Anthony Baerga

“Success to me comes from helping others rise, driven by intention, values, and shared growth”

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: The first time I flew was in 10th grade, and I absolutely love traveling as an adult.

Undergraduate School and Major:

The University of Texas at San Antonio (BA Communication, Public Relations)

The University of the Incarnate Word (MA, Communication)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Principle Auto Group, BMW, and MINI Service Manager

What has been the biggest accomplishment in your career so far?

Building and developing teams whose business success has positively transformed their personal and family lives.

When you think of your school, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why?

Intentional. Texas A&M University is more than a school; it’s an institution purposefully committed to shaping future business leaders who lead with integrity, stay true to their values, and genuinely care about others.

What are one or two key aspects of this program that led you to choose the program, and why were they so important to you?

The two key aspects that drew me to this program were, first, the flexibility, which gave me confidence that I could complete it while having a full-time career, and second, what strengthened my desire was the intentional leadership. As someone who works extended hours, finding a program that respected my career demands was very important. The Flex Online MBA’s structure gave me the ability to grow academically without sacrificing professional momentum.

What truly solidified my decision was the intentionality behind the program’s design and, more so, the program leaders. Starting with my early conversations and to this day, the Flex Online MBA leadership team at Mays Business School has demonstrated a deep understanding of working professionals, asking forward-thinking questions, focusing on long-term value, and reinforcing that support doesn’t end at graduation. That combination of flexibility and purpose-driven leadership made it clear that this was exactly where I belonged.

What course, club, activity, or experience excites you the most and why?

What excites me most is seeing how much our cohort teams grow every eight weeks. That growth feels shared. One notices teammates becoming genuinely excited about different parts of the program. Sometimes it’s finance, other times it’s accounting or entrepreneurship. And in those moments, there’s often this quiet sense of, yeah, I’m in the right place, surrounded by others who also care deeply about learning and growing in an engaged environment driven by professionals who love to see one another find their passion and success.

Even though the program’s asynchronous, our teams stay in touch constantly. Some weeks we’re project heavy, others we just check in on one another to ensure everyone is doing well. But over time, those quick messages and long nights turn into friendships. A few of the teams I’ve worked with have stayed connected beyond the semester. I think those relationships will last for years. What surprised me most is how real the connections are. Mays has created a space where collaboration, friendship, and long-term professional support can truly thrive.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to other prospective MBAs? Why?

Wow, what a great question. Over the past few semesters, I’ve absorbed a wide range of content: MBA classes, LinkedIn Learning courses, Mays-hosted career seminars, and several business books. I’ve been searching for something that would stick with me, something meaningful I could carry through this program and beyond.

Recently, one piece really stayed with me: a TED Talk by Hamdi Ulukaya called The Anti-CEO Playbook. It’s only 17 minutes long, but it made me pause. He talks about leadership in a way that doesn’t sound like the usual talk. It’s not about titles or bottom lines. It’s about people, how you treat them, how you include them, and how your choices as a leader affect their lives, sometimes far beyond what you’ll ever see.

That message stuck with me. It reminded me why I’m here in the first place. At Texas A&M, we talk a lot about our core values: respect, loyalty, integrity, and selfless service. These aren’t just words on paper; they’re reminders of how we want to show up for others and how we want to be remembered.

It’s a standard. And the way Ulukaya frames leadership aligns with that completely.

This is the kind of culture I hope to build, both in my professional work and in my personal life. A space where people matter just as much as outcomes. Where success isn’t measured only in profit, but in how people are treated along the way. That video helped me name something I already believed, and I’d recommend it to anyone thinking seriously about what kind of leader they want to become.

What are two things you have learned that have surprised you so far – one academic and one non-academic?

I’ve learned a lot since starting this program, but two relatively simple things surprised me, one tied to coursework, and one more personal.

In class, I started to notice something early on. Even though many of us are here for similar reasons; growing as people, moving forward in our careers, we all show up with different strengths. A lot of that comes from our backgrounds, and it’s made me see learning as something more shared than I expected. That surprised me. It reminded me that learning isn’t just individual. It’s collaborative. Where I might feel unsure, someone else brings clarity. And in areas where I feel strong, I’ve been able to support others. That dynamic has pushed me to stop viewing growth as something I have to figure out alone.

Outside the academic space, I’ve been surprised by something more personal. I’ve always seen myself as introverted, someone who prefers to sit back and observe before stepping in. But this program has shown me that I have the composure and presence to carry myself in more rooms than I realized. Although I still have room to grow. I’ve learned that when I lean into the strengths I do have and own the ones I don’t, it puts others at ease. It develops trust. That’s been powerful for me.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into your MBA program?

If I had one piece of advice, it would be this: focus on more than just your resume. Yes, your academic and professional background will be reviewed to ensure you can contribute to the learning experience, but more importantly, to help determine if this is the right time for you to take on the journey, based on what you’ve lived and where you’re headed.

Your experience matters, of course, but just as important is showing who you are, telling your story, and demonstrating what kind of character you bring to the table. Mays is looking for people who want to grow, not just personally, but alongside others.

Take the time to really understand what Texas A&M and Mays stand for. If those values speak to you, respect, integrity, selfless service, leadership, and you’re at a point in your career where you can commit the time to both learning and engaging with your cohort, you’re already on the right path.
You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. What matters most is that you’re ready to learn, open to collaboration, and serious about building something meaningful with the people around you.

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