MetroMBA Highlights Five Online MBA Students, Emphasizes New Program Is Extremely Personable, Flexible

As their first semester comes to a close, five students in the new Online MBA Program at the Ross School of Business were recently featured by MetroMBA as part of the publication’s “Real Humans” series, which seeks to provide insight into the real people who are enrolled in MBA programs around the U.S. 

Beyond featuring the students, MetroMBA also describes the Ross online program as “one of the most personable options among the world’s elite business schools,” mentioning that students have the option to attend electives on campus in Ann Arbor. In addition, MetroMBA calls out the flexibility of the program, including how students can finish the MBA in between two- to three-and-a-half years.

Among the 72 accomplished and diverse business professionals that Michigan Ross welcomed into its first-ever cohort of online MBAs this fall, the five students highlighted by MetroMBA are: 

• Evie Tzelios, who works in data partnerships at The Trade Desk and lives in Edgemont, New York

• Nathan Piechocki, who works for the U.S. Department of Defense in analysis and product management and lives in Baltimore, Maryland

• Monique Malone, who works in the consumer packaged goods industry at Unilever and lives in Flower Mound, Texas

• Sritheja Gulukota, who works at a health startup that provides preventive care to high-risk Medicaid recipients and lives in Westborough, Massachusetts

• Andrew Green, who works as a data scientist at a technology startup and lives in Seattle, Washington 

MetroMBA asked each student about their background, why they decided to pursue the Ross Online MBA Program, and their experience in the program so far, along with advice to prospective students. 

When asked why he decided to enroll in the new program, Piechocki said, “Michigan Ross is consistently rated among the top business schools in the country, and its alumni network is far-reaching and impactful. A lifelong goal to earn a Michigan degree was also at odds with living in the DC-Baltimore metro, and the Online MBA Program provided me a rare chance to have my cake and eat it, too.” 

While she loves her current job working on Unilever’s Target Business, Malone has clear goals for what she wants to achieve after graduating from Ross. “My short-term goal from a Ross MBA is rooted in developing a more robust skill set for problem solving, data analytics, and leading cross-functional teams to drive sustainability in my current job. Long term, I aspire to lead a purpose-driven company to positively impact people’s lives and our planet.” 

Based on the first few courses in the online MBA, Gulukota exclaimed she was surprised by the level of interaction in the live, synchronous sessions despite them being taught virtually. “The professors conduct lectures from what seems like a TNT halftime studio with an open space and all of our webcam feeds on the TV behind them. This, combined with the breakout sessions, is really helpful to bring collaboration and active participation despite not being there in person.” 

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This is the second time MetroMBA has highlighted Michigan Ross students in the Real Humans series. In May, a handful of exceptional students from the Weekend MBA were featured.