In person on campus: Three UBC Professional MBA students reflect on their classroom experience

Soni Proctor, Kenzie Preece and Kiana Pomponio are business professionals and fellow students in the UBC Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA) program offered at the UBC Sauder School of Business. While they had different reasons for wanting to go to graduate school, they were each looking for an in-person program. Now in the second half of their two-year program, the students say the face-to-face instruction and peer-to-peer learning have given them a deeply rewarding educational experience.

Going back to the classroom mid-career

Soni Proctor studied electrical engineering at UBC before building a successful technical career with BC Hydro. The mother of two was looking for an MBA program that would teach her new business skills, particularly business strategy, finance and leadership. When she read about the part-time, 24-month UBC PMBA program, she knew it was a perfect fit. Not only would it allow her to maintain her work and family responsibilities, but it also promised an interactive learning experience with fellow business professionals. 

“Classes take place on weekends, which works really well for busy professionals,” explains Soni. “Everyone in my cohort is really smart and they bring a wide variety of tools and strategies to the table. So, we are not just learning from our instructors, we are learning from each other all the time through class discussions, group projects and conversations over coffee or lunch. We also have online chat groups to discuss schoolwork, as well as different issues that we’re dealing with at work.”
 

Accessing global learning opportunities

Kenzie Preece lives in Victoria, where she works as a senior digital communications and community strategy leader for Schneider Electric. She says that in-person learning offers a degree of collaboration and peer support that is hard to replicate in an online classroom. It’s one of the reasons why she chose the UBC PMBA despite the long commute by car and ferry.

“I think there are huge benefits to in-person learning,” says Kenzie. “Our classes are really lively and we have excellent discussions. Since my cohort is made up of working professionals, they always have relevant examples to contribute from their work week. The flip side is that we can take our fresh learnings from the weekend and apply them in our professional lives the very next day. I’ve had an experience where one of my group projects was implemented by another member of the cohort in their workplace. It’s nice to know that your contributions are making an impact in the real world.” 
 

Gaining new perspectives and solving business challenges 

Kiana Pomponio is a marketing manager at Finning Canada who is also based in Victoria and in the same cohort as Soni and Kenzie. One of her favourite parts of the UBC PMBA program has been the on-campus residency, which brings the cohort together to solve a real business challenge.

“We put our work responsibilities aside for eight days and dive into new course content, as well as a live case study,” explains Kiana. 

Students are introduced to a business client who presents them with a current business issue or problem to solve. The students break into groups and design a business solution that they present to the client in front of the class.

“It’s a very intense and challenging experience, but it’s a lot of fun too,” says Kiana. “The live case study allows you to showcase the full complement of your business skills, including teamwork and leadership. You also get exposure to an industry or company that could one day factor into your career plans.
 

Acquiring professional skills and developing the leader within

The three students are enjoying the flexibility of the program, picking courses that align with their passions. Kenzie is pursuing marketing and just returned from Shanghai where she took a course on brand management with the UBC International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) program. Kiana is inspired by entrepreneurship and is learning the steps of launching a business. Soni, who recently had her second child and is on maternity leave from work, is building more business strategy and leadership skills. 

“One of the things I love about this program is you can apply your learnings throughout your life,” says Soni. “Lessons on leadership, delegation of tasks, problem-solving and how to communicate effectively are so relevant. I’m more productive and effective today because I’ve developed better time management and decision-making skills.”

As Kiana builds her business acumen, she is working with her employer to lay the groundwork for a role with more responsibility and leadership opportunity. 

“I submitted a career development plan to my manager that stated where I wanted to be by the time I graduated. Since starting the program, I’ve received one promotion that was written in my plan. So my company is showing me that they recognizes the value of an MBA. My next goal is to become a director by the end of the year.”

Kenzie is planning on leveraging her education to pivot into different areas of business, such as marketing or operations.  

“My career has been really rewarding and I’ve developed crucial foundational skills, but as I've progressed I want to gain a deeper understanding of business dynamics and position myself for career opportunities in other functional areas of the company.” 
 

Making an investment that lasts a lifetime

While the UBC PMBA is a significant investment of time and resources, Soni, Kenzie and Kiana are already reaping the benefits of their efforts. They have developed high-value business skills that are fueling their success at work. They’ve also expanded their professional networks and formed new friendships with peers and instructors. Wherever their careers take them, the connections they’ve made through UBC Sauder will serve them well in the years to come.