First accelerated MBA cohort crosses finish line

In 10 short months, six students in Charleston Southern University’s Accelerated MBA program have completed their degree. Alexander Andronica, Ana Brown, Yolanda Chang, Caitlyn Emberson, Alannah Peters and Owen Ravenel kicked off the new program last fall as its first cohort. From Charleston to California to Canada, these Buccaneers represent a wide variety of backgrounds such as healthcare, finance and telecommunications. But their primary reasons for choosing CSU’s Accelerated MBA program was the same: career progression, affordability and flexibility.

“I chose this program because I loved how fast I could complete my MBA. At the time I was working in a restaurant and just really unhappy, and wanted to make drastic and powerful changes in my life as quickly as possible,” Brown said. “After experiencing such an overwhelming campus like USC, I wanted to get back to the smaller and more intimate feeling of a school like CSU.”

The faith integration component was a bonus. “Through the interactions with students and professors, I witness God being glorified and fellowship happening each semester,” said Chang, a telecommunications TV network administrator in Rock Hill.

According to each student, completing a master’s degree in under a year is as busy as it sounds, but entirely possible.

“I would encourage others who are considering this program to not take it lightly. Although the timeline is short, the work is important and you will learn important academic skills as well as a lot about yourself,” said Peters. “You must have dedication to get the work done but also time management [skills] to ensure you are not overwhelmed.” Peters works as an administrative assistant as well as a competitive sailing coach in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Brown, who hopes to enter senior management positions within the healthcare industry, shared her biggest takeaway from the Accelerated MBA. “Life doesn’t have to go on pause while you get your education. CSU has provided a program that the working adult can manage while still juggling all the other aspects of life.”

The 10-month Accelerated MBA offers concentrations in general management, healthcare management, and supply chain management. The program is taught in 7-week semesters, which allows students to take four courses each semester. Learn more about the program at charlestonsouthern.edu/MBA.