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Full-time MBA Testimonials

The full-time MBA programme from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is widely acknowledged to be one of the best in the world. Here's what some of our graduates have to say about us.

	Karey Smollar, MBA 2009

"The MBA was both a challenging and very rewarding experience for the class of 2009. We are certain to draw on the wide variety of experience’s and lessons learned during the year in our future business careers. The intensive short term courses in the different business disciplines provided an opportunity to be immersed in an intellectually stimulating environment among a class of high caliber professionals with a large variety of business experience. Our trip to China really broadened our horizons. Our meetings with different companies in China gave us a unique insight on how business is done and the dynamics of the Chinese business environment. The MBA full time course is a significant undertaking and not for the feint hearted, it requires; motivation, discipline and a large amount of teamwork to make it through. I found it very rewarding and am delighted I did it and would recommend it strongly to anyone who is interested in pursuing a successful career in business."

	Manish Shrivastava, MBA 2009

"I can proudly say that my MBA stint at UCD Smurfit School has been a truly learning and enriching experience. Be it be fierce case discussions with my classmates, never ending assignments and presentations or international  trip to China, I found every aspect of the programme very effective in grooming students to confidently tackle future business challenges"

	Christina Carey-Shaw, MBA 2009

“I’ve always been a fan of facing a challenge head-on as the outcome is usually rewarding and the MBA experience provided the same result. There is nothing like seeing the finish line come into sight after a year of demanding curriculum, an intense workload and managing the long hours it takes to get it all done.  However, it’s those tough times and great sense of accomplishment that make me cherish my time in this program as well as the friends I’ve made and the support that was always available.  The lessons I’ve learned at Smurfit will forever be of benefit to me.”

	Niamh Mangan, MBA 2008
	Position: Business Process Manager
	Company: Donnelly Fruit & Veg

"Completing the full-time MBA was an intense year packed with subjects covering all business perspectives, classmates from various industries and countries, articles, deadlines, projects, presentations, an international trip to Shanghai, rugby, and most importantly lots of fun, support, pints and camaraderie. It was very time-demanding, but ultimately rewarding as I now view not only my work, but also the world around me through a newly acquired business lens."

 

	Robin Schmitz, MBA 2008
	Position: Project Controller

"The MBA at Smurfit? An intense study challenge. But the focus on group work and a great mixture of backgrounds in class made the whole challenge a great experience for life! I gained insight into a lot of aspects of work, culture, industries etc.! To keep it short: a lot of work and a lot of fun!"

	Nicola Kennedy, MBA 2007
	Position: Account Manager, New Business Initiatives
	Company: Hutchison 3G

“I decided to undertake the MBA at UCD Smurfit School for a number of reasons including greater career opportunities and increased earning potential; I hoped it would allow me to move to the next  career level and that it would sharpen my financial skills. Iwas expecting it to be academically tough and the workload to be intense and both of those were true. It was one of the most challenging years of my life and one of the most fulfilling and beneficial too. The highlight for me was working with and learning from the other members of the class. They were a fantastic mix of people from across the globe with a huge range and depth of experience. I have made friends and contacts with whom I will stay in touch with for life.

The variety of subjects meant that I was constantly stimulated. The practical skill-sets from Financial Accounting to Management Information Systems are always of value. While I had a good understanding of business systems to begin with, I genuinely learned a lot more through the course. Having completed the MBA, I now have a very rounded view of how business decisions are made. I also have a much more holistic view of business challenges and self belief in tackling them. Moving forward, I plan to continue to develop my career with 3, a company on the march in the Irish market. Telecoms is an exciting industry – highly competitive and dynamic
and definitely an environment where the benefits of an MBA can be used. I am working on new business initiatives that require a variety of skills, from commercial analysis to marketing. Each of the
tasks in my day-to-day job requires a degree of analysis and while the MBA was technical in large parts, the qualitative techniques are of significant value to any decision-making process. I want to continue learning and I am planning on taking a project management course soon. My advice to anyone doing an MBA is to enjoy it because it will be over before you realise. It is an intense period and some of the benefit swill only become apparent a year or two later.”

	Declan Healy, MBA 2007
	Position: Programme Officer
	Company: Science Foundation Ireland

“The learning rate is intense and comes both from lectures and from the diverse business experiences of classmates. The emphasis on group work helped me to better appreciate the different perspectives and approaches of others, while fostering very strong friendships and a close-knit network of colleagues.”

	Simon Holmes, MBA 2005
	Position: Group  Director of Marketing and Development
	Company: Icon

"At the end of my MBA year, I felt I had developed a much deeper self awareness about my own core strengths and development areas, which will stand me in good stead when making my future choices."

	Elizabeth Nolan, MBA 2005
	Position: Manager
	Company: Davy Stockbrokers

"The MBA has given me the opportunity to study a number of areas of business that I may not have had the chance to discover in the workplace. I chose strategy related electives that enabled me to combine my practical experience with the breath of business knowledge gained in UCD Smurfit School to take my career to the next level."

