2019 Best Online MBAs: Armanbek Alkin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Armanbek Alkin              

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Business

Age: 36

Hometown: Almaty City, Kazakhstan 

Fun fact about yourself: I like skydiving! In 2007 I jumped out of the plane on 13 500 feet. I was a little nervous going skydiving for my first time. It ended up being the best experience of a lifetime. I would definitely do it again! Jumping off a plane sounds crazy… But it is definitely a must try experience. 

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Kazakh National Technical University – Engineering Physics (full-time study)

University of International Business – Finance (part-time BS degree)

Caspian University – Jurisprudence (part-time BS degree)

Where are you currently working? Beeline Kazakhstan (Veon), Lead Program Manager

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of getting a PMP (Project Management Professional) certificate! It broadened my horizons and took my career prospects to incredible new heights.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? UNL College of Business Administration has a prestigious AACSB Accreditation. An online MBA offered the same rigorous curriculum as its on-campus counterpart. A distance MBA provided an opportunity to attend an American University without the expense and hassle of relocation and permitted me to set my own pace of study.

Our ranking of the top online MBA programs can help you explore your options. Online MBA programs often present a more cost-effective alternative to on-campus programs, even when tuition rates are identical.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? The Online MBA program gave me very good knowledge in finance, management, marketing, leadership, economics, organizational behavior, and more. You learn to be a well-rounded person who should be able to socialize better with more of the population.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? I was pleasantly surprised by how flexible online learning is. In my two years, I had opportunities to work with many different people from different industries, even countries. I also like that many courses were based on real-life case studies.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? Unlike undergraduate programs that require you to sit in a class, with online education you don’t have to commute to an actual location and be physically present anywhere. The online MBA program can be completed in an accelerated fashion in as little as 18 months or you can spread out the work over a number of years. I did an online program because I didn’t want to stop my career and quit my job.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? The online MBA program is more flexible, but you need to have great personal accountability. The program will push you past your limits and will definitely extend them to areas you didn’t know existed. If you really do it right, you’ll get valuable knowledge, earn your MBA degree, and get your boundaries completely eliminated.

What would you change about an online MBA Program? In the Online MBA program, we had a pretty diverse set of professors. I’ve found that the professors with “real world” experience – former traders, entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants, etc. – seemed to be more memorable than the professors who have remained in academia their whole lives. Thus, I would recommend having more professors with real-life work experience who don’t teach by the book only.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? It has not helped yet, as I just finished my MBA program. In the near future, it will definitely help me to secure a top management position within a company so that I can apply my MBA knowledge and further hone my managerial skills.

If you had to do it all over again, would you? Why? It inspired me to think beyond convention, and set goals bigger than I had ever imagined. The MBA network opened up incredible opportunities and I was well equipped to make the most of them. My two years of study were amazing and I would be only too glad to do it all over again.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? In the near future, my goal is to secure a top management position within a company so that I can apply my MBA knowledge and further hone my managerial skills. After a few years, I plan to grow into an executive position – overseeing a department – then ultimately advance to a Chief Operations Officer position. With my strong entrepreneurial spirit and management experience, I am looking to obtain my goals in the next five years.

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE LIST OF THE BEST & BRIGHTEST ONLINE MBAS OF 2019 or POETS&QUANTS’ 2019 RANKING OF THE BEST ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS

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