Meet Our Students: Carle-Marie Memnon

Carle-Marie Memnon has over 12 years of experience in the health administration area. She is currently an administrator with the Yale Diagnostic Radiology department and also a full-time student in the Online M.B.A. program.

Why did you decide on a fully online M.B.A. program?

I choose to pursue an online M.B.A. program because I wanted a program that would provide me with the flexibility to take classes around my work schedule, since I am a full time employee.  I choose the Frank G. Zarb School of Business because I felt that it would offer me a rigorous and comprehensive education. In particular, I was interested in the curriculum of the Strategic Business Management major and its global focus.

What are you hoping to obtain by furthering your education with this degree?

I am hoping that this degree will provide me with additional exposure in business from local and global perspective. I am hoping it will provide me with a good fund of knowledge for future career opportunities, professional growth and development.

We are now a couple weeks into the semester – how has your experience been so far with your courses and instructors?

Being part of an inaugural class is extremely exciting and yet demanding.  The course are very interesting and I have truly enjoyed reading my cohort members’ posts.  It has been challenging managing the lectures, reading assignments and some work assignments. I am hoping that with time, I will be able to better manage my time. The instructors are approachable and have been very responsive via emails and discussion board postings.

How has an online education experience differed from any classroom education experience you may have? Which do you prefer?

This is the first time I have taken online classes. It is quite different from any of the classroom education experience that I have had. I find that my fellow students are very knowledgeable and provide detailed analytical responses to the discussion boards.  I am working much harder in the online program than I have in any traditional classroom style program. I have to do more research and really stay on top of all the classes. The flexibility allows one to follow the lectures when convenient. You have to really manage your time. The pace is quick and it can be easy to fall behind.

What would you say is the best part of the program so far?

The best part of the program so far is the content of the classes, email exchanges with the other students and the discussion board postings.

Were you able to attend the  first residency requirement and how was that experience? Do you think this residency was beneficial and if so why?

I was able to attend the first residency.  It was a truly a wonderful experience. It was really great to meet my fellow cohort/students as well as some of the professors and professionals who I will be interacting with for the next two years. The cohort has a unique blend of individuals with varied backgrounds and professional experiences. The residency was beneficial because it provided us an opportunity to get to know each other, provided an overall foundation for the program and introduced us to the concept of online learning. We closed the residency by spending  time at Capital One Bank and Bank of New York Mellon, two companies where former Hofstra alums work which was a nice touch.

In a fully online program a deterrent to some people might be the lack of face to face interaction with classmates and instructors – how has this experience been for you?

I do miss the traditional face to face interaction with my classmates and instructors. In lieu of the face to face contact, the increased correspondence via emails makes up for this deterrent. My fellow classmates and instructors exchanged contact information during the residency and are available via phone as well.

Upon completion of the program what do you hope to accomplish?       

Upon completion of the program I hope to have increased my professional network, increased my fund of knowledge and will be positioned to take on opportunities related to strategic and operations management.

This degree will benefit me by providing  me with additional knowledge needed to succeed as a business executive and by rounding out my professional portfolio.

In your opinion, how do you believe your work experience has prepared you for the program?

My work experience has prepared me for the program by providing me with a good foundation and fundamentals in business and specifically healthcare management.