A winding path to the Doctor of Business Administration

Like many, Inga Moffitt describes her career path as far from linear. Where her path has lacked in continuity, though, Moffitt has more than made up for in breadth of experience.

A Georgia-native, Moffitt (DBA ’22) completed her undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, leading her to her first career in research and development for disposable diapers.

“That was an eye-opening experience!” she said.

Moffitt’s time in research and development flowed into an opportunity to work on a product improvement launch which exposed her to the business aspects of a corporation and the industry that would pique her interest in pursuing further – marketing.

When Moffitt took her next educational step in pursuing her MBA at Vanderbilt University, she decided that marketing would be her new path.

“Marketing is so broad, and many people don’t realize the many facets of marketing that bring an idea to fruition,” she said.

After completing her MBA, Moffitt banked years of experience in the field, which eventually led her to her current role as a higher education sales consultant for Apple where she partners with higher education institutions to provide students with a successful, engaging experience.

Encouraged by her manager at Apple, and thanks to the continued support of her husband, Joe and children, Kara and Evan, Moffitt is growing her professional skills even more as a student in UF’s Doctor of Business Administration program.

“Because my background included research and development, marketing, business development and sales, I knew that having a global perspective of the world would prepare me for any future endeavor,” she said.

For Moffitt, she wanted a doctoral program that would complement her professional experience and allow her to continue working. As she began researching, other important details led her to choose UF DBA.

“The DBA is a rather unique degree, and less than a handful of the programs in the U.S. are AACSB accredited,” she said. “I chose to study at UF because it is a top-ranked research institution with an impeccable reputation in business. The program format, which includes a residency, allowed me to ‘spend time on campus’ and develop wonderful relationships that will serve me well in years to come.

“To date, I have been incredibly pleased with the experience. Go Warrington!”

Thanks to her experience thus far in the UF DBA program, Moffitt has added quantitative and qualitative research methods to her already robust skill set.

“What the DBA program has allowed me to do is significantly sharpen my thinking and to critically evaluate academic research on the basis of evidence,” she said. “This is an invaluable skill that has served me well in my most recent professional endeavors, and I look forward to continued growth in this area.”

With the breadth of experience Moffitt has under her belt, it’s no surprise that she also owns her own career coaching business in which she shares her knowledge to help others land their dream job.

As COVID-19 has battered the U.S. economy, Moffitt has seen requests ranging from help in rebuilding resumes to clarification in career paths.

“The pandemic has illuminated an opportunity to get clear on the professional journey, so most people I speak to are really looking for guidance in this season,” she said.

While Moffitt has plenty to offer in terms of guidance, her best piece of advice for those job searching now is to stay the course.

“Companies are indeed hiring, and the rate of hiring is likely to increase over the next several months as the economy continues to recover,” she said. “Prepare your personal story, and consider how to best showcase that story to a prospective employer. The job search is not a journey you need or want to do alone, so please seek help from others.”