Growing Her Leadership / Our 'Pandemic President' - Meghan Roberts ('21) Ep. #75

Peer-nominated, Meghan Roberts ('21), UCLA Anderson's 2020-2021 Fully Employed MBA student body president shares her career journey:
0:00 Meet Meghan Roberts, NielsenIQ, Associate Client Director
2:55 Family Background
2nd generation UCLA MBA. My dad went to Anderson! ('84)
Living in Seattle, WA
Business Undergrad
3rd place in DECA National Competition!
9:00 The Worst Timing
12:25 Why an MBA & Why UCLA Anderson?
Transitioning from Advertising to Nielsen
14:45 Discovering analytics, "I take comfort in numbers now"
15:45 "Huge benefit of going back to school"
Internal transition from Retail to Manufacturing
18:45 Which MBA? Full-time or Part-time?
"Felt like the right time" in career
19:55 Enhancer? Switcher? Explorer?
Working with Neutrogena/J&J during School
25:40 FEMBA Experience - Getting involved in FEMBA Council
27:00 Why be on FEMBA Council? (I)
28:22 "Roses are red, Violets are blue, Bananas are yellow, I like making lists!"
Being the "Pandemic President"
32:45 Focusing on Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
33:10 Huge shout-out to Ryan Hayes, EVP
36:00 Leading by Listening
38:25 Why FEMBA Council? (II)
39:43 Dylan thanks Meghan, "Thank you for giving it your all."
45:00 Being Yourself in B-School "Don't give up the cello."
54:32 "What you do is not who you are"
Friendship during the program
Grad School is a Privilege
56:38 Business Creation Option - Capstone Project
"Let your classmates guide you"
1:01:40 Reflection during Final Year "My best experiences were with friends"
More cello stories
1:07:20 What are you looking forward to most about graduation?
1:11:00 Lightening Round! How do you gauge the ROI?

"I went back to school to have money for better shoes."

1:11:11 I went back to business school for better shoes
1:13:12 What are you most proud of for the Class of '21?
1:15:34 What are you looking forward to most post-COVID?
1:16:20 What do you want to keep most from the COVID lifestyle?
1:18:25 Favorite productivity hack?
1:19:35 A message for the Class of '24?
1:20:40 Shout out to Teri Szabo
1:21:18 Which Harry Potter character would you be and why?
1:22:03 Which HP House would your Section be?
1:23:00 "Bruin Bear Hug" to Dean Freixes
1:24:54 "Bruin Bear Hug" to close friends, Mila & Courtney
1:25:45 "Bruin Bear Hug" to parents
1:26:41 Closing Remarks and Special Guest & '21 Mascot, PEACHES!

Nominated by peers in the Class of 2021, Meghan Roberts is one of our six Summer Spotlight Series long-form interviews. We trust that sharing Meghan's success can source you as you write your own MBA adventure story.

Follow Meghan Robert's Career Journey

Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more.

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