Katherine Waters

Auburn University, Raymond J. Harbert College of Business Online MBA Program

“Curious lifelong learner, finance enthusiast, Christ follower, wife, mother, and aspiring professor.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Chattanooga, TN

Fun fact about yourself: In high school, I biked over 500 miles from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Washington, D.C., as part of an effort to raise money and awareness to help fight human trafficking.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Lee University — Dual Degree in Accounting and Business Administration with a concentration in Finance

Auburn University — Dual Master’s Degrees in Business Administration (MBA) and Finance (MSF)

Where are you currently working? I have experience working in both public accounting and corporate finance. I began my career at a public accounting firm specializing in tax services before transitioning to a Fortune 500 company, where I worked in both their tax and treasury departments. Currently, I am taking time away from the workforce to care for our first child, and I plan to return to the workforce within the next few months.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? In my professional career, I am most proud of earning my CPA license. The CPA exam is a four-part examination covering a wide range of accounting topics. I completed all four exams within the required time frame while working long hours in public accounting, which was an accomplishment I am proud of.

I believe earning my CPA has opened many doors for me professionally and has given me greater confidence and credibility in my work. It has also helped shape the way I think about business and finance while providing valuable professional opportunities.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? When I first started looking at MBA programs, I wanted to find a school with a strong reputation, an AACSB-accredited MBA program, a dual-degree option, and a culture where I could genuinely connect with other students and feel part of the university community.

Auburn checked all these boxes. In addition to its strong reputation and AACSB accreditation, Auburn offered a dual MBA and Master’s in Finance program, which immediately stood out to me because of my interest in finance and business strategy.

What truly set Auburn apart, though, was how intentional they were about helping online students feel connected to the university. Auburn created opportunities for online MBA students to come to campus and experience the university firsthand through programs such as Camp Harbert, a multi-day event designed specifically for online graduate students. During the experience, students were able to meet professors and classmates in person, attend lectures and team activities, tour campus, and spend time building relationships with other online students through shared meals and social events.

Experiences like that reinforced one of the reasons I chose Auburn in the first place: online students were not treated like just another number in a program, but as real members of the Auburn community. Auburn intentionally created opportunities for students to feel connected, welcomed, and genuinely part of the school, and that was something I really appreciated throughout the program.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? My favorite part of being in an online MBA program was the flexibility. It allowed me to watch lectures and complete exams around my schedule rather than at a fixed time. Throughout the program, I balanced school while working full time and starting a family, so the ability to study at night or take exams on weekends made the program much more feasible.

How did your online MBA experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? My MBA experience at Auburn differed from my undergraduate experience in that many students were balancing school alongside careers, family life, and other responsibilities. In undergrad, much of life revolved around school, whereas graduate school required balancing education with many other priorities at the same time.

Even though the MBA program was online, Auburn did an excellent job helping students feel connected to the classroom experience. Professors were accessible, intentional, and supportive, and I never felt online students were treated differently from in-person students. The program also included many group projects, which helped me build relationships with classmates throughout the program. Over time, I began reconnecting with students from previous courses, which helped create a real sense of community.

Additionally, serving in Auburn’s Graduate Student Council gave me another opportunity to stay involved and connected with the university outside of the classroom. Overall, while the experience looked different from a traditional undergraduate setting, I still felt highly engaged with both the students and the Auburn community.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? My biggest piece of advice would be to apply yourself and genuinely enjoy the experience. Yes, completing an MBA requires a lot of hard work, but I always tried to focus on how exciting it was to have the opportunity to learn material like this. I know it may sound a little nerdy, but I truly enjoyed learning concepts and information that not everyone gets the chance to study in depth.

I would also encourage students to connect what they are learning to the real world and their own experiences. School becomes much more meaningful when you can see how the knowledge applies to your work, goals, and everyday life.

Lastly, try to integrate yourself into the program and get to know other students and professors. Building relationships with classmates and professors makes the experience more enjoyable and helps the program feel much more personal. If possible, try to work ahead as well. Life is unpredictable, and having flexibility in your schedule can make a huge difference when unexpected responsibilities arise.

How has your online MBA education helped you in your current job? Being a CPA by trade, I came from a very technical accounting and finance background and wanted to expand my knowledge of business more broadly. Pursuing Auburn’s online MBA and Master’s in Finance program helped broaden my business perspective while also strengthening skills I was able to apply directly in my professional experience.

Courses ranging from supply chain to organizational behavior helped connect different areas of business and gave me a more comprehensive perspective on how organizations operate.

There were many times throughout the program when concepts I was learning in the classroom directly applied to projects and situations I encountered professionally. This was really rewarding to see and helped me approach problems and decision-making from a broader business perspective.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? I did not earn a formal promotion while in the program, but I did transition to a different team within the leadership development program where I was a part. It was rewarding to see how closely that role aligned with concepts I was learning in the Master’s in Finance program and how I could directly apply what I was studying to my work.

I graduated this month and am currently taking time away from the workforce to care for our first child while exploring future opportunities that align with my long-term professional goals. I plan to return to the workforce within the next few months and am excited about the next step in my career.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? Since I was working full time and wanted to continue gaining professional experience while growing in my career, I felt that an online MBA program aligned best with my long-term goals. Additionally, the online format allowed me to attend a university I genuinely wanted to be part of without requiring my family to relocate for two years. Most importantly, it gave me the opportunity to pursue higher education, something I had wanted to do for a long time, while still balancing work and family responsibilities.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? I believe AI was top of mind at Auburn, particularly in discussions around how it is reshaping finance, the markets, and business operations across industries. Professors regularly incorporated conversations about the growing impact of AI and what it could mean for the future of business and finance.

Personally, I found AI to be an incredibly valuable study tool that allowed me to dive deeper into the material and gain a stronger understanding of concepts. It gave me the ability to quiz myself, receive explanations in different ways when I was struggling with a topic, and even create acronyms or study aids to help me remember important information. AI is such a powerful tool that, when used properly, I believe it can truly accelerate learning and help students engage with material on a deeper level.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: Approximately 10–20 hours per week, depending on the course workload.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My ultimate long-term professional goal has always been to teach at the collegiate level. Ever since undergrad, I have been passionate about helping students better understand difficult business and finance concepts and giving back through education. I have always been fascinated by academia and knew even during undergrad that teaching was something I hoped to be able to pursue one day.

Before becoming a professor, however, I wanted to gain meaningful professional experience that I could eventually bring into the classroom to help make concepts more practical and relatable for students. That was one of the reasons I pursued an MBA, as it allowed me to continue growing professionally while also furthering my education. As I look toward the future, my goal is still to become a university professor, and that dream truly excites me!

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