UF DBA Spotlight: Nichole Wiley-Marks
Nichole Wiley-Marks currently serves as the Vice President & Head of Sales Operations at Included Health, a company that specializes in the virtual healthcare industry. With a Bachelor of Science in Marketing & Marketing Distribution Management from Indiana University and a Master of Science in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University already in hand, Wiley-Marks (DBA ’24) decided to enroll in the UF DBA program to advance her business knowledge after 17 years in the technology industry.
Learn more about Wiley-Marks and her journey through the UF DBA program:
Q: Why did you decide to pursue a DBA?
Wiley-Marks: “I want to gain greater knowledge in business theory to better solve complex business problems. My overall goal is to become a business thought leader.”
Q: What convinced you that the UF DBA program was where you wanted to enroll?
Wiley-Marks: “The reputation and ranking of the Warrington College of Business and its programs. I also felt that the design of the program was complimentary to the schedule of a full-time working executive.”
Q: What have been your overall impressions of the UF DBA program so far?
Wiley-Marks: “I would break my impressions into 3 categories:
1. Course Study – The course content has the appropriate amount of rigor, contains relevant business theory, and challenges students.
2. Faculty – The faculty are world-class academics and researchers in their fields. It is apparent that they love what they do and have a passion for teaching.
3. Students – The cohorts are filled with impressive leaders of various backgrounds. Their expertise span a variety of career fields and they come to the DBA program with post-secondary degrees from some of the most impressive educational institutes in the U.S. and beyond.”
Q: What has been the highlight of your DBA experience?
Wiley-Marks: “By far, the highlight has been the people. The ability to network, learn and grow with an outstanding group of people is irreplaceable. The relationships that have been gained will extend well beyond my time in the program.”
Q: How have you been able to network with other students in the program?
Wiley-Marks: “The highlight of any program is the network that is gained. The design of the UF DBA creates an environment rich for networking. Effective relationships are gained during the residency portion of the program and then carry over during the remote portions of the program. In addition, the diverse mix of backgrounds brings the perfect mix of expertise in a variety of areas that can be leveraged for students learning.”
Q: Why would you recommend this program to others considering a DBA?
Wiley-Marks: “The UF DBA program has forced me to approach business problems in a different way. Whether you are looking to have a career in academics or your goals are to continue as a business practitioner, the UF DBA is an outstanding program.”
