Skip to main content

Executive MBA Student Spotlights

Gaining Responsibilities and Strengthening Others

Elizabeth Branney-Gant

Elizabeth Branney-Gant

University of Wisconsin‐Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
MBA Graduation Year: 2017
Current Job: Internal Auditor-Advanced with Department of Health Services Office of the Inspector General


For Elizabeth Branney-Gant, understanding financial statements, operations, and accounting is critical to her career success as an internal audit inspector. She’s getting her Wisconsin Executive MBA to boost her knowledge of these areas. Since starting at Wisconsin, she’s assumed more responsibility at work and has gained stronger credibility in the realms of policy, planning, and programmatic changes. She’s gained confidence in her leadership skills through her MBA experience, and is actively strengthening others.

The Wisconsin Executive MBA Program offers a highly-ranked education, a vast alumni network, and a supportive program office.You get to learn from top faculty and connect with Wisconsin graduates who are leaders in their fields. Plus, all logistics are simplified and organized by the program staff: the admissions process, meals, lodging, parking all the way through to graduation. This allows you to focus on your studies.

My peers in the program add so much value to the coursework because they have extensive professional experience across diverse industries. I’ve also learned more about how senior leaders approach challenges. This has helped me be more strategic in how I present my ideas. I am constantly impressed by how everyone in the class is always willing to help others both in the classroom and with their professional careers.

The culture of the program is very inclusive. My classmates, faculty, and the program staff feel like family. Because of the program’s team-based experiential learning foundation, I know I can count on others both academically and professionally.

The level of support I have been given by my peers has impacted my experience in ineffable ways. I am a better person and better leader for having had the opportunity to interact with people involved in the program.

I have an improved decision-making skill set to bring to my job. Because of my new financial and management skills and overall outlook on decision making, I’m being selected for increasingly complex assignments and work groups. I am ultimately able to contribute at a higher level, develop people around me, and build stronger and more cohesive teams. Since beginning at Wisconsin, I’ve received a scholarship from a professional association, earned a promotion, and garnered a 25 percent pay increase.