“To make sure that I give my family the ‘return on investment’ that they’re putting into this, I need to put my best foot forward in the classroom setting.
With his wife as a PhD candidate at Stanford and their first child on the way, Corey Weathers found the Berkeley Evening & Weekend MBA while looking for options that would meet his lifestyle and location. His top priority is always family, so his ideal program was a top-tier school with flexible scheduling. “I wanted to make sure that I was able to still give them time, while at the same time still provide for our family.”
For Corey’s family, the part-time MBA program has been ideal. While enrolled at Haas, Corey continues working and still has the ability to spend time at home. “When I was looking at the decision between part-time and full-time programs, I continued to think a part-time program is probably a better fit.” Now in his second year at Haas, Corey confirms, “It’s been a fantastic.”
As a consultant in the software industry, Corey came to Haas after working for years with customers in technology and software support. “My passion area has always been in education and technology, and I’ve always tried to find a way to mix the two,” he says with a smile.
“I’d always known that I wanted to get a good solid business background – and explored the idea of MBA programs,” says Corey. “I felt like Haas would be the best fit – not only cultural and personality fit – but also as a career move for me.”
Learning in a supportive community has made balancing MBA and family possible for Corey. Professors know that all EWMBA students are juggling many responsibilities and priorities. Classmates are understanding and quick to help.
“If you need to get additional time to do some reading, you take that time. If your classmates recognize things are going on they say, ‘What can we do to help you? Maybe we'll pick up the slack this week, so you can go focus on family for a little bit.’”
The coursework itself has expanded and deepened Corey’s understanding of business, helping him to see the bigger picture and think more holistically. Other students in the program have also contributed, sharing their experiences and perspectives from many different backgrounds and professional fields.
“My classmates are as varied and diverse as one would imagine... It makes the classroom discussions a lot more interesting.
Corey is impressed with the quality and diversity of professors in the Haas school. “The professors are very dynamic and engaging,” says Corey. “I’ve found them all to be very different in how they approach teaching, excited about their craft, and very passionate about the subject area for which they teach.”
When he talks with other Haas students, he notices that classmates and alumni always coming back to a core idea: how they’re striving to live and exemplify the four defining principles of the Haas School –Question the Status Quo; Confidence Without Attitude; Students Always; and Beyond Yourself. “The four defining principles of Haas really identified with my personal values — who I am and how I show up in the world,” says Corey.
Completing his second year in the program, Corey is confident in his decisions and commitments—both in growing his family and in earning his MBA. “I walked into business school thinking that there would be a lot more work and a lot more competition,” says Corey. He has been happily surprised by the encouragement and support of the Haas MBA community.
“What I have found is we do as much as we can to support each other so that we all succeed.”
Corey and his family—along with his classmates and professors—work together to maintain a sustainable rhythm and balance, so they can all continue growing and learning together. As Corey states, “We all propel each other forward. I really love that experience.”
