Image: Stacey Jamieson

“THE IDEA OF pursuing an MBA had been in the back of my mind for years.”

Stacey Jamieson is a scientist by training. She spent some years working in research, working on using genomic technologies to better understand forms of cancer, before moving into the pharmaceutical industry.

In 2021, she applied for The Journal MBA Scholarship at UCD Smurfit School. “I like to set ambitious goals for myself,” she says. “Although I knew the scholarship application process would be competitive, I didn’t want to be the one to rule myself out of the running by not giving it a go.”

Stacey emerged the winner of the 2021 scholarship from a competitive field. She is now pursuing the school’s Executive MBA programme, which she is able to combine with full-time work.

And with the 2022 scholarship competition – offering a full MBA scholarship, worth up to €35k – now in full swing, we asked Stacey about her experience. What made her apply for the MBA?

It was an idea that had been on the back burner for some years, she says. “I only thought more seriously about it for a short while before applying in early 2021. I had recently changed roles, and I was keen to broaden my business knowledge.”

Maintaining full-time work whilst taking on part-time study was the right fit for me at this stage in my career. It’s great to be able to continue doing a job I enjoy whilst also upskilling myself for future career opportunities. In addition to growing her skills and acumen, the programme is a way of securing her future career and earnings, she says. “I want to stay one step ahead by future-proofing my employability. An MBA qualification sends a clear and positive message.”

This is borne out by the numbers. Some 92% of the UCD Smurfit School class of 2020 found roles within three months of graduating from the full-time course; while graduates saw an average 77% increase in their earnings in the same period. (You can find out more about what sets the course apart from its competitors here.)

And what has Stacey’s experience of the MBA been so far? “Coming from a non-business background, I am enjoying the intellectual challenge,” she says. “My classmates are an incredibly talented and accomplished group of professionals.

I have been surprised by the immediate influence the MBA has had on my professional life. I already find myself feeling more confident at work and comfortable in decisive decision-making.

Applications for the 2022 The Journal MBA Scholarship at UCD Smurfit School are now open. Entry details for the scholarship will be shared in the Morning Memo, The Journal’s daily business newsletter. Sign up at the end of this article to find out more (and stay informed too).

So what advice would Stacey offer to the next round of applicants?

To anyone thinking about applying for the scholarship this year, I would say – go for it!

Sign up for Morning Memo, The Journal’s daily business newsletter, for details on how to apply for the MBA scholarship from The Journal and UCD Smurfit School. Simply enter your details in the box at the end of The Journal.ie article and you’ll receive the next edition of the Morning Memo right to your inbox. Best of luck!