Erin Muller, Online MBA '24

Growing up, Erin Velez was always interested in healthcare and medicine. After majoring in the History of Science and Medicine at Yale, Erin received her Master of Science in Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Her career soon focused on consulting for biotech and bio-pharma clients, providing them with actionable insights concerning their major policy decisions – which got her interested in the process of taking a product from R&D to market.

I worked in healthcare consulting on access issues, so I wanted to move over to the industry side to get closer to the strategies and work directly on the issues and products.

This decision led her to her current position as an associate director of Market Access Strategy at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, and further reinforced her desire to understand healthcare from a business perspective.

Erin realized that pursuing an MBA would give her that core skill set to tackle some important industry issues. The more Erin read about the Michigan Ross Online MBA, the more it resonated with her. Especially the flexibility of the program, which allows her to manage her time better because she can focus on one class at a time.

Erin was also impressed by her initial interactions with Michigan Ross admissions team members.  “Compared to other schools I was applying to, I was impressed in the way they approached the process and the questions they asked,” she said. 

In her first year as a Ross Online MBA student, Erin is thriving. One reason is the guidance she receives from the faculty support staff team members who are always available to answer her questions. She is especially impressed by the Ross professors. According to Erin, she is learning from “some of the most engaging professors she has ever experienced during online classes.” Enhancing this experience is SmartStage, an immersive 3D environment that lets students, in real time, see and engage with their faculty and classmates. 

The digital studio has been exceptional for classes and definitely exceeds expectations. It has facilitated great engagement from the class. 

Erin believes the collaborative culture at Ross is enhanced by the significant amount of peer-to-peer interaction. For example, she enjoyed hearing various perspectives from classmates on topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion — and their desire to take away something even more. "I have seen a lot of momentum from colleagues and classmates in the efforts they have put into these discussions, and I have gained some valuable insights because of it."

Additionally, Erin has found a wide variety of opportunities to get to know other students through virtual social events. "Due to the high level of engagement in my classes and co-curricular activities, I feel a strong sense of belonging at Michigan, even though I have yet to set foot on the campus."

Erin's advice for anyone interested in the Online MBA program? 

"Take advantage of the resources available to keep you on track and support you in meeting your goals.”