Student Spotlight: Amber Yoo
The Warrington College of Business is full of standout alumni and students. No matter their program or major, their time on campus plays an important role in preparing for impactful careers. This series will feature exceptional people from across Warrington.
Learn more about what makes Amber Yoo, a student in the Doctor of Business Administration program, a standout student at the Warrington College of Business.
Q: Where are you from originally?
Yoo: “I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. I remember the city’s excitement for every Georgia/Florida game. The Jacksonville Landing was the place to be on game nights.”
Q: What are your other degrees and from what school?
Yoo: “All told, I’ve been a student at Warrington three times over the past 20 years. I have both my bachelor’s and master’s in Business Administration and am currently working on my doctorate. I’m looking forward to becoming a ‘triple Gator.'”
Q: When did you know you wanted to pursue your doctorate degree at Warrington, and why was it an interesting option for you?
Yoo: “I knew on December 16, 2009 to be exact. That’s the day I found out a doctorate in business even existed. I was pursuing my master’s at UF and I emailed my husband in a moment of clarity; This was my path forward.
“For me, the answer to “why UF” is apparent. When you’ve been to the best, why go elsewhere? I know UF. I respect UF. I admire UF. Warrington professors are world-renowned and the educational experience offered is truly first-class. Furthermore, Warrington’s DBA program is one of the only programs in the nation that provide a strenuous, well-respected program while still allowing students the flexibility to work full-time.”
Q: What’s the highlight of your time at Warrington?
Yoo: “I met my husband at UF back in 2001. So, that’s a pretty significant highlight. I was wrapping up my senior year of undergrad at the time. Remember back when we still had the Purple Porpoise and the Speakeasy? Those were the days.
“I returned years later for my master’s, and it’s hard to give just one highlight from that time because the entire experience is a highlight of my life. Our cohort formed incredible bonds of friendship, not to mention the excellent education we all received. I remember how eye opening my international business immersion trip to China was. I remember the incredible lessons I learned from my favorite professor, Dr. Fiona Barnes. I remember my team project on Ben & Jerry’s for our Branding class – blind taste testing ice cream makes for fun focus groups! I walked away from my MBA experience with the confidence to tackle unknowns – to confidently go into spaces I knew nothing about, do the research, run the numbers and come out the other side equipped with the knowledge I need to succeed.”
Q: How do you anticipate your DBA helping in your career?
Yoo: “I’ve spent the past decade learning a tremendous amount in the real world. I helped found a nonprofit. I started a business – SKY Facial Plastic Surgery — with my husband. I made the Gator100 list three times. I chaired fundraisers and served on boards. I’m ready to take things to the next level.
“The DBA program teaches you how to think like a scientist, an academic. I’m learning how to read and critique studies, design and run experiments, and – most exciting for me —how to “crunch the numbers” and gain statistical insights. Not only will I be able to immediately apply these skills to my business and industry, but also I now have the opportunity to eventually become a professor.”
Q: What can we find you doing outside class or on the weekends?
Yoo: “I have a firecracker of a daughter, Quinn. She’s two and keeps me grounded in what’s really important in life: laughter and love. I enjoy spending every available moment with her and my husband, Sirius.”
Q: What’s a fact about you that might surprise other people?
Yoo: “I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up. That’s one of the reasons I ended up as a University Scholar performing genomic research on M. alligatoris for Dr. Daniel Brown at UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine during my senior year of undergrad.”
Q: If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?
Yoo: “Donate it to Warrington, naturally. That’s the correct answer, right?”
