Patrick Surrett

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign – Gies College of Business iMBA

“Innovative leader who seeks challenge, builds strong relationships, and values and supports those I lead.”

Age: 49

Hometown: Knoxville, TN/ Washington, DC

Fun fact about yourself: I accepted a position at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu without ever visiting Hawaii. Four weeks later, my spouse and I packed everything we could, including our two large dogs, into a small GTI and drove from DC to LA to catch our flight. We moved back to DC two-and-a-half years later, but I’d still recommend doing something spontaneous like that.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Western Governors University, B.S. in Business – Healthcare Management

Where are you currently working? CIRE Business Solutions, Director of Program Operations and Strategy

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of leading cross-functional teams at a large Defense Health Agency medical treatment facility to improve the transparency and accuracy of provider productivity across the organization. We worked across every department in a major tertiary care center with more than 100 inpatient beds and nearly 400 providers, presenting our findings directly to the hospital commander each week.

Before this work, leadership had responsibility for resourcing decisions, but lacked complete and reliable data to make them with confidence. That created gaps between capacity and demand and placed unnecessary strain on clinical teams. We built a clearer picture of performance, identified bottlenecks, and gave leadership the information needed to make informed decisions based on actual capability and capacity.

This gave leadership the data needed to allocate resources more effectively, reducing stress on providers, improving operational flow, and strengthening patient safety. Clinical teams spent less time navigating inefficiencies and more time focused on patient care. What we did closed critical operational gaps and made meaningful change.

This work is personal for me. My father served more than 20 years in the Army, and both of my brothers and my spouse are veterans. I understand what service requires, not just from those who wear the uniform but from their families. Being able to strengthen the care they receive and remove barriers that stand in the way of that care is something I take seriously.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I chose Gies because I wanted a program I could apply in real time while continuing to grow in my career. I wasn’t looking to step away from work. I wanted to learn and use it immediately.

What stood out to me was that it wasn’t limited to a virtual experience. I had the opportunity to participate in live classes with faculty who also teach on-campus students, which added a level of rigor and connection that mattered to me. I also valued being able to engage with faculty and staff in person when I was on campus.

The immersions were another major factor. They provided the chance to work directly with organizations on real business problems, both domestically and internationally. That made the experience more tangible and grounded in real work.

The community also played a big role in my decision and my experience. As a Student Ambassador, I was able to connect with prospective students, current students, and alumni. I also served as Vice President of Access and Community for the iDegrees Graduate Business Association, where I worked to support fellow students and provide feedback directly to the administration to help improve the program.

Gies gave me more than flexibility. It gave me access to people, experiences, and opportunities that made the program feel connected to the real world.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? It was the flexibility, without losing the opportunity to build real relationships.

I went into the program thinking the networking would be limited and the curriculum might feel watered down. I was wrong on both. The university created consistent opportunities to connect, and I was able to build meaningful relationships with classmates, faculty, and alumni.

The flexibility made it possible to stay present for important moments with my family, manage work travel, and step away when needed without falling behind. The workload was real, but it was manageable in a way that allowed me to stay consistent.

Serving as a Student Ambassador added another level to the experience. I felt a real responsibility to the people I spoke with. I wasn’t just representing the program; I was part of their decision-making process. I made it a point to be honest about my experience and take that role seriously. I’m proud of the impact I was able to have.

That balance of flexibility, connection, and responsibility made the experience meaningful.

How did your online MBA experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? My undergraduate experience was not traditional. I started at a brick-and-mortar school, but life took me in a different direction. I returned years later and completed my bachelor’s degree in an online environment, which played an important role in getting me to where I am today.

That experience was very different from my time at Gies. It was more transactional and less engaging, and it did not create the same sense of connection. At Gies, I found the opposite. The program created opportunities to build real relationships, and I have made lifelong friends through the experience.

It also changed the way I think about online learning. When a program is intentional about creating meaningful engagement, you walk away with far more than a degree. You leave with an authentic network of friends and colleagues.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Lift your head up and say hello to the people around you.

It is easy to get into your own routine when you are balancing work, family, and a demanding course load. But a big part of an MBA program is the network you build along the way. Take every opportunity to engage with your classmates, faculty, and staff.

The experience is just as important as the content. Don’t get me wrong; the learning matters. You will read the material and complete the coursework, but the real value comes from the conversations. You have the opportunity to learn from people in your own community and from others around the world, each bringing different perspectives to topics you may think you already understand.

If you lean into those interactions, you will get far more out of the program than the degree itself.

How has your online MBA education helped you in your current job? My MBA has changed the way I structure problems and communicate with clients and stakeholders.

I approach challenges more deliberately now. I break them down into manageable pieces, analyze them more deeply, and consider the secondary and tertiary effects of potential decisions. I rely more on data to guide my thinking, rather than instinct alone.

For example, in my work supporting healthcare operations, I often have to balance competing priorities across multiple stakeholders. I’ve applied this approach to complex problems where clarity and alignment are critical. Instead of bringing forward a problem, I provide context, outline options, and walk through tradeoffs so clients can make informed decisions.

That shift has made me more effective as a leader and a better partner to the people I serve.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? During the program, I transitioned to a new company and took on a different role with broader responsibility.

I now manage multiple programs and work with team members who bring different skillsets and perspectives. That shift required me to better understand how they think, the language they use, and how to communicate in a way that brings everyone into alignment.

The role also requires a higher level of influence. I’ve had to become more intentional in how I communicate, especially when working across teams and with clients. The MBA played a key role in building that capability and giving me the confidence to lead and influence more effectively.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? I noticed the world around me changing quickly, and I knew I needed to change with it. I wanted to build new skills and learn concepts I could apply directly to my work. An online MBA allowed me to do that without stepping away from my career. I was able to continue working, apply what I was learning in real time, and grow in a way that felt practical and relevant.

I believe you have to keep learning to stay effective. Professionals who don’t continue to grow can become obsolete. That is something I emphasize with my team as well. I spend a lot of time encouraging them to develop new skills and think about how they want to grow.

My mom always says, “If you rest, you rust.” I take that seriously, and it played a big role in my decision to pursue this path.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Gies started integrating AI into the curriculum through courses like AI for Business and Emerging and Disruptive Technology. That gave me the opportunity to actually use these tools as part of my coursework, not just learn about them.

I used AI as a thought partner to help organize my thinking, break down problems, and explore different ways to approach assignments before refining my work. I also made sure to use it within the scope of what each class allowed.

What I learned is that AI is a useful tool, but it still depends on how you use it. It can help you move faster and think through ideas, but you still have to apply judgment, ask the right questions, and make sure what you’re producing makes sense. Used the right way, it supports your thinking. It doesn’t replace it.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: It really depended on the course. I typically paired a quantitative course with a qualitative one. On average, I spent about 10–15 hours per week per course, but the quantitative classes pushed me a bit more and required extra time.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term goal is to continue supporting government healthcare, with a focus on moving into healthcare administration within organizations like the Defense Health Agency or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I want to take on greater responsibility in shaping how care is delivered, with an emphasis on improving operations, access, and outcomes for the populations these systems serve.

This goal is personal for me. My family has a long history of military service. While I did not serve on active duty, I see this as a meaningful way to give back to those who have given so much. Supporting the systems that care for service members, veterans, and their families is something I take seriously, and I want to continue building a career around that work.

I’ve also been accepted into the Doctor of Healthcare Administration program at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and will begin in Fall 2026, after a well-deserved break. I see that as the next step in preparing for a larger leadership role in this space.

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