Erin Sullivan
Class of 2022
Hometown: Crete, IL
Undergraduate University: Old Dominion University
Class Year: 2019
Major/Minor: Business Administration and Management
Employer: Langley Federal Credit Union
Position: Mortgage Loan Underwriter
Why was William & Mary's PTMBA program the best fit for you?
After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I desired to continue excelling professionally. As a mortgage underwriter with over ten years of financial services experience, this prestigious university aligned well with achieving this and future career goals and objectives. William & Mary's PTMBA program allowed me the flexibility of working a heavy schedule at times while concurrently pursuing my degree. Also, some of the tuition would be offset through my employer's educational assistance program, who is also a corporate partner.
How did you balance school with your work and personal life?
The true advantage of the PTMBA program resides in the actual time the courses are offered, which is after work hours. I genuinely appreciated the time the professors spent providing students with a detailed syllabus for each course and expectations to include deadlines. Because of this, I was able to plan for the week and schedule time to prep for exams, team meetings, and group projects around my work schedule. I also use the campus as a quiet study place since it is accessible during the week and weekend.
How have you applied what you've learned to your professional work?
Since being in the program, it has given me a different perspective than how I used to view certain areas of business. For instance, during the COVID pandemic, an unprecedented time in the financial services industry, I was taking the Operation Management course, where the professor taught different aspects on extrapolating historical data. I was able to take the tools provided throughout the course and apply them towards real-time solutions within my organization.
What impact has the PTMBA program had on your career?
The PTMBA program has had a tremendous impact on my career. I achieved multiple promotions within two years with my current employer while pursuing this degree. Additionally, I believe it opened the door to an external opportunity which resulted in being recruited and voted in as a board member for a youth development nonprofit organization. I attribute these advancements to the skills, knowledge, and tools gained from the program.
What advice can you give prospective students?
The best advice I can give to any prospective student seeking to further their education through the W&M PTMBA program would be to stay focused on their goals, exercise good time management, and establish relationships with your cohort. Time management is vital to ensuring you stay in sync with program requirements while balancing work life, so you should create a schedule or get into a routine early. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to network with your cohort. You will definitely be supporting and learning from each other throughout the program.
The staff and faculty at the Mason School's goal is to see you excel and succeed. They have helped me beyond words, and I am grateful to have found this community through my MBA journey.
