This article explores how Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management’s MBA program, which offers GRE-free admissions, full scholarships, and a flexible curriculum, helped Sandra land her dream career in tech.
Whether you’re aiming for higher-paying positions, a career transition, or turning your passion into a dream career, a graduate degree could be your key to success.
Sandra Ajaja is a 2023 MBA graduate of Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management. She hails from Nigeria, where she took her first steps as an entrepreneur. With a background in engineering, Sandra wanted to address the stark lack of female representation in STEM fields.
“There weren’t a lot of female mentors that I could look up to, and it really impacted my experience of the entire field,” Sandra recalls. (01:04)
Sandra founded Fempower Africa, a community-based organization empowering women with STEM skills. Sandra’s passion for social entrepreneurship flourished, particularly after a transformative one-week program at Lagos Business School. This experience sparked her interest in pursuing an MBA degree.
“I was like, let me see how this whole business school thing is. And I loved it! It was the best week of my life,” Sandra tells us. (04:23)
Sandra’s non-profit organization opened many doors for her. One of these was an offer for a one-year scholarship for a master’s degree in the UK. Therefore, when searching for a graduate program that would fit her needs, she initially looked for UK programs rather than US graduate schools.
However, Sandra had specific criteria in mind for her MBA program: it had to be GRE-free and offer a full scholarship. Whitman’s MBA program met both of these requirements.
“I was mind blown. I was like, this is a dream come true,” says Sandra. (07:07)
Sandra took the leap and applied. A few months later, she received a letter of admission and a full scholarship.
If you aspire to enroll in business school, you might have also encountered the GRE or GMAT as MBA admission requirements. These standardized exams help give admission committees a comprehensive view of applicants’ capabilities. They help assess candidates’ knowledge, capability for reasoning, critical thinking, and proficiency in analytical writing.
While it’s a common practice for MBA programs globally, not all graduate schools require these scores for admission. Whitman School of Management’s MBA program is among those that take a more holistic admissions approach, prioritizing other factors, such as professional work experience.
In the Whitman MBA program, Sandra was able to harmonize her engineering background, her commitment to empowering women in STEM, and her zeal for social entrepreneurship into a dream career.
The Full-time MBA at Whitman is a STEM-designated, two-year-long program. Students can tailor their curriculum by choosing electives from Whitman or another school within Syracuse University.
Additionally, students can choose from various concentrations to specialize in their field of interest. For instance, Sandra’s dual concentration in marketing and business analytics enabled her to combine her love for marketing with STEM skills.
“The MBA program at Whitman is very structured, but also, you tailor your experience. You still learn the fundamentals like finance, accounting, business management, etc. But then you are allowed to pick and choose what you want to focus on,” Sandra explains. (07:27)
This approach allowed Sandra to explore her passion for tech while gaining essential business acumen.
Motivated by a previous Whitman alumna who became the first from the school to be named a RISE fellow, Sandra seized the opportunity to apply for the same fellowship.
During the program, students from different universities and MBA programs worldwide come together to solve real-world challenges and advocate for social justice.
For Sandra, this fellowship offered the chance to work on a project closing the racial funding gap for black founders in America. It also helped her gain valuable insights into the corporate landscape and work side-by-side with executives at Marsh McLennan, a risk management professional services firm. (15:15)
In addition to supporting fellowships and internships, Whitman School of Management offers a wide variety of experiential programs, including competitions, study abroad programs, and collaborative class projects with companies. They reinforce the academic foundation students receive while expanding their prospects of landing their dream job.
During her MBA program at Whitman, Sandra started a three-month internship at PayPal, which quickly evolved into a seven-month commitment. Her outstanding contributions during her time at PayPal didn’t go unnoticed. Paypal offered her a full-time job offer upon graduation.
Reflecting on her transition, Sandra shares, “Now I have my own project I am owning, which is exciting. And now it feels like there’s a lot more responsibility, and there is a lot more accountability for the job and the work I am doing.” (12:28)
Sandra’s landing a dream job shows the power of a tailored MBA program that serves students’ career aspirations. Whitman’s MBA equipped her with the expertise to excel in the tech industry and the confidence to take ownership of her role. It elevated her to a position with the ability to be a change-maker in an industry she loves.
“Everything I learned at Whitman I use every single day in my job as a product marketing manager at PayPal, so it all worked out,” she says. (07:12)
From her early strides as a social entrepreneur in Nigeria to her current role as a passionate product manager at PayPal, Whitman’s full-time MBA was a powerful catalyst for career advancement.
Are you looking to advance your career or move into a different field with a Whitman MBA? Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of Whitman’s student ambassadors.
