Miranda Mallows started her career in the Royal Air Force, where she developed strong skills in leadership, management, and problem-solving. After leaving the military and transitioning to the private sector, she gained valuable hands-on experience but recognized the need to further enhance her business-related skills.
Miranda chose Chicago Booth for her Executive MBA because of the school’s quantitative approach to business education. Right away, she knew she’d made the right choice.
“The EMBA experience had an immediate impact at work,” says Miranda. “I was able to take lessons I was learning from the classroom back into work to tackle some of our strategic goals.”
Beyond business tools and frameworks, Miranda says she also benefited from Booth’s international community of students.
“As a veteran, team ethos is very important to me, and I felt like I had a natural affinity with Booth as soon as I started to meet Boothies,” she says. “They’ve got very different backgrounds and beliefs and cultures, but there’s a real commonality about the way they like to learn and how they want to push the boundaries.”
Miranda notes that whatever the problem—whether personal or professional—there’s a network of people around the world she can reach out to.
Miranda Mallows: For me, the personal ROI from the EMBA experience is being able to take the lessons from the classroom back into business. The EMBA had an immediate impact at work. I was able to tackle some of our strategic goals, including our international expansion, our pricing, help our young company grow and disrupt our industry. I started my career in the Royal Air Force, and when I left the military and went into the private sector, I felt like I had a lot of experience in leadership and management, but not so much experience in business.
So I chose to study at Booth firstly, because of its excellent reputation. It’s so well renowned, you know the academic staff are incredible. Secondly, for me, the quantitative method in the Chicago Booth approach was really important. I wanted to be able to learn frameworks and tools that I could apply in day-to-day life and my leadership. As a veteran, team spirit and team ethos is very important to me. And I felt like I had a natural affinity with Booth as soon as I started to meet Boothies.
The really incredible thing about Booth is the international community. The London cohort itself, has 30 different countries represented. They’ve got very different backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures, but actually there's that real commonality about the way they like to learn and how they want to push their boundaries. But I think what surprised me about the EMBA was the friendships that we made. And I just know that whatever problem I face, whether personally or professionally, there is a network of people around the world that I can reach out to.
I became a mother for the first time during this program. The school have been incredibly supportive, in that being a new mom and doing the EMBA at the same time has its challenges. It’s not easy. But I think actually my little girl will be really proud of the fact that, you know, I did this.
What excites me about my future career is continuing to evolve and develop as a leader. For me, education is a lifelong commitment.
In honor of International Women’s Day, we connected with Shikha Garg, ‘22. Read on to learn about the Executive MBA experience at Booth from her perspective.
Alumna Shikha Garg on Career Impact, Community, and International Women’s Day
Connect with admissions directors this summer and get your questions answered in real time at an event in Chicago, in a city near you, or virtually.
Attend an Event with Chicago Booth this Summer
Wondering who you should ask to write your recommendation letters? Here are some helpful tips from Admissions to keep in mind when selecting recommenders.
MBA Application Tips: How to Secure Your Letters of Recommendation