Leveraging Learning: How Michigan Ross Part-Time MBA Students Apply Classroom Knowledge to Advance Their Careers
Most students pursuing a Part-Time MBA at the Ross School of Business continue to work while going through the program, allowing them to immediately apply what they’re learning in the classroom to their professional environments. This practical experience equips them with the tools and strategies needed to enhance their leadership skills, drive innovation within their organization, and accelerate their career.
To find out how they are successfully leveraging classroom insights in their current roles, we asked four students in the Weekend MBA and Online MBA Programs to share their experiences.
Shreyas Kulkarni, WMBA
Graduation year: 2026
Current Position/Company: Senior systems engineer, Tronair
How have you applied what you’re learning in the program in your job?
I have been able to relate the majority of the things that I learn in class and at Michigan Ross to my job and my personal life. Whether it be technical knowledge or soft skills, I have seen myself gather these skills and apply them at my job and continuously improve myself. First, through the core courses, I have gained a comprehensive understanding of the broader decision-making processes within my company. While working on launching a new product, I applied the new product development methodologies from my marketing class to streamline the process in my company, making it more structured and efficient. I have also realized that the most effective decisions often lie at the intersection of operations, strategy, and technology.
Additionally, participating in club activities, Multidisciplinary Action Projects, and case competitions have significantly enhanced my executive presence. I am now much more confident when communicating with senior leadership, including the CEO. One key skill I have developed is the ability to ask myself the “So what?” question when presenting information to our leadership team. This has helped me convey insights in a clear, concise, and impactful manner, ultimately improving my confidence during my weekly engineering updates with the CEO.
Can you share something you learned that you have applied in your job? What was the outcome?
One key lesson I learned in operations management was how variability affects throughput. At a small manufacturing firm, our engineering team handled many small projects with varying complexity. We initially planned workloads based on average completion time without considering variations, but our backlog kept growing. After studying assembly line optimization, I analyzed actual completion times and proposed changes to reduce variability in planning using concepts learned in class. Once implemented, these changes helped cut down our backlog significantly within six months.
How has the Weekend MBA Program positively impacted your career? Can you share an example?
The WMBA Program has had a profound impact on my career in multiple ways. With a decade of experience in core automotive engineering, the program has equipped me with the skills and confidence to take on leadership roles in business initiatives. For one such initiative, I lead a cross-functional team to drive revenue growth through new product development over the next two years. This requires applying strategic and operational insights to develop product roadmaps.
The program has broadened my perspective, enabling me to approach problems holistically rather than solely from an engineering standpoint. This shift in mindset has allowed me to make more strategic decisions, collaborate more effectively across departments, and contribute to the company’s long-term success.
Seth Atkinson, WMBA
Graduation year: 2025
Current Position/Company: Supplier manager, General Motors Co.
How have you applied what you’re learning in the program in your job?
There are two things I take from class discussions that help me a lot in my current role. First, because of what we learn, I'm able to make much better sense of company announcements, and I am able to have a better perspective on why the company is doing the things that it does. This is an interesting aspect to me because it allows me to see company changes from both the employee perspective and empathize with the C-level leaders' perspective, which makes me better informed in how I feel about said changes. Second, I have more confidence to contribute and speak up at work. This is because our professors and fellow students are all extremely intelligent people with prestigious and coveted careers, and as I build comfortability speaking up in class and learning from my peers, I am less intimidated by my leaders at work and more confident in what I know. This has helped me stand out at my company.
How has the Weekend MBA Program positively impacted your career? Can you share an example?
I've been given much more responsibility and have become an informal leader within my group that everyone looks to for support. It has also given me the confidence to recognize my value and pushed me to strive for something better, which I was able to achieve and am looking forward to in the not-so-distant future.
Melissa Luther, OMBA
Graduation year: 2025
Current Position/Company: Supply chain risk manager, Fluence Energy
How have you applied what you’re learning in the program in your job?
The Michigan Model of Leadership influences how I approach challenges, engage with others, and drive impact in my role. It has provided a structured way to think about leadership — balancing results, relationships, and resilience in every interaction or decision I make.
Additionally, the program has helped me gain a stronger financial perspective, shaping how I integrate accounting principles and corporate objectives into my decision-making. I can speak the language now, allowing me to bring that context to my role and make more informed decisions.
Can you share an example of something you learned that you applied in your job? What was the outcome?
About six months into the program, I transitioned into a new industry, joining a much smaller company than I was used to. While the shift presented a steep learning curve, I also found myself applying a new level of confidence and adaptability.
I was in a unique position to shape the direction of this role. Through insights from the curriculum, specifically across strategy, analytics, and leadership courses, I can create and implement programs that deliver meaningful impact for my organization. Rather than seeing ambiguity as a challenge, I embrace it as an opportunity to innovate and lead with intention.
How has the Online MBA Program positively impacted your career? Can you share an example?
I’ve always been driven, but this program has elevated my perspective in ways I never anticipated. Joining an emerging industry required stepping outside my comfort zone, but it also tapped into my entrepreneurial side. The support from the faculty, the depth of the curriculum, and, most importantly, my network of classmates have all been instrumental in my growth. I used to see myself as a 'behind-the-scenes' leader, but now I step forward with conviction, knowing I can steer meaningful outcomes.
Beyond my career, the program has deepened my passion for social impact, inspiring me to find new ways to make a difference. Michigan has not only shaped my professional trajectory but also helped me realize the full extent of what I’m capable of — and that has been the most transformative part of this journey.
Adam August, OMBA
Graduation year: 2027
Current Position/Company: Product Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific
How have you applied what you’re learning in the program in your job?
As a product manager, I interface with many functional areas, including finance, marketing, and operations. As a result, topics discussed in the courses frequently tie into my day-to-day role.
Ross courses are valuable because they provide systematic frameworks for approaching problems in the real world. I’ve applied these frameworks and analogous lessons from other industries to solve problems I face firsthand. Few situations in business are truly unique; Ross courses provide a toolkit for handling these situations effectively.
Can you share an example of something you learned that you applied in your job? What was the outcome?
A few examples come to mind. In marketing, I’ve learned tactics for positioning, promotion, and pricing that I’ve applied to new product launches. Strategy courses have provided a framework for better understanding the competitive dynamics within the industry and how our business unit and corporate strategies position our company to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Finance courses have taught methodologies for evaluating returns on R&D investments.
Overall, learnings from Ross courses have professionalized my approach to solving business problems.
How has the Online MBA Program positively impacted your career? Can you share an example?
Participating in the OMBA Program helped me achieve a promotion in my current role. The program has also been pivotal to my professional development, broadening my exposure to other industries and functional areas through high-quality content and networking opportunities while allowing me to continue to build real-world professional experience.
