Heaven Taylor-Wynn

University of Florida, Warrington Online MBA

“Curious, creative, strategic problem-solver with vision, resilience, humor, growth mindset, and zest for life.”

Age: 27

Hometown: St. Petersburg, FL

Fun fact about yourself: I shared snapshots of my experience in the MBA program on social media and several other UF MBA students I’ve met have told me that the videos impacted their decisions to apply.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Florida, Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication

Where are you currently working? City of St. Petersburg, FL – Communications Coordinator in the Mayor’s Office

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I’m most proud of my role in developing a report titled “Stitch This! Content Creators and Prospects for Social Justice Communications.” I was responsible for curating a database of over 250 social justice content creators, conducting interviews to better understand partnership pain points, and identifying opportunities for more effective collaboration between creators and nonprofits. From there, I synthesized the findings into a strategic report that outlined practical, scalable recommendations for improving how organizations engage with creators.

It also pushed me to connect the dots between analysis and strategy and think more intentionally about how organizations can approach partnerships in a more effective, structured way.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I previously attended UF for undergrad and had an incredibly positive experience. Having been a Gator once before, I was already aware of UF’s global reputation as an academic institution. When I compared other MBA programs, UF’s offered all the things I was seeking: an online program with flexibility, reasonable program cost, opportunities to study abroad, a strong alumni network, and quality career services to support my goals.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? My favorite part of the online MBA experience was that I never felt like I was in competition with my cohort members. Even in courses that included competitive elements like simulations, I never felt like I was competing against my classmates in a way that took away from my own success.

There was a real sense that we were all working toward the same goal and supporting each other along the way. People were willing to share ideas, offer help, and show up for group work honestly and fully as themselves. This definitely made the experience feel less isolating which can be its own challenge when you’re doing most of your studying alone at a desk or in a coffee shop rather than in Marston or Library West in a study room.

How did your online MBA experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? The biggest difference between my online MBA and my undergraduate experience at UF was the level of independence and discipline required of me. As an undergrad, there was more built-in structure and more opportunities for spontaneous, in-person interaction. This time around, the experience was much more self-directed, so staying organized and managing my time effectively was critical.

That said, despite there being fewer chances to organically run into classmates, the sense of connection is still very strong. Through group projects, cohort chats, and virtual meetups, I was able to build valuable, genuine relationships with people in my cohort and others.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? My best piece of advice is to get clear on your personal goals before you start and keep them front and center throughout the program. Define what success looks like for you, write it down somewhere visible (literally write it, don’t just put it in your notes app), and revisit it often.

An online MBA is flexible, which means it’s easy to drift from your course. For example, someone focused on earning top grades will approach the program very differently than someone prioritizing networking or career pivots. Neither is wrong, but you need to know which one you’re optimizing for. Don’t get caught up in comparing your experience to others.

How has your online MBA education helped you in your current job? My online MBA has helped me show up to my current role with a much stronger strategic lens. One of the biggest “aha” moments came from my Organizational Behavior course, which gave me a better understanding of how different leadership and working styles impact collaboration and team performance. I’ve been able to apply that directly in how I manage cross-functional projects and communicate with stakeholders.

Coming from a public and nonprofit background, I didn’t always think in explicitly commercial terms. The MBA pushed me to approach my work more like a business, which includes focusing on outcomes, efficiency, and creating value. Generally, my mindset has shifted from “How do we execute this thing?” to “What is the short-and long-term impact that we’re creating here?”

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Upon graduation, I will continue in my current role.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? I seriously considered a full-time, in-person MBA because I was drawn to the idea of fully immersing myself in the experience and doing all the things I didn’t get to do when I was earning my bachelor’s degree. However, I am the single mom of a small child with lots of family support nearby who also currently has a job with flexibility that I enjoy. Relocating and stepping away from work didn’t feel like the right tradeoff.

The online MBA gave me the flexibility to continue working, stay in St. Pete, and maintain stability while still advancing my education. In a lot of ways, the format made it possible to be more intentional about how I shaped my experience. I could prioritize the areas I wanted to grow in while balancing my responsibilities.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Warrington integrated AI into the program by encouraging its use in coursework with a strong emphasis on transparency. In many classes, if we used AI, we were expected to disclose how we used it and how it influenced our final work product that we submitted.

In my Entrepreneurship and Venture Finance course with Dr. Alex Settles, AI use was especially encouraged, which aligned with how central it is to innovation right now. When I met with the Business Librarian for research support, he offered tips on how to prompt AI tools to get better results. I also started to notice that different tools have different strengths. Some are better for brainstorming and structuring ideas, while others are more useful for technical breakdowns or analysis.

The biggest insight I gained is that AI is only as effective as the input you give it. If your prompt is vague, the output usually is too. It also reinforced that you need a baseline understanding of a topic to evaluate whether what AI gives you is actually useful or accurate. You shouldn’t take what the system spits out and run with it.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: Typically, about 12-15 hours. On busier weeks, it could get closer to 20.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term goal is to lead brand strategy for a consumer-focused company, where I can develop campaigns that genuinely connect with people and drive real business growth. I’m especially interested in how brands can work with creators and use data to make smarter decisions, and I want to be at the center of building marketing strategies that are both creative and results-driven.

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