Women on the Rise: How a Broad EMBA Elevates Female Executives

Women on the Rise: How a Broad EMBA Elevates Female Executives was originally published on Ivy Exec.

women executives

There are many EMBA programs across the country, and all of them rightfully tout their benefits, from location to post-graduation salary increases to valuable networks that come with the education. The Broad EMBA program at Michigan State University has the numbers to back up these values, but the school also has another aspect to its rise as one of the nation’s premier executive educations: the increase in women executives making their marks as both students and leaders. 

Different Backgrounds, Modern Focus

The Broad EMBA Class of 2022 has 37% female enrollment, and the goal is for that number to increase. That percentage, even from a small sample size of a single EMBA program, is better than nationwide averages: in 2021, just 4.6% of Fortune 500 companies had women CEOS, and the national average is just 8.2% of women in leadership positions. The women alumnae of the Broad EMBA program highlight how leadership education benefits prospective students from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets. The Broad percentage of women executives should rise in the coming years, and the testimonials of its graduates can inspire women looking to advance their careers, networks, and corporate responsibilities. 

Lori Hillman, Broad EMBA Class of 2016, had a background in engineering, and wanted to grow her leadership skills with the goal of running the business side of engineering companies. With a Broad EMBA, she was able to shift her focus to financial expertise and leadership awareness: 

“The MBA program made a very quick impact on my career,” Hillman says. “Even while going through the program, I could immediately see the benefits of what had been taught. For example, I would be sitting in class on a weekend and learning something new, and then on Monday morning I would go back into the office and encounter the same thing I was just talking about and learning in the program. I was able to apply what I was learning in parallel and that alone contributed to a tremendous amount of personal and professional growth.”

Chriscynethia Ford, Broad EMBA Class of 2011, shows how even non-business backgrounds can provide a foundation for executive success. With an impressive background in music, publishing, and content creation, Ford wanted to put her various talents into studying leadership and renewed confidence in her ability to manage a publishing house. In reflecting on her time at Broad, she notes how the skills she already had were fine-tuned and mastered by the Broad EMBA: 

“I wanted to learn more about leadership and what it meant to be a true leader,” she explains. “I knew I had the skills, because I had managed people before, but I wanted to be better. I wanted to up my game, basically. And I did. I got this great degree that allows me to have confidence in anything I set out to do. No one can tell me that I can’t adapt or that I don’t have the confidence. That I don’t have the perseverance or that I can’t do the job. Because I have been well-equipped. And I’ve been well-trained through the program.”

Learning More

Prospective students can learn more about the Broad EMBA program and its requirements here.

With Broad’s reputation as an intensive, weekend-focused EMBA, with documented returns on investment, immediate access to both a nationwide network and skills to apply while one continues their career, women executives are encouraged to grow as leaders, as well as strive to increase the number of women executives in corporations across the country. A Broad EMBA  is a valuable investment in your executive growth, as both a leader and a decision-maker. 

By Ivy Exec
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