2020 Best & Brightest Online MBAs: Henry Palmer, Northeastern University (D’Amore-McKim)

Henry A. Palmer

Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business Online MBA

“Focused, driven, and consistent in the pursuit of progress. Passionately committed to innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Age: 36

Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts

Fun fact about yourself: After finishing my undergraduate education, I trained as a full-time athlete for two years in the United Kingdom as a part of the Great Britain development program in the sport of rowing.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Trinity College, B.A. Philosophy

Where are you currently working? Founder/CEO of Lochtree LLC

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Professionally, I am most proud of having had the opportunity to work for and with organizations that are rooted in creating positive environmental change in the world.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I selected Northeastern’s online MBA program due to several factors, including Northeastern’s prestige, its focus on experiential and practical education, and the opportunity to pursue a focused concentration in marketing.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? In addition to the curriculum and the Northeastern community, one of my favorite aspects was the flexibility to pursue my MBA while working, traveling, and managing other personal commitments. Completing my MBA was a priority for me, but I needed to do it in a fashion that also complimented and integrated with my career and personal life. Northeastern’s online MBA program allowed me to pursue the education that I desired while managing my other responsibilities.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? The most significant surprise to me in the program was how quickly you could develop great relationships with your classmates and peers. I did not anticipate how important the group discussions and team projects would be to the overall experience of the program.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? I believe that the educational experience is fundamentally predicated on the student’s commitment to engage with the material and the community actively. While the setting is different between an online and an in-the-classroom program, the opportunity to engage with the content and one’s classmates remains equivalent. In my opinion, it simply comes down to the students’ efforts to take full advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Fully engage with the opportunity. You will be introduced to challenging and thought-provoking course material as well as an incredible community of peers with a tremendous diversity of experience, thought, and background. The program and Northeastern community have a tremendous amount to offer, and I would encourage any student to not only execute on the deliverables but also endeavor to extract the maximum value from the experience.

What would you change about an online MBA Program? I believe there are three primary benefits one receives from pursuing an MBA: the education, the credential, and the networking opportunity. If there is an area that I would suggest examining for improvement, it would be the networking opportunity. In pursuing an MBA online, you are, by choice, doing so remotely. However, the benefit of providing a platform for students to connect with their peers, potential future collaborators, and employers should not be overlooked.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? Completing the MBA program has provided me with an arsenal of new tools and perspectives, which I can readily deploy to the benefit of my work. The MBA program provided me with exposure to a diverse number of management concerns as well as differing approaches from which to examine them. As an entrepreneur, the education I received from Northeastern has, I believe, set me up well for the future.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term professional goal is to combine my interest in environmental sustainability with my degree in business and my experience in marketing and e-commerce to make a positive environmental contribution. I believe that individuals, as well as organizations, can “do well by doing good.” As a global marketplace, it is, now more than ever, becoming increasingly important to focus on a triple-bottom-line. As an entrepreneur, my focus is to build a robust and durable brand that prioritizes giving back to the environment while helping to develop further and promote a community of conscientious consumers.

Don’t Miss: The Entire Honor Roll of the Best & Brightest Online MBA Grads of 2020

Connect With Our Online MBA Partners

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.