I Would Drive 500 Miles: My Weekend MBA Journey
It’s 11:30 a.m. on Friday, and I’m topping off my coffee before starting the drive from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Several years ago, I set a goal of earning my MBA. What I never imagined was pursuing it this way, at one of the nation’s world-class programs, while driving 500 miles every other weekend.
One semester into the Ross School of Business Weekend MBA, those drives have become a rhythm I look forward to. On the road, I catch up on news and sports or revisit concepts from class, pausing to talk through ideas as if I were in the discussion. It’s my way of sharpening my thinking, deepening my understanding, and making the most of each drive.
What I didn’t anticipate was how much the people would define the experience.
The classes are stimulating and immediately relevant to our work, but the real surprise has been the community built outside the classroom.
Some of my favorite memories come from evenings with my cohort at local Ann Arbor spots, where conversations shift easily from case debates to the lives we’re building beyond work. Those nights have shown me that the WMBA is as much about relationships as it is about academics.
That sense of community came through even more with my first-semester team. We were all adjusting to a new chapter, and our commitment to one another, checking in, staying flexible, making sure no one fell behind, and turning classmates into friends. I’ll never forget the hours we spent wrestling with a single economics problem just before the deadline, determined that we would all walk away with the same understanding. The bond forged in those late nights is one I know will last well beyond the program.
The Weekend MBA has also changed my career in real time. One of the first shifts came with financials; gaining confidence in balance sheets and income statements gave me the courage to start new conversations with senior leaders, which opened doors to strategy projects I might never have touched otherwise. Now, as I move into a new set of classes, I’m energized by the chance to build on that foundation with fresh tools and perspectives. Each drive home feels like a bridge between what I learn in Ann Arbor and how I contribute in Cincinnati.
When I think about the miles still ahead, I know my final drive to Ann Arbor will be bittersweet. These weekends have become a rhythm I genuinely love, a mix of reflection on the way up and excitement once I arrive. More than the classes or the miles, what I’ll carry with me are the people, the impact they’ve had on me, and the impact I hope I’ve had on them. Years from now, I don’t just want to be remembered for what I accomplished, but for how I made others feel along the way. That, to me, is the true measure of this journey.
