MBA Alumni Spotlight

The University of North Dakota's Master of Business Administration program is proud to have over 1,400 alumni who are leaders in every kind of business and industry world-wide. Our graduates lead companies, serve as elected officials, serve on board of directors, and contribute their time and talent to the Armed Forces. Below are a few of our notable alumni. 

Dana Keckler, '19

Reporting Business Analyst for Marathon Petroleum Corporation

“I wanted to earn my degree at an accredited, affordable, and respected university.  I chose the UND MBA program because I liked how the program held a live class one night a week.  This helped me keep up with the weekly assignments and studying so I didn’t keep procrastinating during the whole semester.  This online program also allowed me to continue working full-time during the day while focusing on my studies in the evenings. My classmates and professors were all very welcoming and kind during each course.  The professors understand that we have families and full time jobs that may require us to work late or travel and are very flexible with our busy schedules.”

 “Earning my Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of North Dakota was a personal goal for myself that I always wanted to achieve.  Upon graduating, I was hired into Marathon Petroleum Corporation, which is the company that I always wanted to work for.  I am responsible for the maintenance and creation of Business Intelligence reports for the Accounting department.  It is important for me to understand the company financial data to ensure the reports are accurate. I believe my MBA gave me a competitive advantage over other applicants who have only earned their bachelor’s degree.”

Jeremy Nere, '17

Director of Admissions for the University of Wisconsin-Superior

"I was seeking a strong, AACSB accredited program that was affordable, convenient, and hybrid. I wanted to make sure that regular, live interactions with fellow students and faculty were a central part of the program. UND's MBA program matched all of those areas.

"This program is an excellent fit for a student who wants a highly interactive, challenging MBA program. You will learn as much from the faculty, case studies, and curriculum as you will from other students in the program with varying educational and work experiences."   

Cami Bennett, '17

Senior Graphic Designer for the Oakland Raiders

"I chose the UND MBA program because I love UND and because of the program's prestige. As a Junior Graphic Designer, I elevate the strong Raider brand by communicating to fans at every visual touch point through web, social, logos, stadium signage, etc.

"The UND MBA program helped me stand out amongst the rest of the applicants as the Raiders knew that if I could handle grad school while working full-time, I could handle anything that they throw at me."

Bennett, who also earned her bachelor's degree in marketing from UND, has been Raiding the Design World, proving why she is a Leader in Action from UND.

Nathan Adams, '16

Technical Account Manager for Microsoft

“I believe I have countless career opportunities thanks in part to my MBA. The program has changed the way in which I think and approach problems. I am more analytical, better informed, and ask pertinent questions. The MBA program at UND had a good mix of required versus elective courses; the required courses were extremely relevant and I was able to find elective courses that appealed to my personal career goals. One of the courses focused on Board of Director leadership. Throughout the course, we heard from several UND alumni who were C-level executives at well-known corporations. Their insights remain some of the best advice I’ve ever received, and their participation proved how far a degree from UND can advance you. Furthermore, the lessons learned from that class prepared me to be an effective member on the Board of Directors for Community Health Services, Inc (CHSI).”

“I began my MBA after working full-time for six years. I immediately noticed several differences between MBA classes and my undergraduate classes. For starters, the MBA classes contained less lecture and memorization and were focused on group discussion, debate, and mastering concepts. I am thankful to have had real-world business experiences to reflect upon during the MBA program, and it was also interesting to hear the insights my peers shared from their own careers. I would absolutely recommend an MBA from UND to anyone considering it. Personally, this degree has become more than a resume-builder – I am better able to perform my job thanks to the skills I gained from this program.”

Tyler Eiken, '15

Finance Manager for Sterling Management, LLC

“I originally chose UND for my undergraduate degree because I thought it could be the right mix of educational opportunity, school size, and high caliber people (students and faculty). I chose to stay at UND for the MBA program because I found each of those things to be true. I had a built-in level of comfort with the business school/university and knew the program would challenge me. I had a unique path in the MBA program in that I did the first three semesters on campus and the last semester online. I was able to see both components of the “hybrid” style of learning the program employs. In today’s business world, learning how to work in both environments is valuable.”

 “The other component of my experience that stood out to me was the opportunity to work with other MBA students with diverse professional backgrounds. With the online component, there was also geographic diversification – I remember a classmate would log on from Norway for classes. Obtaining my MBA degree from UND helped open doors for me that otherwise likely would not have been available.” 

Andrew Germain, '15

Program Analyst for the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General

“My graduate degree has definitely helped me in my career.  First, having a graduate degree started me on a path that was more advanced than someone without a graduate degree.  I was able to have more responsibility and better compensation earlier on in my career.  Additionally, the overall strategic focus of UND’s MBA program has helped me see the big picture on a lot of my projects, which is not always an easy thing to do in government work.  Having a high-level, comprehensive view of how organizations operate has helped me in my leadership abilities during my career.  I believe that many of these skills were fostered during my time at UND.   I was also fortunate enough to take an elective during my MBA that focused on the intersection of government and politics with business, which was extraordinarily beneficial to my current role and interests.”

“Of the many strong qualities of the MBA program at UND, I think the ability of the staff and students to be flexible, open-minded, and career focused is most important. Having been both an on campus student, as well as a distance learner, I felt that the interaction between the students and professors was very consistent across both methods of education.”