Sheena Ciminski
Nationality: American/British
Programme: Full-time MBA, 2017
Pre-MBA: Operations Manager, BCBG Max Azria, Los Angeles, USA
Post-MBA: Strategy and Insight Manager, Great British Chefs, London, UK
Current industry: Retail/FMCG
Transitions made: Function, Industry, Location
Prior to my MBA I oversaw design and production operations at BCBG Max Azria, a contemporary womenswear company in Los Angeles. I knew I wanted to do an MBA as I was interested in moving into a strategic role. Cass’s strong emphasis on strategy with multiple modules and projects was key in helping me achieve that goal.
The Cass Full-time MBA programme appealed to me for several reasons. I initially began looking at MBAs in the UK because the schools offered one-year programmes, as opposed to two-year programmes, which is the standard in the US. What drew me to Cass was that it offered a solid generalist curriculum with a diverse range of electives to choose. They also had an impressive list of international elective opportunities.
The MBA programme began with induction week that did a great job preparing me for the busy year ahead. The Careers and Professional Development team were active from day one, getting me to start thinking about what I wanted to do after the MBA and what steps to start taking to achieve it. I really appreciated the emphasis on career planning at the beginning of the MBA because the year goes by extremely fast.
I had the opportunity to attend the Israel and Palestine international elective and it was the highlight of my MBA. The focus was on innovation and entrepreneurship in the region and I was able to meet with entrepreneurs, VC’s and accelerator programs. I was able to have meaningful discussions with people that I would not been able to if I had travelled there on my own.
The Careers and Professional Development team are an important asset to take advantage of during the MBA. They offer a range of workshops over the duration of the programme, ranging from CV reviews and practice interviews to public speaking and networking strategies. They provide a wealth of resources both in person and online that you continue to have access to after graduation.
My cohort of just over seventy people were incredibly diverse, both in terms of nationalities represented and industries people had previously worked in. I had the opportunity to work closely with many of my classmates through our group projects and I developed relationships that greatly strengthened my professional network. Since graduating, they have been an incredible resource and I have been able to discuss business and career subjects among peers.
My Business Mastery Project was key in helping me achieve the MBA ‘triple jump’ into a new city, industry and job function. I worked with a digital media company to understand how business models were evolving in the industry. I had the opportunity to combine what I had learnt across the MBA and apply it in real life. I was able to secure a job at the company based on the work I completed for my BMP.
Technology continues to change how industries operate and you must take a broader view to allow yourself to think strategically about being more agile and take advantage of change. The Cass MBA is designed to help you tackle these kinds of challenges and prepare you for an ever-evolving business environment.