Vira Aleksandrova

Santa Clara University, Leavey School of Business

“Ambitious and purpose-driven MBA student, strategist, and community builder who believes leadership starts with lifting others.”

Age: 41

Hometown: Alushta, Crimea, Ukraine

Fun fact about yourself: I grew up multilingual and was fluent in four languages by age 21.

Undergraduate School and Degree: V. I. Vernadsky Taurida National University (Ukraine). Master’s Degree in Languages

Where are you currently working? No. I am a mom to a 6-month-old baby, 4-year-old toddler, and an MBA student

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? More recently, during my MBA at SCU Leavey School of Business, I was honored to serve as Co-President of Graduate Women in Business, where I helped grow a community focused on mentorship, leadership, and creating meaningful opportunities for women in business. In 2026, I also joined the board of Financial Women of San Francisco, contributing to initiatives that support scholarships, professional development, and the advancement of women pursuing careers in finance and business.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? The flexibility of the program allowed me to balance graduate school with motherhood, leadership roles, and professional growth.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? The program brought together professionals from different industries, backgrounds, and experiences. Even in a virtual environment, I built meaningful friendships, professional relationships, and communities that became a very important part of my SCU MBA journey.

How did your online MBA experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? During my undergraduate years, I was young and energetic, but not necessarily purpose-driven yet. My MBA experience was very different because I approached it with much more clarity, purpose, and life experience.

How has your online MBA education helped you in your current job? My MBA helped me strengthen my strategic, analytical, and leadership skills and confirmed my interest in transitioning from business operations into strategy.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? I chose an online MBA because it gave me the opportunity to continue advancing my education without putting my life on pause. It allowed me to stay engaged in leadership, family, and professional commitments while still being part of MBA experience in SCU.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? AI was widely used as a teaching assistant, brainstorming partner, and language-polishing tool for clarity and precision. One important insight I gained is that AI is a very powerful tool, but its value still depends on human judgment, critical thinking, and the quality of the questions being asked.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: It depends very much on classes you take, but average might be 20 hours

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term professional goal is to transition into strategy-focused leadership roles, where I can combine analytical thinking, operations experience, and human-centered leadership to create meaningful impact.

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