Master’s in Marketing: Philip S. Miller III, UT Dallas (Jindal)

Student Name: Philip S. Miller III

Graduate Business School: University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management

Describe Yourself In 15 Words: I relentlessly overcome obstacles, break through barriers and am addicted to finding solutions and success.

Master’s Graduation Class: 2020

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Texas at Austin, Kinesiology and Sports Management.

Current Employer and Job Title: Owner and President, Crull Fitness and PM3 Sports.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has to be navigating the most recent obstacle with COVID-19. Owning a gym and being a sports agent was very difficult in 2020. Sports leagues went on pause. Gyms became labeled in the news as dangerous places and breeding grounds of COVID-19. I was able to pivot my business and turn it into a rental company. I rented out gym equipment on a membership basis in addition to hiring out traveling personal trainers and coaches. By doing so I was able to have all my employees fully paid in 2020, never missing a paycheck in addition to paying all rent and utilities in full and on time.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as a graduate student: For me, graduating was my biggest accomplishment. I worked full time while completing my MS in Marketing within one year. It was a struggle to balance school and work. However, the relief and satisfaction of completing my education gave me the determination to take on what 2020 had in store.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I grew up in Richardson, Texas. UTD was always in my backyard. I did a couple undergraduate courses in the Jindal School and found it to be very challenging when I was younger. With its prime location, massive growth and high ranking, I felt like it was the best fit for me.

What led you to choose a Master’s in Marketing over an MBA? I actually wanted to complete the MS in Marketing first before I completed my MBA. Marketing has been a passion of mine, and I felt as though having an MS in Marketing would help advance me in my career and give me standing and accreditation in my field.

What has been your favorite course and how has it helped you in your career? The capstone program was probably my favorite course because it encompassed all the courses in the marketing program. In addition, it allowed us to use real-world techniques and software in order to present projects to the class as if we were in the real world.

What role did your school play in helping you to land your first job out of the program? Because I was an entrepreneur and ran my own businesses, school helped me gain the confidence and tools I needed to further expand my brand and knowledge in my industry.

How did your classmates enhance the value of your business school experience? I definitely have made some great friends through the program. Just last week we grabbed a beer at trivia night. It helped having them as sounding boards and as people you can go to for advice in school and in the workplace. Every individual had some unique talent that others couldn’t replicate. Therefore, it was interesting to meet and learn about everyone’s diverse backgrounds.

Who was your favorite faculty member and how did this person enrich your learning? Professor Abhijit Biswas was a great mentor and faculty member in the MS program. His knowledge and experience set him apart from other marketing experts in the region and, arguably, the country. 

What is your best advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s graduate Master’s program? Study hard, network even harder. Be different and set yourself apart from the others.

What was your best memory from your Master’s program? My best memory was probably the late-night study sessions in the library or working on group projects. That sounds terrible, but it’s a time when you build relationships with one another and learn different processes. 

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