The insightful & inspiring story of one adult learner pursuing a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) at Rowan University’s Rohrer College of Business
A mother running both her household and an essential business during a global pandemic, Marguerite Romilus stayed the course, not even taking a break in her own studies. Her professional and personal goal: to earn her master’s of business administration. Since this interview, conducted one year into the COVID-19 epidemic, Marguerite achieved her goals, graduating magna cum laude (with high honors).
With Marguerite’s résumé, it is clear she isn’t afraid of a challenge.
Currently, Marguerite juggles motherhood and an essential business. “I run a daycare for children who are 6 weeks old to the age of 12. The daycare supports local school district children before and after school,” she says.
These commitments did not stop her from advancing her education, though. Marguerite talks about what motivated her to go back to school.
“Getting my MBA was something I always wanted to do. I had children and a lot of things got postponed, but nonetheless my career inspired me to pursue that degree so I could excel in my area of business,” she explains.
Marguerite faces some expected, and challenging, responsibilities being a nontraditional student. “A major challenge is being a mom and student while running a business. Since I am in such a leadership role as an entrepreneur, I am forced to jump in and deal with challenges head-on.
The September semester before COVID-19 hit, Marguerite started her studies. A 36-credit (12 class) program, Marguerite thought she knew what the future would hold for the next few years.
Like all of us, she was thrown into crisis March 2020.
“I was finding my groove and then the pandemic hit. Now I’m learning how to pivot and abide by the CDC’s guidelines for my business. Rowan’s flexible schedule has allowed me so many options to earn my degree even though I’m juggling so many things,” she says.
Half of the 36-credit graduate MBA curriculum consists of core/required classes, and half are customized electives so that each MBA candidate can build the skills and area of focus that matches their career goals. Students choose either two areas of concentration, or one area of concentration and three elective courses.
All MBA candidates complete the same core classes: Financial and Managerial Accounting, Financial Decision Making, Operations Analytics, Employee Engagement and Performance, Responsible Leadership: Aligning the Interests of Stakeholders, Profit, and Planet, Information Systems for Managers, Marketing Management Fundamentals, and Managing Organizational Strategy.
Find passion and inspiration to get started.
Beyond these core classes, MBA candidates hone in on what they want their degree to look like, and choose from one (or two) options for concentrations, which include: Accounting, Cannabis Commercialization, Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Resources Management, Management, Organizational Leadership, Sustainable Business, Management Information Systems (MIS), or Supply Chain and Logistical Systems.
Marguerite talks about why Rowan was the best fit for her. “I checked out other MBA programs, but they weren’t convenient for my lifestyle as a mother and career woman,” she says. “Rowan was always right there by my side the whole time. My classmates and professors have been so helpful through the whole process.
She continues: “I chose Rowan to get my MBA because I had visited the campus when I attended the South Jersey Chamber of Commerce with South Jersey Summer Institute. There, I met professors and developed a close relationship with them. At the time I was a teacher, so they invited me back to tour the business building Think Tank Lab with my students. I got to see what the school was like and how dedicated the faculty was, and that’s what inspired me to pursue my degree at Rowan. I hadn’t been in school since my undergraduate institution in 2005 [15 years earlier] so I was nervous getting back into it being a career woman and mother, but Rowan was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Marguerite offers advice to other nontraditional students like herself who may want to pursue their MBA. She says, “Find passion and inspiration to get started. Once you figure out if the timing is right for you, I’d strongly encourage you to consider Rowan. Rowan’s community is flexible, hands-on and available to its students.”
Story by:
Loredonna Fiore, junior public relations and advertising major