Brianna McAnally

The University of Texas at Dallas, Jindal School of Management

“Passionate, Dedicated, Energetic, Scholarly, Kind, Thoughtful, Personable, Creative, Efficient, Particular, Humorous, Independent, Organized, Enthusiastic, Resourceful.”

Age: 29

Hometown: Fairfield, California

Fun fact about yourself: I have three dogs – two Alaskan Klee Kai and a mini Australian Shepherd

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California, Davis with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Where are you currently working? Texas Instruments as a Global Subcontractor Sourcing Manager

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? A few years ago, I was selected to be a part of a program called “Early Career Pivotal Learning Roles” at my company. This was a huge honor, since only those who are seen as high performers could be nominated and selected to participate in the program.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I loved the flexibility that UTD’s program offered to professional students. Being able to choose when I took my classes and how many I took per semester was integral to my success in the program. If I knew I was going to be extra busy during a certain period, I could plan my courseload accordingly. Beyond this, UTD was only about a 20-minute drive from my home. Although I wanted the flexibility of online courses, I also wanted to be near the campus so I could attend in-person events.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? A lot of people warned me against an online MBA because they thought I would miss out on the classroom discussions. I was actually engaged so much more in our online class discussions because I could carefully read everyone’s thoughts and plan out my response. I felt like I got a lot more out of it this way, and everyone got an equal chance to share their thoughts.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? I realized that the in-classroom experience was actually less efficient for me because I learn better when I sit down with a textbook and digest the material myself. So having the extra time that I would have spent going to class, to instead study the material on my own was much more effective for me.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Do not focus on what you think that you miss out on being in an online MBA program; focus on the things you gain, and then capitalize on them to maximize the benefit you get from those things.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? I probably cannot do it justice in this short summary, but there have been multiple doors opened to me. First and foremost, it offered me a broader perspective that my colleagues were intrigued to hear about. I have had a couple of leaders ask me, “Is there anything you learned in your MBA that we could bring back to our organization?” Second, I was able to complete an extra project at my company as a part of my MBA program. This project connected me to individuals and showed me a different side of my company that I would have never seen without it. Finally, having degrees in both engineering and business provides me with an edge to take on new roles that require knowledge in both areas.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? I haven’t changed roles yet, but my management in my current role did allow me to manage our summer intern. This was a great opportunity to grow myself and get some management experience. Although I haven’t had the opportunity yet to be promoted into a new role, my career path and growth have been ongoing discussions with my management.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential program? I loved my job and wanted to still be able to expand my knowledge. I knew that an online MBA would allow me to keep working in my current role and get an education at the same time, with a manageable workload.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: About 15 hours on average

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term professional goal is to be viewed as someone who is effective, but kind and helpful throughout the process. There is something magical to me about a professional who accomplishes things efficiently but with empathy and grace.

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