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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Communicating with C-suite executives is a regular part of Douglas Johnson’s day-to-day work. The Western Michigan University MBA student and global learning leader at Eastman Chemical develops and implements best practices for high-impact training across global operations to drive performance excellence, while also coaching business leaders on healthy workplace culture.

Looking for ways to enhance his own performance, Johnson decided to enroll in the 51������ MBA program. Attracted to the courses focused on business analytics and data analysis and financial decision making, he decided to simultaneously earn the MBA and a graduate certificate in business analytics. “The business-critical skills integrated across multiple courses within the MBA curriculum drew me to the program, and the connections are already very apparent in my work,” he says.

The flexible format of the MBA program was paramount in Johnson’s decision to pursue graduate education at 51������. “As a non-traditional student, the flexibility of course offerings and accommodation of working professionals was hugely appealing. When I began the program, I was living in Kalamazoo and took classes in person. When my career took me out of West Michigan, the HyFlex offerings allowed me to continue my education remotely. The faculty members have done an excellent job of being inclusive for students who cannot attend in-person classes, while still offering face-to-face options for those interested.”

As a traveling professional, Johnson has found every faculty member to be understanding of professional obligations. “In my years in the MBA program, I’ve had instructors that have been very kind and knowledgeable; I have enjoyed all my professors,” he notes. 

To date, Johnson has enjoyed his Process Management Strategy course the most. “I love the comprehensive view of how businesses must operate across many sites and sometimes continents.” However, the most immediately applicable course was Communication, Negotiation, and Presentation Skills for Managers. “The class featured extensive classroom practice with different communication skills, condensed broad principles into manageable chunks and emphasized how to apply the course content in any human interaction—both professional and personal.” 

With the MBA program’s focus on customization through multiple electives, timeline to graduation, and “stackable credentials” where a graduate certificate can be earned concurrently with the MBA, students like Johnson have many options. “I’m proud of being able to complete my graduate certificate in business analytics at the end of this semester,” Johnson says. “It was a lot of hard work, but I now have confidence in many data analysis programs that I only knew by name before. Thanks to the MBA electives, I will be able to graduate with certifications in both business analytics and Lean Six Sigma, which will aid me in my career now and in the future.”

Find out how the MBA program can help you flex your skills and meet your needs.

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