Meet the latest incoming University of Florida Weekend Professional MBA class
The Warrington College of Business is proud to welcome its latest class to the UF MBA Weekend Professional program. We invite you to meet some of the Class of 2024 and 2025 by learning more about who they are, what they do, why they chose the University of Florida and more.
Class of 2024 and 2025:
- Class size – 54
- Average age – 32
- Average years of work experience – 8
- Women – 26% / Men – 74%
Current roles and employers:
- Project Manager – Otis Elevator
- Finance LDP – Lockheed Martin
- Director of Statewide Mental Health and Substance Abuse – VitalCore Health Strategies
- Naval Science Instructor – U.S. Navy
- Human Resources Associate Director – Bristol Myers Squibb
- Product Realization Leader – Sonos
- Director of Analytics – First Watch Restaurants
Degrees from:
- Georgia State University
- University of Georgia
- University of Rochester
- Southeastern University
- Florida State University
- Jacksonville University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Northeastern University
- Fundação Escola de Comércio Àlvares Penteado (Brazil)
Undergraduate majors:
- Psychology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Sociology
- Mechanical Engineering
- Finance
- Accounting
- International Business
- Marine Science
- Business Administration
* Select listing. More employers, universities and majors represented in the full class.
What do you hope to get out of your UF MBA experience?
- “During the program, I’m looking forward to getting to know the members of my cohort and learning from their experiences. I’d like to gain confidence in my understanding of business and business practices. By the end of this program, I hope to have a clearer vision of what I want to pursue next in my career.” – Cleopatra Muziki
- “My goal is to learn about new areas outside my current area of expertise in Human Resources (Total Rewards) and potentially transition to a new role in HR or move to a Senior Director position. During the time in the program, I hope to get deeper in some of my areas of interest, such as Organizational Behavior, Analytics, Entrepreneurship, etc. and also participate in projects/activities that can support minority groups (i.e. Latinos/Hispanic business owners) to develop their business acumen and as a result improve competitiveness in their areas.” – Guilherme Cadore
- “My decision to pursue my MBA was primarily driven by my goals to expand my professional knowledge and increase my marketability. During my time in the UF MBA program, I hope to transform into a more effective leader by expanding my knowledge beyond that found in the workplace and gaining new perspectives in the business world. I look forward to leaving the UF MBA program as a more well-rounded individual equipped with the theory and skills to further progress in management positions.” – Andrew Johnson
Why did you choose the University of Florida?
- “The University of Florida has established itself as a prestigious brand and has proven its reputation in providing a quality experience and education. It also finds itself in one of the fastest growing economies in the US and is well-positioned to develop the future work force.” – John Wilson
- “The weekend professional program gave me the best of both worlds. I get to learn in person from amazing professors and accomplished individuals in my cohort and ask questions in real time. While also being able to have control over my busy schedule during the rest of the month and plan out times to study and do assignments that works best for me.” – Cleopatra Muziki
- “I chose the UF Weekend Professional MBA because I work in a fully virtual environment and I wanted to have the in-person aspect that this program offers. I chose to attend UF because of the high ratings and great things I have heard from current students.” – Grant Harper
What advice do you have for others on the admissions process?
- “Don’t be afraid to take that next step. It can be daunting to apply for the MBA and then join, but you’ve got this. The MBA is tough and takes commitment but I believe if you’re willing to put in the work, you will reap the reward.” – Grant Harper
- “The advice for others in the admissions process is to have a hard-working attitude and start early. The admissions team is outstanding and friendly to assist with in person/online questions or concerns. Second is to reach out to admissions early through email/ phone and receive all the up-to-date information to know deadlines based off year group. Third, is to come to campus during the admissions process and walk the beautiful campus. The city of Gainesville is beautiful too and great to learn prior to the first day of classes.” – Thomas Chimiak
- “What I have seen firsthand is that diversity in experience and backgrounds drives excellence, both in practice professionally but also in the academic environment of the University of Florida. My advice is to not worry about fitting the mold of the MBA student prototype, and instead display the best version of yourself. Have conviction in your strengths and think about how you’ll use them to succeed in the MBA program, and beyond!” – John Wilson
