – and classes like Business on the Front Lines seemed like a great opportunity to explore how I might integrate my faith and values into the practice of business.
The Notre Dame MBA enabled me to secure a job post-graduation that I would not have been able to get coming directly from the nonprofit sector. The internship between year one and two allowed me to fill a key gap on my résumé and I gained access to an incredible alumni network.
I made contact with many alumni during my time at Mendoza and all were more than willing to help me – either with informational interviews or passing my résumé along to the right folks in human resources.
The value of the Notre Dame MBA for me is summed up simply in that it helped me connect my pre-MBA experience to the job I wanted post-MBA, and it gave me the network I needed to find a great fit for me at United Airlines.
