{"id":197860,"date":"2023-04-20T12:38:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T16:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=197860"},"modified":"2023-04-20T12:38:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T16:38:46","slug":"uconn-emba-alumna-i-believe-i-can-change-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2023\/04\/uconn-emba-alumna-i-believe-i-can-change-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn EMBA Alumna: \u2018I Believe I Can Change the World\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

In her work as a vice president at Connecticut Children\u2019s Medical Center, Annamarie Beaulieu<\/strong> supports strategic initiatives and research that contribute to new therapies and better medical care for children.<\/p>\n

Beaulieu, who also has a master\u2019s degree in public health from UConn and has raised four children to adulthood, has long known that maternal and child health was her passion.<\/p>\n

But to advance in her work in establishing Connecticut Children’s Research Institute and Center for Innovation, Beaulieu determined that she needed to deepen her business knowledge.<\/p>\n

This spring, she will graduate from UConn with an Executive MBA degree. Beaulieu will serve as the class speaker at the EMBA award ceremony on Saturday.<\/p>\n

A combination of experience, ability, and her deepening business knowledge gave Beaulieu the advantage she needed to earn a promotion from senior director to vice president at Connecticut Children\u2019s just seven months ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe EMBA program has given me more confidence to talk about the fundamentals of our business, a better understanding of how to contribute to our planning efforts in an innovative and more meaningful way, and to always look for opportunities to build and sustain strong teams,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cI look forward to staying involved with the UConn EMBA program in the years to come, and supporting new students in realizing their full potential.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

EMBA Program Was Life-Changing<\/h3>\n
\"Lillanya
Lillanya \u2018Lily\u2019 Dantzler, EMBA Class of 2023 (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lillanya \u2018Lily\u2019 Dantzler<\/strong>, has a master\u2019s degree in social work and a big job with Trinity Healthcare, which encompasses 100 hospitals nationwide.<\/p>\n

Although she wanted to become a COO, Dantzler was reluctant to pursue an MBA, finding business a bit intimidating. A good friend and UConn EMBA alumnus recommended the program to her. She will also graduate this spring.<\/p>\n

Dantzler, a Senior Performance Management Consultant who specializes in the corporate revenue cycle, said she uses the knowledge she gained through the program every day in budget discussions. But the expertise she has gain has also broadened her career perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis program has been absolutely life-changing for me,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cI thought I\u2019d become a better businessperson, and it would help me make my way into the c-suite. My goal when I began the program was to become a COO.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I\u2019m looking to open my own business,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cNever in my wildest dreams did I think about that before, but my EMBA experience inspired me. I\u2019ve learned that when people have an idea, whether for a small business or a Fortune 500 company, it changes the world.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The EMBA program exposed her to business knowledge, a new network of colleagues, and new ideas. The program\u2019s international trip to Costa Rica fueled her interest in business, sustainability, and reducing her own carbon footprint.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe program made me a better woman. I\u2019ve grown so much. I\u2019m sure I could create a business and take it to the next level. That\u2019s what UConn gave to me,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cI now believe I can change the world. I have the confidence!\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

An Education For People \u2018Looking To Do Big Things\u2019<\/h3>\n

Professor Stephen Park<\/strong>, the academic director of the EMBA program, said the UConn EMBA appeals to students who are seeking academic rigor, the opportunity to learn alongside accomplished peers, and an in-person format.<\/p>\n

The UConn Executive MBA is ranked among the Top 20 in the nation<\/a>, according to a Forbes<\/em> rankings released last fall. The program earned recognition because of its ability to attract top students, outstanding reputation among corporations, and alumni representation in senior management of Fortune 1000 companies.<\/p>\n

