Working for the Weekend

In this episode, host Sneha sits down with the winning team from this year’s Crisis Challenge, who are all part-time MBA students at Ross. They discuss their approach to the event, the value they found in it, and lasting lessons that they’ll carry with them in their careers.   We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod@umich.edu or leave a review on your podcast app of choice to le...

In this episode, host Sneha sits down with a panel of women students in the Michigan Ross Weekend MBA and Online MBA programs. They discuss challenges they’ve faced at work, what led them to pursue a Ross MBA, how they find support, advice on creating a more inclusive environment, and much more.   We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod@umich.edu or leave a review on your podcas...

In this episode, host Suraj sits down for virtual one-on-one interviews with John Branch, clinical assistant professor of business administration and co-director of Yaffe Digital Media Initiative; and Heather Byrne, director of the Career Development Office at the Ross School of Business. They discuss how the shift to a virtual environment has changed business school, and what’s likely to happen i...

In this episode, host Brandon welcomes several of his fellow OMBA students along with Wally Hopp, associate dean for part-time MBA programs, to discuss the experience of a Michigan Ross Online MBA. They cover what led up to the program, reasons for applying, how the reality matches expectations, and how the student balance school, work, and the rest of their lives.   We'd love to hear from you! Se...

In this episode, host Leslie gets the perspective of four fellow part-time MBA students at Michigan Ross. They talk about ideas and tips for the various facets of wellness, coping with the added challenges of pursuing wellness during a pandemic, and resources available to students.   We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod@umich.edu or leave a review on your podcast app of choic...

Last time, we heard from some part-time MBA students about their experiences during the pandemic. In this episode, host Sneha gets the perspective of Jeff Domagala, the acting director of the Sanger Leadership Center at Ross, and faculty member Ari Shwayder. They talk about the challenges they’ve faced, “blessings in disguise,” and missing those valuable, informal interactions in between classes. ...

In this episode, this week’s host, Garrett, interviews students in the Weekend MBA and Online MBA programs at Michigan Ross on their experiences during the pandemic. They talk about the decision whether to go back to class in person, dealing with a shift to online learning, and what it’s like to hear “Go Blue!” on the streets of Belgium.   We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod...

In this episode, the new season’s WFW team — Suraj, Leslie, Garrett, Sneha, and Brandon — get a little better acquainted by answering some randomly chosen questions about their backgrounds, their interests, and their experiences in the Michigan Ross part-time MBA programs. Find out the team’s strategies for keeping up with business news, their most effective resources for B-school, and their favor...

In today’s episode, host Mawa — who’s preparing to graduate from the program — talks with two 2019 alumni, Emma and Ben, along with her co-host Suraj, who’s transitioning from his first to second year in the program.  They discuss some of the most important lessons they’ve learned, including the importance of relational vs. operational knowledge, the value of staying in touch with classmates post-...

In this episode, host Suraj talks with some Weekend and Evening MBA students at Michigan Ross — Shivani, Chelsea, Prateek, and Jason — with varying degrees of entrepreneurial experience. Hear about their businesses, their sources of inspiration, their advice for those considering similar ventures, and the Ross resources they’ve drawn on for help. We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at Wee...

Paying for your part-time MBA education probably won’t be easy. But you can do it. In this episode, host Mawa and her fellow student panelists talk about the successful approaches they’ve taken to fund their education and still have a life outside of school and work, from saving ahead to making tax rules work for you. We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod@umich.edu or leave a...

The Michigan Ross Online MBA Program offers a unique experience in top-ranked business education. Most learning takes place at a distance, through a combination of self-guided modules and live, interactive class sessions. But the program also includes three multi-day residencies , when the student cohort comes together in person for focused, hands-on learning opportunities.  With the inaugural Onl...

