Alisia's Story

I am in the Master of Business Administration Program graduating Spring 2022. I chose this degree to further advance my skills in all areas of business. With a business degree, your career options are endless. Whether you want to work for a corporate company or be an entrepreneur, a business degree will take you places.

I also received my undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona and I chose to come back for my master's because of the faculty. The teachers at Cal Poly Pomona truly care deeply for their students and go to great lengths to apply real life situations in their courses. CPP is a very hands-on school, and they prepare you to be successful once a student graduates. 

My favorite class I have taken is Strategic Management with Professor Iman. His course applies real life case studies that are very relevant to our economy and the times we are living in. This course allows you to think strategically and puts knowledge and facts at the forefront.

Other than the skills I have learned in this program, the biggest takeaway from this program has been getting to know my fellow colleagues. Each person in this program brings a new, diversified outlook that makes a person think outside of the box for solutions to problems that you did not know existed. We all come from different backgrounds and industries, so we always bounce ideas off of each other.

My advice for future graduate business students would be to just start. The length of this program is two years, and it flies by. There are days and nights where you feel like giving up because of the workload, but it always seems impossible until it’s done!

If I could have dinner with a person, it would be myself 15 years ago. I would let my younger self know that the road to success is not always a straight path. Enjoy the journey and set goals for yourself. You do not have to know where you are going to be successful. I would tell myself that there will always be hard times, but you will get through them with determination, focus, and passion.

My favorite day of the year is the first day of school. There is something so nostalgic about getting up early, picking your first day of school outfit, and meeting your new professors and colleagues. You have all the best pens and note pads and you are so determined to do good. Carry that energy throughout the entire course and you will set yourself up for success.

I have always wanted to learn how to speak different languages. There are students from so many different ethnic backgrounds and in business this is a great skill to have. Along with compassion and empathy for others. You can apply this in business and in your personal life.

My dream job would be to be an entrepreneur and own my own company. This program prepares you for that.

Lastly, I would like to mention that while this program does not guarantee you a job after you graduate, the skills and tenacity you take away from this program will. When one door closes, another will open. In life and in business you will encounter many rejections, learn from it, grow from it, and never take no for an answer!