Taking a chance with the Online MBA program

Ruijiao “Rachel” Xu (MBA ’25) received her bachelor’s in petroleum and natural gas engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in 2014 and her master’s in mechanical engineering from New York University in 2017.

Equipped with her engineering degrees, she started working as a product development engineer for Endo-Therapeutics, a medical equipment manufacturing company.

There, she developed an endoscopic device concept that nurtured her interest in the medical device industry. Her experience in prototyping led to her first patent and role as a technical lead with the company.

After working there for two years, she transitioned to Johnson & Johnson MedTech, where she worked on patenting devices to treat brain aneurysms and strokes.

She has currently earned 13 issued patents with 20 pending.

After working as an engineer for eight years, Xu began to develop an interest in marketing.

“I had the opportunity to work with physicians and truly understand a lot of the unmet clinical needs,” she said.

She became increasingly interested in both improving patient outcomes and the business impact of her work.

Xu wanted to position herself in a role that used a “combination of strategies, user insights and cross functional collaboration to bring a product from concept to commercialization.” 

With her experience as an engineer, she brings a different perspective on marketing to the table.

“When I think of solutions to solve problems, I don’t have to ask others to test out my concept,” she said. “I can build those prototypes by hand myself.”

Ready to pivot in her career, Xu sought out an online MBA program. 

“I knew in order to become a marketer in Johnson & Johnson, earning an MBA from a strong and reputable business school would give me that competitive edge.”

However, as a full-time professional, she needed a program that was flexible. She spoke with her mentor, Susana Deutsch (BS Mechanical Engineering ’89, MBA ’97), who was among the first to participate in a semi-online MBA program at the Warrington College of Business before the Online MBA program was launched in 1999.

“That conversation really affirmed my desire to join the Warrington MBA program,” she said.

While pursuing her Online MBA, Xu felt that all the classes she took really helped her professional work.

“My education not only strengthened the quality and impact of my work, but it also gave me the confidence to learn and apply new knowledge to solve complex problems both independently and as a part of a team,” she said.

As an online student working full-time, “I was able to apply the things I learned right away.”

Through her coursework, Xu received an in-depth understanding of effective leadership within organizations. She was also able to expand on her finance, accounting, economic and branding skills which proved valuable when working in a business environment.

“It really gave me the confidence and competence to work with cross-functional business partners in my organization,” she said.

Within her cohort, she worked with leaders across different industries, including hospitality, government and healthcare.

“It enabled me to not only learn from the professors, but also learn from my peers,” she said.

Even in an online environment, Xu was able to connect with her peers in different countries and time zones. Recorded lectures offered students the opportunity to work at their own pace, while group meetings and office hours allowed her to interact with her peers and professors directly.

“An aspect that I truly appreciated was how much the professors understood that we were working professionals,” she said. Her professors would work with students directly or accommodate their personal needs to ensure they were successful.  

“It really helped create a rich and collaborative learning environment.”

Xu also had the opportunity to attend a UF home football game with her group, through the Campus Residency Program.

“I was just blown away by the energy that I sensed across the campus and stadium,” she said. “I truly felt the sense of community, and I began to see the power of being part of The Gator Nation.” 

Xu got her first marketing role after starting the MBA program and now serves as the Global Marketing Manager for Johnson & Johnson MedTech where she oversees digital solutions for sports medicine.

Xu strongly believes that it’s important for people to invest in themselves. 

“We often talk about how we can never forget the person who took a chance on us,” she said. “It’s just as important for us to take a chance on ourselves.”

“Incremental progress compounds over time.”