Maize & Blue Scholar Brown redefines success in online BBA program

Growing up on the island of Kauai, Chloe Brown had limited options for pursuing her college education. "The island had a community college that was part of the University of Hawai'i system, but if I wanted to continue beyond an associate's degree, I would have to leave Kauai," the soon-to-be University of Michigan-Flint graduate said. "I wanted to get a business degree, so I moved to Seattle and continued my studies at the University of Washington."

While studying at UW, Brown met her now-husband, Andrew, who was pursuing a degree in engineering. "He graduated at the peak of the pandemic, so job opportunities were limited, but he ended up getting a position in Grand Rapids," she said. "Neither of us had ever been to Michigan before, and we found out we were pregnant right after we arrived-with no family support, no community, nothing! But we've made it work."

Brown promptly researched her options for continuing her education and found UM-Flint's online bachelor's of business administration program. "I needed the flexibility of online but also wanted to ensure I was getting my degree from a trusted school," she said. "And I'll say this: It is an award-winning program for a reason! The diversity of courses they offer is exciting. I could choose from so many unique classes that I never felt bored or that I was taking an unnecessary class."

Another highlight of Brown's experience was the School of Management's supportive faculty, staff and fellow students. "I had not one but two babies during my time studying at UM-Flint, and the staff worked with me to make sure that I was set up for success-helping me choose suitable courses and balance my workload, knowing that I would be out for specific times, they helped me navigate the whole experience," said Brown. "I also began collaborating with my fellow students in different ways, where we learned to highlight each others' skills on our group projects. So, maybe I couldn't spend a lot of time researching, but I could step in and organize and design the presentations. It felt more like what happens in the real world, where you learn to work across skillsets and perspectives."

With a communications minor, Brown focused mainly on graphic design and learned much about leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence to enhance her work. "The AI courses that I took at UM-Flint changed my perspective on how to use it ethically in business development and how to use it as a tool to develop ideas or create the structure of proposals and projects," she said. "I also learned more design thinking skills, like how to connect to different audiences using format elements like pull quotes and infographics, which have all been helpful in my professional roles."

As part of her capstone experience, Brown secured a part-time graphic design internship with Michigan Mortgage. When the internship ended, she was offered a permanent part-time position but pursued a full-time role instead. She ultimately landed a marketing coordinator position at the architectural and engineering firm Fishbeck, where she's working on presentation and proposal template design, doing her part to help her employer win future proposals. She hopes to develop her skills further and grow in her role at Fishbeck while raising her daughters before perhaps returning to school to pursue an MBA.

"I am about to turn 32 and am the mother of two small children, so I want the other parents out there to know that it is possible, that it might seem difficult, but you can do this," Brown said. "I am lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive husband, and I couldn't have done this without him, but the university has support systems in place if you need them. The Writing Center is a great resource; there is funding to be found for childcare-just ask! UM-Flint will come through for you. Sometimes, you must come through the storm to see the rainbow."