In this episode, host Mawa welcomes four student panelists who all have one thing in common: They have immigrated to the U.S. from overseas (Argentina, England, Albania, and India). They reflect on the challenges and rewards of their experiences in the Ross Weekend and Evening MBA programs, and they offer some advice for prospective students -- and for visitors to their home countries. We'd love t...

In this episode, first-year Weekend MBA student Suraj leads a discussion with Mawa and two of her second-year classmates as they reflect on what the future holds, what they’ll miss most about Ross, and what advice they have for incoming students. Offering some valuable insight from a different perspective is a very special guest, Professor of Marketing John Branch.   We'd love to hear from you! Se...

Join guest host (and past panelist) Suraj as he talks to Wally Hopp about the special value of working and getting an MBA at the same time, the power of the Michigan Ross network, and the thinking behind the new Online MBA Program. You’ll also learn about the associate dean’s remarkable life outside the classroom, which includes owning a successful bakery and keeping bees as a hobby. We'd love to...

In this episode, our panelists talk about how they find a way to keep going while juggling work, a home life, and an MBA education. Of course, money is a big motivator — but does it go deeper than that? Listen to hear a variety of tips and perspectives from students who are currently finding ways to get it all done.   We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod@umich.edu or leave a...

Mawa is joined by a group of her fellow MBA students to discuss taking a somewhat “nontraditional” path to a part-time MBA program. In this episode, our panelists — including a physician, a trained actor, and a school administrator — talk about how they got to where they are today, why they think an MBA makes sense for their future, and the special value created when a humanities background is enr...

Mawa is joined by a group of her fellow MBA students to discuss the challenges -- and the hidden rewards -- of attending an MBA program somewhere other than where you live. In this episode, our panelists share their experiences commuting to Ross for the Weekend MBA Program from in state and out of state, including tips and strategies for making it all work seamlessly. Also, Mawa poses some questio...

Mawa is joined by a group of her fellow MBA students to discuss the signature example of hands-on learning at Michigan Ross, MAP. MAP puts student teams to work on an intensive, long-term consulting project for a sponsor company to solve a real-world business challenge. In this episode, first-year Weekend MBA students discuss what they expect out of MAP, while second-year students share their expe...

Mawa is joined by a group of her fellow MBA students to discuss the personal growth opportunities available to Michigan Ross part-time MBA students through the school’s Sanger Leadership Center. They’ll discuss how Sanger’s hands-on leadership development programs — like the Leadership Crisis Challenge, Innovation Jam, and Ross Leaders Academy — have impacted their schoolwork and their professiona...

Mawa is joined by a group of her fellow MBA students to discuss the challenges of balancing work, an MBA program — and parenthood. They’ll discuss the importance of a support system, the fear of missing out on developmental milestones, advice for new parents, and the value of “lady baby time.” We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at WeekendPod@umich.edu or leave a review on your podcast ap...

Mawa is joined by a group of her fellow female MBA students to discuss the experience of being a woman in a leadership role in business while also pursuing an MBA. They’ll discuss the state of gender parity in their current workplace and the classroom, what obstacles they face along the way up the corporate ladder, and the role men can play by becoming allies fighting for equality. Also: There’s s...

Mawa is joined by fellow MBA students to discuss how they’re approaching the job hunt during their part-time MBA experience. How do you recruit for new positions while working full-time, taking a full course load, and balancing family life? You’ll hear everyone’s personal journey as they search for new opportunities, and they’ll offer their best tips for how to get the most out of the career resou...

Every other week, Mawa Mustafa gathers a group of her fellow Part-Time MBA students at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business to have a discussion about a burning issue in their lives. Today's episode features four students discussing their experiences managing the stresses and mental health concerns of balancing school, work, home life, and more. Hear about their tips for keeping sane...

Every other week, Mawa Mustafa gathers a group of her fellow Part-Time MBA students at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business to have a discussion about a burning issue in their lives. Today's episode features four married students discussing how their marriages have been impacted by their MBA course load, and how they balance the needs of school, work, and relationships. We'd love to...