The EMBA program, run in small cohorts of no more than 30 students, has high admissions standards and caters to mid-career professionals who have substantial experience and expertise in their fields. The program attracts leaders in healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, insurance, media and entertainment, science, law, entrepreneurship, government and non-profits.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of our EMBA students aim to do big things,\u2019\u2019 Park said. \u201cThey believe in the value of learning the workings of business. The diversity of professional backgrounds enables people to draw on and learn from the real-world experiences of their classmates. We seek to cultivate that cross-fertilization in the classroom.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the EMBA program, students get a great deal of personal attention from faculty,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cThere\u2019s something to be said about the close relationships that students develop with each other, as well as with our faculty, and by joining a network of alumni in leadership across industries and sectors in Connecticut and throughout the country.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Beaulieu agreed. \u201cWe learned so much from each other and our different perspectives. That was unexpected for me,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cIt helped make for a robust experience, and I will miss them all so much.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

International Travel a Key Component of EMBA<\/h3>\n
\"During
During the summer of 2022, our Executive MBA students embarked on an immersion trip to Costa Rica, where they visited Paos Volcano National Park. (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another highlight of the EMBA program is an international immersion course mid-way through the program. UConn students have traveled to South Africa, China, Russia, Hong Kong, Turkey, Portugal, Argentina and more. The most recent trip was to Costa Rica.<\/p>\n

The travel augments what they\u2019re learning in the classroom and often exposes EMBA candidates to emerging markets. During their trip, students visit a variety of firms, both in size and industry, and engage with leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur students tell us this immersion trip has been one of their favorite experiences,\u2019\u2019 said professor Robin Coulter<\/strong>, head of the marketing department, who leads the trip as an EMBA faculty member. \u201cWe select countries that are not typically as developed as the U.S. and Western markets. They see things through a different lens.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIn South Africa and Costa Rica, for instance, we explore the idea of thinking about sustainability. We look at the partnerships between businesses, NGOs and governments and how they are addressing these large problems, like poverty, clean water, and climate change,\u2019\u2019 Coulter said. \u201cThey see business as a force for social good, and that\u2019s powerful. Our students learn about initiatives that are bigger than business.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Moving to a New Level Requires a New Perspective<\/h3>\n
\"Alumnus
Alumnus Sam Geiger, \u201922 EMBA (Contributed Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alumnus Sam Geiger, \u201922 EMBA<\/strong>, is a vice president at OPAL Fuels and Fortistar Capital in White Plains, N.Y. Before embarking on his recent career path, he was a commanding officer in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 27 years. He also has a master\u2019s degree in engineering from MIT.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the Navy for 27 years but now I\u2019m starting my second career. I consider myself a life-long learner who enjoys growing knowledge and experience,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cIn today\u2019s economy, there is so much movement in careers and companies, and businesses are rapidly evolving. I work in renewable energy, and I wanted to be prepared for anything that comes along.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Geiger, who will be inducted as a student member of the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame on Friday, said he enjoyed the finance classes and the exposure to current topics. He is using financial models that he learned in the UConn EMBA program as he weighs a potential acquisition at work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoyed my classmates\u2019 vast perspectives on issues. With EMBA or with students who have life experience you get a broader group of backgrounds from a career perspective,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cName any industry in Connecticut, and it was represented in the program. It was very eye-opening to see their different perspectives.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Although he had leadership experience in the military, he felt he gained a new perspective for civilian business.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re moving to another level and taking on new responsibilities, you need a new perspective for the role,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cThe EMBA program challenges the way you look at business.\u2019\u2019
\nGeiger said an in-person cohort was valuable to him. He said he wanted to sit alongside his classmates, not view them on a monitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I looked at all the options in this region, the value was clear,\u2019\u2019 he said. \u201cWhat UConn offered was far more competitive than many others.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UConn Executive MBA is ranked among the Top 20 in the nation, according to a Forbes rankings released last fall. The program earned recognition because of its ability to attract top students, outstanding reputation among corporations, and alumni representation in senior management of Fortune 1000 companies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":197868,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1862],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2105],"class_list":["post-197860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-busn"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-03 05:42:04","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=197860"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":197872,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197860\/revisions\/197872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/197868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=197860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=197860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=197860"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=197860"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=197860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}