Robbin Lee

Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan

“A natural mobilizer, Robbin has made gathering people core to her career and identity.”

Age: 31

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Fun fact about yourself: I shared this as my ice-breaker fact with my classmates when starting my MBA and it really stuck – my all-time squat max is over 400lbs.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) – B.A. in Media & Communication Studies and B.A. in Art History

Where are you currently working? Director of Partnerships & Mobilization at UpSurge Baltimore

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to inspire many people to invest their time, talent, and treasure to elevate Charm City. It could be measured in millions of dollars, countless hours of people’s time, or libraries of intellectual capital, but what really matters to me is that I can say I have played some small, but meaningful part in improving the national narrative for Baltimore – the city and community I love for embracing and shaping me as a whole human.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I chose to the University of Michigan Ross School of Business online MBA program because of several reasons.

1) Truthfully, I was predisposed to the Michigan culture through my partner, who completed his PhD through the College of Engineering. I was impressed with the faculty and school pride.

2) I wanted an online MBA program that also provided a meaningful amount of in-person opportunities to interface and learn from my classmates.

3) The University of Michigan alumni network is unparalleled!

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? My favorite part of being in an online MBA program was getting to know and learning from a diversity of peers from all walks of life, professional careers, and cultures & backgrounds. Many of us were able to apply what we learned in the classroom right away in our everyday work lives and our collective reflection was so valuable and interesting.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? What was most surprising for me was actually that the online learning environment was much more collaborative than I thought it would be. I give credit to how our curriculum was intentionally designed to mitigate the often-isolating aspects of online learning.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? Of course, my online experience certainly took more self-accountability to keep pace with the coursework.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Any MBA program is a commitment. Often, those opting for online MBA programs are choosing to further their education while continuing to work in some capacity. Negotiate early with your loved ones about the sacrifices that will have to happen to make time for coursework and school activities. Make the most of your experience in the program by getting to know as many of your classmates as possible and as deeply as possible.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? During my online MBA program, I was running a nonprofit. My MBA education helped me more finely understand how to run an organization efficiently with a more long-term view and confidence in my leadership skills. Now at my current role, I’ve continued utilizing much of what I learned through my MBA education daily, especially now as I serve entrepreneurs scaling their businesses in the landscape of our city’s tech ecosystem.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Immediately after graduation, my education influenced me to depart the nonprofit organization I had been leading for six years to join a new organization where I could level up my scope of work and deepen my focus on what I discovered in my MBA program that I do best – partnerships & mobilization. My MBA has certainly added market value to my career, and I am grateful to my MBA experience for opening the doors to a new career chapter.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential program? I knew that I wanted to continue working while furthering my education. I also knew that my career, at the time, and my values were very place-based and that I did not want to uproot myself from my community. However, I wanted to pursue an education outside of the regional bubble where I grew up, went to undergrad, and started my career. All those factors added up to an online MBA program being the most sensible option.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: 12 hours a week

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? To be remembered as someone who maximized relationship capital for the greater good of a community. Eventually, I am thinking about starting my own company that facilitates a creative solution to intergenerational and intercultural weaving.

DON’T MISS: BEST & BRIGHTEST ONLINE MBAS: CLASS OF 2024