The glass doors

Glass doors separated the women executives from the rest of the patrons at the restaurant. My pal, A., who is also earning her master’s in the Evening UST MBA program kept watch on this group of seasoned and accomplished career women while I shoved lobster and risotto in my mouth, a meal ordered in celebration of a new job.

The women looked to be 20 to 30 years our senior and the idea of becoming one of them someday was intriguing. We had just attended a program at the Opus College of Business with other MBA candidates about a man who opened his own bike shop as a teenager and now – years later – continues to watch his business thrive. How fortunate he was to discover his calling so soon and be able to develop a sound business model centered around his passion! And what were we doing when we were 13?

A. and I met during my first class, statistics, back in February. She has since become my comrade when it comes to surviving the after work MBA lifestyle, as well as my go-to person for a finance and accounting perspective (communications and marketing being my specialties). Not being able to discern what the businesswomen in the next room might be talking about, we let our conversation drift from how our courses were going to what we were going to do this weekend. Ironically, the answer for both of us was “class.”

“So have you noticed that you are starting to think differently about things since starting school?” I asked. She agreed that she had. Some say the development one’s mindset is as important in the MBA program as developing an advanced business acumen, and between an economics course this summer and an ethics class this semester I have be viewing everything from TV news reports to store specials in a completely different way.

Another significant part of any MBA program is getting to know other professionals. While sipping coffee after our meal, A. and I made our lists of things to do – business organizations to become involved with, events on campus to attend, and classes to take in the future. And someday, join a group of business leaders like the ones beyond the glass doors.