John Woody MBA 2012

Senior Consultant, Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3), San Francisco, California

At age twenty-eight, John Woody is much younger than the average Berkeley-Columbia student and might have considered a full-time MBA. But his industry—renewable energy, specifically where it intersects with the utility grid—is evolving so rapidly, he knew his career would be better served by remaining in the workplace during his business education. He’s been thrilled with the results, learning in the classroom over the weekend and putting his new knowledge to use in the workplace on Monday.

“The program offers me an invaluable combination, to stay in the industry and work full time while pursuing the skills and knowledge of an MBA.”

“The professors keep the course so interesting by relating the material to everyday issues you see at work.”

“The professors want to teach you something on Friday that you can use when you go to work Monday. That kind of learning and reinforcement certainly stays with you longer than if you just read it in a book. That quick turnaround can’t be overvalued.”

“From the first marketing class, I learned some problem-solving skills—ways to be more efficient and creative—that I can come back to work and use immediately.”

“The bicoastal nature of the program is very desirable for me, combining the technical expertise of Silicon Valley with the financial expertise of New York. A lot of programs offer one or the other, but few offer both.”

“The professors from Columbia and Berkeley are so involved in their communities, so you get a broader perspective, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.”

“The collaborative nature of the program comes across from the first week of the program. Everybody’s there to learn, and we have a lot to learn from each other because there are so many complementary skill sets. People are very open, friendly and helpful.”

“I’m passionate about renewable energy and the environment, and I want to use the skills that I learn in this program to continue introducing low-carbon energy technologies into the marketplace to combat some of these current environmental problems. I want to use my education to be more effective in my current role within my company and use it as a springboard as I move into more senior managerial positions throughout my career.”

“There are a number of folks in our class who work in the energy field and a lot of other classmates who aren’t working in energy but are very interested in what’s happening. Energy and energy use affects everybody’s day-to-day life, and preserving the environment is definitely on many people’s radar. In addition, I learn so much about best practices from the industries in which my classmates work that I can bring to the energy space.”

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