Each week, JWMI profiles students and alumni in its new featured series “Winning Voices.” Learn about our diverse community and what sets our program apart from those who have experienced it. For more great “Winning Voices” content, click here.
Sheri Drawhorn
Manager, Client Training
NextGen Healthcare
Program/Concentration: Jack Welch MBA with Human Resources Concentration
PLEASE SHARE MORE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL ROLE AND RESPONSIBLITIES.:
Before completing the Jack Welch MBA program, I served in various leadership capacities in organizations ranging from Training Lead to Director. I had also been a partner in an entrepreneurial venture. Today, I manage a team of Practice Management, Electronic Health Record Trainers, and Client Schedulers. My team is remotely based within the US and India. The company provides healthcare software solutions to its clients, and my team offers multi-layered training services to these clients via on-site, eLearning, or Instructor-Led methods.
WHY WERE YOU LOOKING TO GET AN MBA?:
Pursuing an MBA was a lifelong dream of mine. I waited until later in my career to pursue an MBA. However, “a dream deferred is not a dream denied.” Although I had served in many leadership roles, I lacked the confidence to fit comfortably into them. Sometimes, I didn’t feel deserving or qualified. I knew that to feel validated as a leader; I needed to pursue an MBA to fit in and stand out. Now that I have completed my degree, I have a higher sense of self and the right amount of confidence to contribute to any leadership role I decide to pursue genuinely.
LOOKING BACK AT WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT AN ONLINE PROGRAM WHEN YOU FIRST EMBARKED, WHAT WAS YOUR OVERALL IMPRESSION NOW? DID IT MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS VIA DQ BOARDS, EOP VIDEOS, FACULTY ETC?:
Initially, I wasn’t sure how to fit an MBA program into my hectic schedule. However, I had a strong desire to acquire an MBA. I had always respected and admired the ring of distinction it offered. I reached out to the admissions counselor to understand what it would entail and how it would be possible for me. I thought that I would miss out on being onsite with other students. Surprisingly, I did not because we spent time together in the DQs and teams. We also reached out on our own for advice or support. The experience of comradery was not lost at all. The faculty was very helpful as they were engaging and interactive during the DQs and offered success sessions to review major assignments independently. They were also available often, so I never felt lost or neglected.
HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE JOB, FAMILY, AND WORK? WHAT STRATEGIES DID YOU IMPLEMENT TO GET IT DONE?:
It was a matter of navigating family, job, and vocation for me. As the mother of an adult son with a disability for whom I provide daily care, a pet mom, an associate minister at my church, and working onsite in my previous role, navigating an online course was more than a notion at first. However, the only way to do it was to seek assistance to understand the program. Once I understood what was required, I had to map out a strategy to achieve it. I prioritized my duties and set aside specific daily times to complete each task. The weekly requirements for the program quickly became routine or regimented. However, it would be best if you also surrounded yourself with people who understand your goals and the sacrifices it takes to accomplish them. Somedays, you will need cheerleaders; on others, you will need a coach.
PLEASE SHARE ANY ADVICE FOR NEW STUDENTS EMBARKING ON THE MBA JOURNEY.:
I wasted a lot of time deciding whether this dream/goal was achievable for me. At an epiphanic moment in my life, I thought, why not me? So why not you? You must have a genuine desire to achieve this goal. Once you start, don’t allow anything or anyone to prevent you from reaching it. You must commit, and half of the battle is won once you do.
There will be obstacles and challenges but keep going. Arriving at your desired destination is well worth the sometimes tedious journey filled with detours and alternate roads. The sense of accomplishment that you will feel is immeasurable and indescribable. You can walk confidently into any room and feel you belong and deserve to be here. Life is filled with choices. Make a choice and just do it. You won’t regret it.
Connect with Sheri Drawhorn on Linkedin
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