February 2013 - Shidler College of Business - University of Hawaii

VEMBA News
Reflections on
my VEMBA-HCMC’ 12 experience
1
After two years of hard work and perseverance, we finally made
it to the finishing line. Although we all have different mixed
feelings upon our graduation, all of us shared a feeling of
great relief and a sense of achievement.
To be honest, I am still struggling
a bit to realize that my VEMBA
school adventure is over. I can’t
believe it. On the one hand it feels
like the first day of the residence
weekend was just yesterday. On the
other hand the entire experience feels
like something that took place a long,
long time ago. In some ways, I have
picked up my life just as I had left it
before I went to school; it feels almost
as if VEMBA never happened. But there
is evidence that VEMBA did indeed
happen.
For the whole two years, from Sept
2010 till July 2012, we literally burned
all our weekends and evenings to
attend classes, catch up with our
readings, complete our individual
assignments, and meet up with in
groups for our team assignments,
group study for an exam, or reparations
for a presentation. As a fully employed,
slightly older student with a very
demanding work schedule before
beginning the MBA studies, I can
honestly confess that I was about
to give up a couple of times, feeling
overwhelmed by the classes and
work assignments. But I kept myself
motivated, knowing that if I would quit
I would have taken away the VEMBA
experience from another candidate
whose application had been rejected. I
stayed focused on my long-term goals;
to gain more insight knowledge on
Marketing, Finance, and Strategy.
Now that we have had a little time to
reflect, here is the big question: If I
knew two years ago what I know now,
would I do it all over again? Would I
sacrifice so much time we have spent
studying diligently, taking the stress,
tears and perspiration we shed in the
process, to pursue the VEMBA again?
The answer may surprise some of you,
24 | VEMBA ‘OHANA