Alexandrea Perkins

The University of Florida, Warrington College of Business

“A determined and empathetic servant leader with a passion for helping others and continuous development.”

Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida

Fun fact about yourself: I’m a classical trained pianist!

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of South Florida, B.S. Biology and B.A. Psychology

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Clinical Research Coordinator- Trauma

Where did you intern during the summer of 2022? Johnson and Johnson, MedTech Marketing Leadership Development Program (MLDP)- 2022 Summer Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? Johnson and Johnson, MedTech Marketing Leadership Development Program (MLDP)- Marketing Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Leadership Roles

Vice President of Network Development, UF MBA Student Association: Led a team of three outstanding chairs with the goal to develop and strengthen the network between UF MBA students, alumni, and the greater UF ecosystem through organized cross-program events, outreach opportunities, and community service efforts.

Graduate Career and Peer Mentor: Served as a mentor to 50+ Specialized Business Master’s students, supporting them through the job recruitment process including reviewing resumes, hosting mock interviews, and coaching on networking strategies.

University of Florida MBA Student Ambassador: Served as an ambassador for prospective MBA Students. I attended admissions recruitment events and shared my experiences in the UF MBA program.

Awards

UF MBA Full-Merit Tuition Scholarship

Pozen Scholar

Member of 1st Place Team – UF MBA Internal Case Competition (2023)

Finalist – John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition (2022)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of serving as the Vice President of Network Development for the MBA Association. In my role, I led a team of 3 passionate chairs (community service, alumni, and outreach) with the goal of developing and strengthening the UF MBA network. In addition to supporting my team, I’ve focused my efforts on building strong relationships with different graduate organizations to leverage the robust and diverse perspectives of each group. I’m a strong believer in bringing different voices and viewpoints to the table to contribute to more innovate and equitable solutions.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? The achievement I am most proud of in my professional career, thus far, is my work at Florida Orthopaedic Institute. I contributed to a strategic initiative to digitize operation processes and increase efficiencies. I was involved in many aspects of this initiative, including building a clinical trials management system as well as executing the switch of patient reimbursements from paper checks to gift cards. It was exciting to see processes that would take weeks reduced to only taking hours. This also allowed the Institute to improve our impact on patients and their journey to recovery.

Why did you choose this business school? Community, Community, Community! My main driver for choosing the University of Florida MBA program is the small class sizes. When researching UF’s MBA program, as a prospective student and even as an attending student, I was impressed with the small cohort sizes that enables a personalized experience with professors and Career Services. It also enabled me to build a strong, meaningful relationships with my peers and staff. The strong sense of community led to a strong sense of belonging.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Dr. Judith Callahan was my favorite MBA professor. She taught The Art and Science of Negotiation. She created such an engaging and dynamic learning environment and pulled from different sources including textbooks, movie clips, and guest speakers to show us the importance of collaboration and creativity in extending the pie. We were able to engage in weekly negotiations and received honest feedback to facilitate improvement. Dr. Callahan’s lessons will not continue to help me in my professional journey and also extends to my personal life.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite MBA course was Developing Leader Skills. This course was very insightful and required us to think introspectively about our leadership styles, what influenced this style, and how we would like to be led. Additionally, student led presentations and robust discussions gave me a different perspective on how to be an effective leader.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA tradition is the Warrington Cup! This event gives all full-time MBAs the opportunity to work together in teams to complete challenges and the prize is to have their name added on the Warrington Cup. Some of the events included a scavenger hunt, trivia, and cognitive games. One of my favorite challenges was matching baby pictures to students in the full-time program and the program staff.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? If I could do one thing differently, it would be to not overthink and enjoy the moment. Although business school can get hectic, it is truly a wonderful experience with amazing and supportive people who are committed to your success while challenging you to be your best self.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about the University of Florida is that it is just a party school. Although we definitely know how to have a good time, UF is filled with dedicated and hard-working people. We get the job done and we celebrate our successes together.

What surprised you the most about business school? I was most surprised by the diverse backgrounds of my classmates. I came to business school assuming that most of my classmates would come from traditional business backgrounds. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my cohort included former engineers, lawyers, teachers, and professional athletes.

What is one thing you did during the application process that gave you an edge at the school you chose? Throughout the application process, I reached out and connected with the admissions office and students for any questions. Through these engagements, I was able to express my interest in the program as well as build strong relationships and advocates.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Although the program is filled with amazing people, the classmate that I admire the most is Alithu Castro. I have had the privilege of working with Alithu on several case competitions, within the MBA Association, as well group assignments, and she truly is a gem. She is ambitious, intelligent, and genuine. Whenever you have a conversation with he,r you’re guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face. She handles obstacles with grace, is very involved in the MBA Program, and still makes time to help those around her. I have no doubt Alithu will continue to be successful in the future and I’m honored that she was, and will continue to be, a part of my journey.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Negotiate a multi-million dollar contract for a corporation
2. Work abroad!

What made Alexandra such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“Alexandrea “Alex” Perkins, UF MBA Class of 2023, has earned an incredibly high reputation and made an incredible impact in this program over the last two years. She has displayed a selfless approach in the internship/job search, taking full advantage of the opportunities guiding her to reach her goals. While Alex worked tirelessly in her pursuit of a phenomenal post-MBA career for herself—accepting an internship and full-time job with Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices—she seemed to have even more energy when it came to supporting her peers in their journey. As if successfully navigating the process for herself wasn’t enough, Alex has been there every step along the way to assist her peers in their journey, sharing her expertise at new student orientation regarding her internship experience and serving as a Grad CAP Mentor, where she is a mentor for 40+ Warrington students.

Alex’s contributions begin before students even start the program. Her kind-hearted approach to building relationships, making an impact, and serving as a guide to her peers and program can also be highlighted in her role as an Admissions Ambassador. In this role, she not only collaborates with the admissions team at events for prospective students and showcases the program and encourages individuals to apply, but also serves as a one-on-one resource for admitted students, answering their questions, and solidifying why UF MBA is the right fit.

If all of this wasn’t enough, Alex’s contributions are also showcased in her leadership and dedication to our clubs and organizations, the college, and the Gainesville community. Alex is currently serving as VP of Network Development for the UF MBA Association (UF MBAA), a governing body which provides all students programming, professional development, networking and relationship building, and community outreach. This year, Alex is a contributing member of the planning committee for our annual Diversity & Inclusion Conference where she is collaborating with Business Career Services to build out speaker panels. In addition to this, she planned two community service events including a Thanksgiving with Grace Marketplace, a one-stop homeless resource center serving Gainesville and Alachua County.

Earing your MBA, while navigating the internship/job search process is no easy feat. Alex has done this, while impacting so many and maintaining an incredible academic record.”

Shane C. Van Deree
Associate Director of Admissions
UF MBA Program

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE LIST OF MBAS TO WATCH IN 2023