Amanda Anderson ’17

When I started my search for an executive MBA program, I was looking for the basics: a good finance program, good marketing, etc. It wasn’t until I found Yale SOM that I realized there was so much more to an executive MBA program. I can only describe it as having a soul.

I came here with the intention of learning how to run my business better. Halfway through the program, I realized I wanted to help other people run their businesses better. I shared a lot of my experiences at SOM with a client who then hired me full-time, and now we’re building a vision for our sector unlike anything the company has ever seen.

My undergraduate degree was in environmental science, but a lot has changed. Business people and environmentalists have come together and are focusing on creating a future that is truly sustainable for future generations. It doesn’t matter what sector you’re in. I started out in insurance, thinking about how wholesalers can move through their territories more efficiently, using less fuel. Today, there’s much more to consider. In my current business, which deals in real estate, we’re looking at what it means if property boundaries change as water levels rise. Where will the value lay when we hand these lands over to our children?

I think the people who are happiest and most successful in an executive MBA program are those who are passionate about making change. At Yale SOM, it’s not only about making change within our organizations and within our own lives; it’s about making a difference in the world.