Who Should Apply to the Weekend Part-Time MBA in Jacksonville? Meet the First Cohort

The University of Florida Warrington College of Business introduced its Weekend Part-Time MBA in Jacksonville program in January.

The program is designed for working professionals who want an in-person MBA experience while continuing full-time careers. The program meets in Jacksonville one weekend every three weeks and attracts students from industries including engineering, healthcare, finance, defense and logistics.

After the program’s success when hosted on the Gainesville campus, it’s now moving to join a thriving city with a rapidly growing healthcare campus at UF Health Jacksonville, a large military base at the Naval Station Mayport, a strong fintech industry with multiple thriving companies, a logistics leader in CSX, an insurance giant in Florida Blue, and a cutting-edge leader in Johnson & Johnson Vision.

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Learn more about how you’ll benefit from the Weekend Part-Time MBA in Jacksonville program.

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The first class of students in Jacksonville come from many diverse backgrounds. They bring unique perspectives because of their previous degrees and professional experiences that create a learning environment throughout the program.

What are some jobs students have in the Weekend Part-Time MBA in Jacksonville program?

• Engineer
• Financial Account Executive
• Finance Manager
• Operations Manager
• Police Officer
• Port captain
• Registered nurse
• Supply Chain Subcontract Specialist
• Therapist

What are some employers of students in the Weekend Part-Time MBA in Jacksonville program?

• Bank of America
• Boeing
• Cisco Systems
• CSX
• Lockheed Martin
• Mayo Clinic
• Northrop Grumman
• TriMark
• U.S. Navy

What are students saying about the Weekend Part-Time MBA in Jacksonville program?

CAITLIN CHASE

Q: What undergraduate degree(s) do you have?

A: “I have a degree in aerospace engineering from 2015.”

Q: What is your current job title and company?

A: “Lead F135 Depot Customer Support Engineer at Pratt and Whitney.”

Q: Why did you choose to enroll in the Warrington MBA program, specifically in Jacksonville? 

A: “The Warrington College of Business received extremely high recognition from my coworkers when researching potential MBA programs. The format of the Jacksonville program was extremely appealing to me, as it allowed the benefit of an in-person class with the flexibility of a weekend part-time program. The class cadence of one weekend every three weeks allows me to continue working full-time and support any personal commitments with the flexibility to complete coursework when it is convenient for my schedule. Additionally, the new Jacksonville campus provides the further convenience of being located within 30 minutes of my current residence, allowing me to avoid the expense of extended travel and hotel accommodations.”

Q: How are you hoping the program will benefit the future of your professional life?

A: “After working in the engineering community for over 10 years, I am extremely interested in career progression opportunities specifically with the intent of moving into engineering management. I am fortunate to be currently supporting a role which I absolutely love, and I believe the addition of an MBA degree through the Warrington College of Business would be paramount to presenting outstanding credentials when being considered for upcoming managerial opportunities within my business unit.”

Q: What are the challenges in balancing your classwork with your personal and professional life?

A: “There has certainly been an adjustment to becoming a graduate student when considering the significant time since my undergraduate degree was obtained. However, the flexibility of the weekend part-time program has allowed me to fulfill all my professional and personal commitments while still excelling in my studies. Though I expect the workload to fluctuate throughout the next two years before graduation, I am finding that despite the commitment to school, work and family, there are still opportunities to enjoy some quiet time and relax.”

BRANDON DEDA

Q: What undergraduate degree(s) do you have? What year did you earn it, and what did you earn the degree in? 

A: “I received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2022 while majoring in finance at UNF.”

Q: What is your current job title and company?

A: “I am currently a Transaction Ops Management Representative at Bank of America.”

Q: Why did you choose to enroll in the Warrington MBA program, specifically in Jacksonville? 

A: “When I was studying for the GRE and looking at colleges to apply to for graduate school last year, I caught wind of UF’s announcement of expanding the Warrington program to Jacksonville on local news TV one morning. Being a Jacksonville native, it made sense to sign up with a renowned program like Warrington when it was almost literally setting up shop in my backyard.”

Q: How are you hoping the program will benefit the future of your professional life?

A: “At present, I plan on staying with Bank of America. Having an MBA degree in my back pocket will help me further develop and refine myself as I grow and progress within the company. I hope that the time spent in the Warrington program and the knowledge acquired from it will boost the investment I am making to my professional life.

Q: What are the challenges in balancing your classwork with your personal and professional life?

A: “Trying to keep the focus and energy across my academic, professional and personal life is a challenge, as I am striving to be the best version of myself in each of these areas. This, however, is the kind of challenge I am up for, as it gives me a chance to push myself to even greater heights.”

STACY MCCAULEY

Q: What undergraduate degree do you have and what year did you earn it? 

A: “Bachelor of Science in packaging science from 2006.”

Q: What is your current job title and company? 

A: “Quality Engineer at Pall Corporation.”

Q: Why did you choose to enroll in the Warrington MBA program, specifically in Jacksonville? 

A: “I chose the UF Warrington MBA program for a few reasons: 1) the solid reputation of the program, 2) the positive reviews of my co-workers (UF MBA alumni), and 3) the in-person cohort format.

“In terms of why I chose the Jacksonville MBA Program, it came down to the location. The Jacksonville area is seeing extensive growth. There is a solid economy with professional opportunities in a wide variety of sectors, which is great for networking and anyone who might be considering a career pivot into a new industry.”

Q: How are you hoping the program will benefit the future of your professional life?

A: “Being efficient in my current role is something that I get a lot of practice with daily. Thinking strategically is an entirely different skill set that I don’t get to exercise quite as often, and that’s something that I hope to develop in this program. Learning to act, think and move with the endgame in mind is what contributes to long-term success.”

Q: What are the challenges in balancing your classwork with your personal and professional life?

A: “Most of the challenges that I have experienced can be summed up by one phrase: Time management. The most impactful thing that I have done to help me manage my time has been to identify and focus on the “vital few.” When I plan my day, I write down the tasks which must be done as a priority. Similarly, for the non-essential tasks, I schedule blocks of time that are flex time that allow me to tend to my personal interests and hobbies.”