Guadalupe Nickell MBA 2011
As associate director of philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy, Guadalupe Nickell works at the dynamic intersection of business, government and the nonprofit sectors. She finds herself making similarly powerful connections in the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA program. “I was ready to get my MBA and improve my business skills, but I had invested a lot in my career and wasn’t willing to go back to school full time. I felt strongly that if I was going to make this kind of investment of time and resources, I wanted to make sure that 120 percent of my heart was in it. And it is.” “The program offers an abundance of opportunity. I have access to both campuses, both networks, both sets of faculty, and I’ve been able to tailor a unique experience for myself. It’s a culture that attracts strong individuals who are not afraid to craft their own learning experience customized to their professional goals.” ”The structure of the program allows you to successfully balance an MBA education with work, family and travel. Every three weeks, you immerse yourself in new ideas and methodologies – then find yourself applying what you have learned right away.” “In the field of philanthropy, I work with some of the world’s top philanthropists and get to know remarkable business leaders across different industries. I understand the business world, and I can approach it with a different—but complementary— point of view from my classmates. I’ve found that they appreciate the perspective I bring to our experience, and it’s exciting to think about the impact we will have on the world, both as a result of our personal successes and through our business decisions. Giving back to society is a mainstay of being a successful business leader.” “Within two weeks of starting my negotiations course, I used some of the new techniques I learned in an important business meeting. Because of those new skills, I know I had a very different kind of conversation—and outcome—than had I relied on intuition alone.” “The program gives me the opportunity to make a much bigger impact than I otherwise would have. It’s about the network, elevating my sights, and really making me knowledgeable and confident within the global business environment.” |
Associate Director of Philanthropy, The Nature Conservancy, San Francisco, California