	Mark McDaid, MBA 2006
	Position: Development Analyst
	Company: CRH plc.:

"From very early on in the MBA course, I was certain I had made the right decision to leave the relative comfort of my previous role and take on the challenge of the Smurfit MBA.  

The MBA Class of 2006 came from very diverse cultural, educational and professional backgrounds and this greatly enriched our individual learning experiences as we stretched and challenged each other on an ongoing basis. 

The workload, whilst very demanding, enriched my personal development, particularly in the areas of organisational skills, teamwork and leadership. The course content, complemented by the related experiences of class peers, equipped me with key concepts of business management.  This knowledge should prove invaluable to me in my future career. 

On finishing the course, the range of possible career opportunities open to me was beyond my expectations."

	Emeka Chukwureh, MBA 2006
	Position: Project Executive
	Company: Airtricity

"Deciding on the Smurfit MBA was for me aimed at exploring the Celtic Tiger phenomenon and understanding how a relatively small economy became a global heavyweight. That learning continues today, working in a renewable energy company that leverages on all that made Ireland vault the ranks of nations – nimbleness, relationship-building, bold stake-it-all decisions."

	Sean McKeon, MBA student 2007
	Position: Consultant
	Company: Self Employed

"My year on the full-time MBA programme at the UCD Michael Smurfit School of Business in Dublin will live in my memory as a watershed. Career-wise at any rate, I will think in terms of pre MBA and post MBA. I entered the programme with expectations about what I would learn. I thought I would get a solid base of knowledge about strategy and marketing and some other subjects that I hadn’t read before. I also had an idea about what it would feel like – I anticipated a competitive atmosphere, with lots of high achievers.

The learning experience was great; I did absorb a lot of new material and with it confidence. I acquired an extensive set of fresh references that will be a terrific resource in the future. For me, the MBA was the beginning of a learning experience. Returning to professional life I viewed the world of business through a wide angle lens, now I can take more in and it makes sense. The fellowship of my close group of thirty-six classmates was something that exceeded my expectations. Our class size was big enough to have a refreshing breath of personalities and vocational expertise represented, and many high achievers. On the other hand it was small enough to feel personal. The MBA was an intense experience and connected people in a more powerful way than I have experienced in the workplace. Many lasting friendships were formed.

The UCD programme ran at a lively pace, the year divided into five intensive terms with courses building nicely on each other. There was also time for several extra-curricular personal development workshops in the first semester. These covered presentation skills, networking skills and several other topics. I found them very useful.

Was it worth the investment in time, effort and money? Yes."

	John Britton, MBA 2007
	Position: Associate
	Company: McKinsey

"My great classmates. That's the first thought that immediately comes into mind when asked to describe my MBA experience. With multiple nationalities, a liberal sprinkling of expatriates, and a mix of natives, the MBA class's diversity, yet compactness in size, ensured that over the year I got to know everyone well, while also learning pieces of various national etiquettes. Such diversity also enhanced classroom learning, aided by the range of experiences present, from entrepreneurs to senior executives, via many other professions. The willingness of people to help and assist one another, even during the busyness of times, was remarkable.

While there is a common set of courses during the first three semesters to build participants' core  knowledge, I enjoyed the ability to tailor the elective content towards my main areas of interest, strategy and finance in later semesters. The interaction with the executive MBA classes during the electives additionally expanded my professional network. Most lecturers were very willing to engage with the class, and thoughtfully guided class discussions to maximise learning. The variety of assessment methods employed, from class participation, case studies, presentations, and exams helped to keep me engaged and enthusiastic, even during the very intense pre-Christmas weeks.

When choosing a MBA programme I considered many factors, including return on investment, course content, diversity, and reputation. I can honestly state the course has exceeded my expectations in these areas. But the close-knit class, tempered by the fire of pressurised deadlines and high workloads, was the single best feature. A feature that has created a new set of life-long friends, and ultimately enabled and supported me in achieving my goal of changing career from that of bioengineering researcher to a member of a leading strategy consultancy."

	Peter Scallan, MBA 2007
	Position: Director
	Company: Celtic Linen Ltd.

"For me, the Full Time MBA at Smurfit School was conducted at a fast pace, was intense and very challenging.  The continuous assessment system works well and allowed me to build to a completed MBA piece by piece.  I particularly enjoyed the team work involved in the group assignments and this has certainly improved my performance as a member of a management team.  The MBA has sharpened my focus by giving me a framework from which to build on my existing management experience.  With the emphasis on company strategy and leadership, the Smurfit MBA has given me the tools to develop further as a company director and therefore add value to the company."

	Alan Molloy, MBA 2007
	Position: Associate
	Company: McKinsey and Company

"I found that the MBA programme provided me with a greater appreciation of the varying roles in a firm, from Finance to Marketing, Operations & HR. By understanding these differing perspectives, I found it possible to think more strategically. You also gain lifelong skills, like being able to read between the lines of a published set of accounts.
The MBA programme at Smurfit brings together a group of experienced students from a very diverse set of backgrounds. Combining their experience with the teaching styles of the faculty led to a great learning experience for me. The class bonded very quickly.
From a career development perspective, the support of my classmates on the programme proved invaluable in my transition from the software sector to consulting."