Student Perspectives

Student Perspective

Orian Williams

Orian Williams

MBA 16

Senior Strategy Consultant
Deloitte

Adjusting a Class Schedule to Fit Work Commitments

An MBA was always part of Orian Williams’ career plan. His goal? To gain more exposure to the strategic and commercial activities that drive business. He scored that goal with his new position at Thomson Reuters. He says the experience, new skills, and tools he gained at Berkeley Haas gave him the courage to Question the Status Quo and go for something different.

There was really no limit to how much you could do at Berkeley Haas

There was really no limit to how much you could do at Berkeley Haas. The school gave you all the resources, and then some. It was just a matter of you deciding how far and in which direction you wanted to go.

I appreciated the lengths the faculty went to to stay up to date and made sure their curriculum reflected the most current industry thinking. For example, in Macroeconomics, Professor Shachar Kariv incorporated discussions on the shift away from static pricing to more dynamic pricing and auctions in what he taught. Even the professors here were Students Always.

I enjoyed being able to adjust my class schedule to my work

I enjoyed being able to adjust my class schedule according to my work commitments. When I worked in the South Bay, I took more weekend classes. Now that I worked in San Francisco, it was easier for me to take evening classes. That also gave me more flexibility in my choice of electives.

The many opportunities for hands-on learning differentiated Berkeley Haas. Classes like Problem Finding Problem Solving and International Business Development really tested your ability to think on your feet and adapt to new environments and new ways of thinking.

Participating in the International Business Development program in China helped me gain valuable client-facing experiences that I could not have gained elsewhere. Working with Chinese venture capitalists would not have been possible without the Haas alumni network.

They were very open-minded and accepting of differences

My classmates were forward-looking, even visionary. They were very open-minded and accepting of differences.

Getting my MBA was a real team decision with my fiancée. Our 16-month-old daughter couldn’t voice her opinion yet, but she showed her support by sleeping through the night!

We hadn’t used it yet, but it was good to know that Cal had back-up child care available for students.

View All Perspectives

Ready to start your journey?

Apply

Ready to start your journey? Learn more about applying.

info-circle

Request Info

Sign up to receive admissions event invitations, news and information.

map-marker-alt

Visit Haas

Join us on campus to get a true taste of the Berkeley Haas experience.

Find An Event

Wondering if Haas is right for you? Attend an upcoming event in your area.