Nicole Amendola

Zarb School of Business, Hofstra University

“Fiercely loyal, bold and unapologetically myself. I dive in head first for all my decisions.”

Age: 33

Hometown: Patchogue, NY

Fun fact about yourself: You’ll never catch me without a book. I either have my kobo e-reader, a physical book or an audiobook on me.

Undergraduate School and Degree: LIU Post, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Political Science.

Where are you currently working? I’m a Health Planning Coordinator for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Division of Community Mental Hygiene Services

What achievements are you most proud of in your professional career? There are many. I have helped shepherd a number of state and local laws throughout my career in government. My most recent professional achievement was my role in the COVID-19 emergency response for Suffolk County. Being in a position to help thousands of Long Islanders during a historic pandemic was incredibly taxing but rewarding.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? Through word of mouth as well as my desire to attend a local university.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? The flexibility. In the last year of my program, I was pregnant. The flexibility an online program provides really helped me through my pregnancy as well as postpartum. I graduated six months postpartum.   

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? I enjoyed my undergraduate experience, but enrolling in a graduate program later in life was more fulfilling. At 17 or 18 years old, being told that you need to determine a career path while still learning about yourself is daunting. I felt more confident of what I wanted to achieve when applying for Hofstra’s online MBA program at 31.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Network, network, network! You do not need to be stranded on an island by yourself through this experience. You have a wealth of people to connect with and learn from. I met so many interesting and talented people during my online MBA program who gave great personal and career advice. I still talk to many of them.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? Many of the classes I have taken, specifically the management and accounting classes, have helped me with my job. I’ve learned ways to improve my management and organizational skills as well as my financial literacy.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? I did not. Government is much different than the private sector. People do not receive an automatic promotion based on education achievements. Promotions are mostly procured through a Civil Service test.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? Both were impractical for me. Between needing to drive to and from school or having an intense workload while working full-time, there was no way I was choosing either. The online MBA program was my best option.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? The Zarb Business School is always keeping up with current technology. Each professor took a different approach to students utilizing AI tools, but having access to Zarb’s Business Lab was a really great perk. Every time I was on campus for an in-person program requirement, I was able to utilize a new piece of technology.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: I was part-time for most of my academic career in my online MBA program, so I was taking one class seven weeks at a time. Depending on the course, hours spent per week ranged from about five to eight, including office hours that professors generally held once a week.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I don’t have a concrete answer for this, but I would love to open up a small business one day. I’ve had a longtime dream of opening a bookstore café somewhere on Long Island. I love cafés and I love bookstores. A place where people can congregate to share some food, buy their next read, and support the arts.

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