Thomas Beattie
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
Graduation Year: 2018
Current Job: Project Manager, MGE
Thomas Beattie is an experienced U.S. Army officer with a growing career in the private sector. He joined the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program to solidify his organizational skills and fully reach his potential as a business leader. A year into the program, he was called to active duty and deployed to Texas from Wisconsin. Traveling cross country for classes at UW–Madison, Thomas continued his education and built leadership abilities—for business, for the army, and for his future.
The strength of UW–Madison’s alumni network led me to choose the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program. I felt that the flagship university would connect me with the best and brightest professionals that the area could offer.
I immediately started applying lessons from my MBA classes to my work. I was able to fill gaps in my experience and better apply myself to new challenges. Having class with seasoned professionals allowed me to hear how others impact their organizations and confront difficult problems, which is much more productive than a standard academic approach.
The Wisconsin Executive MBA Program has helped me shore up my accounting and finance skills. Accounting and finance classes didn’t only cover the basics, but really focused on application, which is key. With application being the main goal, I was able to take these lessons and concepts and use them in my work immediately.
My MBA allowed me to make a greater impact no matter the work environment. With my leadership background, the MBA program gave me the big-picture perspective and skills to help me become a stronger leader and take my performance to the next level.
—Thomas Beattie
I strongly valued my classmates and the collaborative design of the program. It is a rare opportunity to be able to establish strong relationships and friendships with people outside of the workplace. This program allowed all of us to have a fun, engaging, and productive learning environment. Everyone was committed to being successful in the program, while making sure to support each other along the way.
Teamwork was a key element of the success of the program. Working as a team allowed everyone to share workloads and provided you the time to focus on your job and family. I really enjoyed learning more about other industries and organizations. It definitely provided me with options and alternative ways of accomplishing my goals.
My MBA education gave me daily opportunities when I was on active duty in the Army. The military culture, while unique, aligns well with basic business principles. The challenge lies in finding new ways to adapt best practices to this environment and see what crosses the gap between business and the military.
My MBA allowed me to make a greater impact no matter the work environment. With my leadership background, the MBA program gave me the big-picture perspective and skills to help me become a stronger leader and take my performance to the next level.
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