Jen Torbeck
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
MBA Graduation Year: 2020
Current Job: Director of Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance, UW Credit Union
As a lawyer working in business, I often felt a little nudged-out of strategy discussions. I wanted to round out my skill set to contribute to those conversations. Earning my MBA will open doors in my career. I’m optimistic that the combination of a JD and MBA will help me rise to the executive leadership level, where I can truly impact an organization’s success.
Now seemed like the perfect time to pursue an MBA. My kids are 6 and 3, so they are still young enough that school is not interfering with their outside activities. Plus, by experiencing the program at this point in my career, I have more years to apply what I am learning and enhance my earnings. When a promotion in a previous job put me in charge of unfamiliar business functions, like setting pricing, determining business strategy, and planning new product rollouts, it prompted me to consider an MBA to get new skills to grow and excel.
I am enjoying the entire program, but I especially enjoyed the Economics for Managers class that kicked off my first year of the program. The instructor, Don Hausch, is a phenomenal professor and made learning the subject matter truly enjoyable. I had never taken economics, so many of the concepts were pretty new to me and were relevant to everyday life.
In the executive MBA program, I get to learn from the professors and my classmates, which is a powerful combination. We have an incredibly diverse group in every sense of the word—different industries, different positions, and with very different experiences and viewpoints. The team-based nature of the program is very valuable. We leverage each other’s strengths and develop really strong bonds. Four alumni from the first executive MBA class 25 years ago talked to our group and mentioned that they still get together once a year. I can absolutely envision our cohort doing the same thing 25 years from now.
I have gained significant business acumen from the program. I have also gained the insight that my experience and viewpoints are unique and should be shared. The program has given me a deeper understanding of what goes into strategic planning. I’ve also gained clarity about other key functions, like accounting, marketing, and organizational development. Wisconsin truly is a top-notch school where you’ll pay a reasonable tuition to gain a world-class education. Given the choice, I would absolutely choose Wisconsin again.