Parker Mills
Class of 2020
Hometown: Lynchburg, VA
Undergraduate University: Virginia Military Institute
Class Year: 2006
Major/Minor: International Studies
Employer: Branscome, Inc.
Position: Vice President of Operations
Why did you pursue an MBA?
I've worked in the construction industry pretty much my entire career. My experience is primarily in horizontal construction, which is a type of heavy construction involving highways, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and other similar projects. I began working at Branscome in 2007 and worked my way up through the company, serving in different project management and operations management roles which gave me experience across all the different functions of our company. I was promoted to Vice President in 2017, and I realized that most of my career had been through experience-based training. I learned from doing and from the people around me. I had a real desire to have a professional education in business to give me a better understanding of high-level financial management.
What appealed to you about William & Mary's Executive MBA?
I wanted a program where I could expect to gain true educational insight at a school that is respected at a national level. William & Mary is known for being very strong academically, and I found there to be a lot of value in earning a degree that came with meaning and respect. I also wanted to attend an in-person program, and I liked that the EMBA format had us come in during the day for a full day of class. The campus is close to my home in Williamsburg, which was very convenient, and the admissions team was so fantastic throughout the recruitment process it was a very easy decision.
How did the EMBA program help transform you as a professional?
Overall, the program was very beneficial to my personal and career development and also in the day-to-day execution of my job responsibilities. It did a great job giving me the tools and information I was looking for, but it also covered a lot of things I didn't know I needed to know. It increased my ability to make more informed decisions, to understand why I'm making those decisions, and to explain them to others in a clear and concise way. I am also more confident in my interactions and communication with our parent company.
How did the program expand your network?
The professors were extremely helpful and were willing to talk, coach, listen, and advise us on specific work problems outside of the classroom. I've also run into a number of them around town, and they are so friendly and personable. But the longer-lasting relationships I made were with the people in my cohort. We still get together about once a quarter for dinner for those who can make it. They are good moments to rehash things we learned in the program and talk about how we've applied those lessons differently. It keeps the material alive and active beyond the classroom.
What advice can you give others to be successful in the program?
My advice is to engage with the faculty early on and gain their perspectives and advice on how you can apply what you're learning in class to your real-world work. I think they really enjoy engaging with the students in that way. From an academic standpoint, I received really good advice from colleagues who had done a similar program, and they said you have to be very disciplined in keeping up with the coursework. Ensure you have good buy-in from your family and the people you work with because there is a certain level of focus and time you need to reserve for the program. Finally, stay in the hotel. I live locally and, at first, didn't see a need to stay in the hotel, but I quickly came to find that one of the best things about the program is staying in the hotel together as a cohort. We would routinely team up in the lobby or in our rooms to complete assignments, and we would go out to dinner as a group on Friday evenings. It was a critical part of creating a team atmosphere.
