Amanda McVay, MBA '18
Amanda McVay, MBA ‘18, says her favorite role thus far has been developing the Up & Up brand for Target. Her career continues to be on the upswing at Meijer, where she holds a leadership position as director of merchandising, grocery.
Amanda loves her work, but saw potential to expand her horizons. “I was interested in learning different ways of thinking and tapping into new approaches to my work. I wanted to know how professionals from different industries look at problems.”
The Executive MBA program offered the opportunity to work through a challenging curriculum with a diverse group of executives. “Michigan offers the right mix of soft skills (influencing people) and solving puzzles and problems. They do a great job of blending the technical analytics with people skills to maximize output and success.”
ExecMAP
Amanda’s Executive Multidisciplinary Action Project (ExecMAP) gave her practical experience working with a startup technology hospitality company based in France — an entirely different world than retail.
“ExecMAP is allowing me to bring a different perspective to things I’m doing in a mature company and expanding the way I think. Technology in particular is going to impact my industry by enhancing connections between the physical product, the service, and the user.”
She was also able to get to know her EMBA peers in Los Angeles.
“I was able to be part of the LA and the Ann Arbor cohorts. My project is based in LA, so for now I’m flying there for residencies. It’s been great to get to know people with different points of view.”
Work-Life Balance
Amanda knew that balancing a rigorous Executive MBA program with a demanding job and family wouldn’t be easy — but she also knew it would make a significant impact on her career.
“I have a 4-year-old, a 6-year-old, a husband, and a job, so there are a lot of moving parts. The good news is that a lot of people in the program are in a similar life stage and I’m not the only one with a family. It’s not easy, but we’re in it together striving to be better. It’s a good supportive group.”
She offers advice to those who are considering an Executive MBA. “You just need to throw yourself in and figure it out. Have a plan, but know that you’ll also be OK in ambiguous situations when you need to be flexible. The cohort is dedicated and they will push you.”