Terry Brimley
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
MBA Graduation Year: 2020
Specialization: Corporate Finance and Investment Banking
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Internship: Internal Consulting Intern, Northwestern Mutual; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
There are many reasons why the Wisconsin MBA was the right fit for me. The exceptional ROI was the driver. Most post-MBA positions offer comparable salaries, but here I am getting an outstanding education with minimal debt. The specialization model and intimate class sizes were also key. I knew I would be really well prepared to be able to earn and make an immediate impact. It is already clear that I made the right choice. Prior to graduate school, I worked in a variety of roles in the accounting field—as an entrepreneur, an educational assistant in higher education, and in human resources at Harley-Davidson. I wanted to build on all those skills and also focus my career. At Wisconsin, I am building my network and developing my business acumen, strategic skills, and leadership abilities—exactly what I had hoped for in pursuing my MBA.
The support from Career Services is a key part of how the Wisconsin MBA prepares us to succeed. The staff offers extensive interview preparation. Fall semester they offer bootcamps where we learn successful interviewing techniques and practice with peers. The Career Services team also matches students with alumni from our chosen industry to do mock interviews that provide valuable, targeted feedback. Finally, the team helps us develop strong interview stories and makes sure our résumés are top notch so we go into our interviews confident and well prepared.
My internship developed my project management and communication skills. I managed six projects at once and with each I communicated recommendations to leadership. I learned to think strategically and negotiate outcomes and was able to make an impact on the organization in a short time. The projects really forced me to prioritize which problems to solve and how to do that seamlessly. That’s a skill I learned in my Strategy class, and it’s one that will continue to be of great value in my career.
At Wisconsin, I am building my network and developing my business acumen, strategic skills, and leadership abilities—exactly what I had hoped for in pursuing my MBA.
—Terry Brimley
I had the opportunity to participate in a really challenging consulting project with a major insurance company. This project, working on a social impact venture capital fund, is my favorite MBA experience so far. I did due diligence on potential investment deals, including reviewing financials, vetting managers, and making sure an investment was a value proposition for the market. My job was to ensure that the investments satisfied the dual mandate of people and profits.
The culture at this school is exceptional. One of the reasons I chose Wisconsin was for the intimate class size. My peers have been extremely supportive and helpful in providing real world examples to enhance classroom experiences. We work very collaboratively and are forging what I know will be lifelong friendships and business relationships.
I have had many opportunities to expand my leadership capabilities. I applied to the School through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a national diversity network linking MBA programs, leading corporations, and top-tier students from under-represented populations. As a Consortium liaison I get to speak with prospective students, which is very rewarding. The Consortium connected me with many successful alumni, one of whom helped me with interview preparation and connected me to my internship. One of my favorite experiences with the Consortium was the annual Orientation Program (OP) they provide. It prepares MBA students for the rigors of business school and doubles as a career fair that helps incoming first-years secure internships for the following summer. OP also provides a chance to network with students from other sponsor schools. In addition to my role with the Consortium, I am president of Diversity in Business, which allows me to spread awareness about diversity in the workplace.