At UNC Kenan-Flagler, Ameya Khullar found an MBA that reflected the friendly welcome she received in North Carolina. Here’s how the Kenan-Flagler MBA encourages students to prioritize collaboration over competition.
MBA candidate Ameya Khullar is grinning as she recalls her aunt’s first-ever visit to North Carolina. “She said that people actually smile at you at the grocery store,” she laughs. “So basically she was really impressed by the nice sense of people.” (06:13)
That friendly North Carolina welcome was also one of the first things that struck Ameya when she first moved from India. She came for an MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler; a program ranked among the best in the US.
North Carolina’s welcoming environment has certainly helped Ameya transition into a new country and culture. But although it has been a nice bonus, it wasn’t the original reason she applied for the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA.
“One of the reasons I chose to come to UNC and the US schooling system was probably because of the more practical focus that it has on education overall,” Ameya explains. “I think our MBA focuses a lot on the practical atmosphere. There’s things like improv and business communication that’s pulled in, which is actually really great because that’s something that you require in daily life as managers.” (01:10)
Coming to North Carolina was a decision that Ameya ultimately took for her career. Having worked in marketing for the past seven years, she felt she had started to “plateau” in her learning curve. “I think that was one of the reasons for me to upskill myself,” she says. “An MBA was a natural choice because it’s such an all-rounded development.” (00:37)
Apart from the practical focus, another aspect of the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA that appealed to Ameya was its collaborative environment.
Most MBA degree programs are awash with competition. Competition for the best grades, for first place in business case competitions, and the best jobs at the end of it all. Some students thrive in a competitive environment, while others, like Ameya, would rather develop in a collaborative environment.
Ameya believes that the region’s friendliness bleeds into UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA program.
“That’s probably why we’re one of the nicer MBAs, as they call it,” she says. “And that lends itself to people, right? Automatically you’re in that sphere where you are nice to people, you’re collaborative. You’re in that sense of atmosphere of positivity.” (06:34)
UNC Kenan-Flagler has one of the smaller MBA cohorts, with class sizes of around 250. According to Ameya, that helps to create a close-knit community at the school. One where collaboration, not competition, is king.
“We have one of those nicer MBA cohorts that really love engaging with each other, having a lot of fun playing kickball on Sundays and things like that. So I think that really helps because you want to find a sense of belonging and there’s a lot of competition, but there’s also a lot of collaboration,” she says. (02:54)
Those close relationships between students were especially valuable for an international student like Ameya. She valued the close bonds she was able to form with her classmates, and it really helped to ease her transition into a new country.
“You rely on your cohort a lot for anything and everything, and we’re kind of there for each other. As an international student that’s all the difference that you make, because you’re going into this new place. Thrown in the deep end.” (03:21)
The beauty and strategic location of North Carolina were additional perks that made her international MBA journey enjoyable and valuable.
If you would like to learn more about studying in North Carolina, feel free to reach out to one of our Kenan-Flagler MBA ambassadors.
Ameya’s move to North Carolina was made all the easier by her natural surroundings. “North Carolina is a state which is really beautiful, really scenic, there’s mountains, beaches, basically a mix of everything,” she beams. “You get a lot of sun so that’s important, at least for me coming from a tropical country.” (04:10)
With friendly locals and scenery to die for, the social side of North Carolina life certainly ticked the boxes for Ameya. But she came here to give fresh impetus to her career, so it was just as important that her business school could help her do that. Thankfully, UNC Kenan-Flagler’s location within the United States is just as attractive as its natural scenery.
Situated in easy travel distance to New York, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., it has access to the financial markets and the political corridors of power. Still, North Carolina itself is home to an attractive and rapidly-growing job market.
UNC, Duke University, and NCSU make up the Triangle region of North Carolina: a hub of innovation, technology, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. At the heart of the region is the Research Triangle Park, which is the largest research park in the country.
“Chapel Hill, where the university is, is very close to the Research Triangle of America, where all of this new development is happening,” Ameya explains. “Google has opened its new offices, a bunch of companies are moving here.” (04:46)
Moreover, the universities in the region play a pivotal role in this growth by collaborating with businesses and each other. This culture of collaboration among institutions spills over into the classroom environment at UNC Kenan-Flagler, which understands the significance of teamwork and cooperation in the modern business world.
It’s a misconception that MBA classes need to be highly competitive, highly individual environments. In this friendly corner of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler has created a welcoming environment for students – no matter where they come from or where they’re going.
Ameya has experienced the friendly North Carolina welcome, and now she’s looking forward to next chapter of her career, bolstered by her time at Kenan-Flagler.
If you would like to learn more about studying in North Carolina, feel free to reach out to one of our UNC Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA ambassadors.
