Regarding higher education and planning for her career, Jordan King is all about staying ahead of the curve.
“I had a mentor who said that the future is in analytics and that if I could get any experience in that field, it would be a great decision,” she said. “I decided to do the concentration in data analytics to get my foot in that door.”
King is now on track to graduate from the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Business Analytics program at Radford University in May 2023.
“I didn’t initially plan to do an MBA,” she said. “As I was finishing my undergrad, it seemed like a good opportunity. Because of the accelerated program, I could get it done in a year.”
Although King has been in college for the last four years, she stays busy as a graduate assistant in the economics department and an intern in the Government and Non-Profit Assistance Center at Radford.
“The online format is working well for me in the master’s degree program,” she said. “I have a lot going on, so the flexibility of the online format helps me balance everything out.”
King hopes to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) after graduation, so earning an online MBA in Business Analytics provides a bonus.
“I needed to go ahead and get 150 credits to be a CPA anyway, so I thought the MBA would be a great idea,” she said. “I knew that I wanted to stay at Radford.”
Fast Forward
While attending Fort Chiswell High School in Max Meadows, Virginia, King played volleyball and basketball and worked ahead toward an associate degree at Wytheville Community College.
“I started out wanting to do accounting after I took accounting classes in high school that I liked,” she said. “Then, I took some courses with analytic components, which I also liked a lot.”
King enrolled at Radford as an accounting major in 2020. Her first semester was virtual because of the pandemic, which helped prepare her for the fully online MBA program.
“I decided on Radford because I liked that it was close to home and smaller, with a sense of community,” she said. “When I visited other schools, I felt a little lost and more like I was a number instead of a person.
“I liked that I was able to have a relationship with my professors at Radford. I was pretty set on staying there for the MBA. It’s been a great experience for me.”
So far, Marketing Management is King’s favorite course in the online MBA in Business Analytics program curriculum.
“I liked it because it was different than the other business courses,” she said. “We used a lot of real-world scenarios that applied a lot to my life. So far, I have been able to use what I have learned in the program as a graduate assistant and at my internship.”
The accelerated pace of the program also appeals to King, who enjoys working with business faculty members and learning about teaching as a graduate assistant.
“I have got good value out of the MBA program so far,” she said. “With the seven-week classes, it’s all packed in there, but I am getting a lot out of it.
“As a graduate assistant, I am with the professors on a day-to-day basis, which helps me as a student. I have thought about teaching, too. After getting a few years of experience in the field, I might go get my Ph.D.”
Highlander Family
During college, King benefits from a strong support system of her friends and family — especially her parents, Stacy and Eddie.
“They are excited,” she said. “My mom graduated from Radford, so she was happy that I was going to go to school here. She thought continuing for the master’s degree was a great idea, too. I will be the first person in my immediate family with a master’s degree.”
King recently got a puppy and enjoys hiking and fishing with her dad. She is glad that she opted to remain at Radford to earn an MBA and lay the groundwork for her career.
“This degree will help open up opportunities for me,” she said. “It is preparing me to enter the workforce.”
Once King graduates next year, she plans to sit for the CPA exam and pursue her career goals with three degrees in five years under her belt.
“I don’t know if I want to do public or corporate accounting,” she said. “With the MBA, I am leaning more toward corporate so I can get experience with more of the business side of accounting.”
Radford University’s faculty and staff support all students, according to King.
“If you ask for help, they are more than willing to assist you,” she said. “It’s a commitment that takes a lot of work, but you will learn a lot from the courses and get a lot out of the program.”
Learn more about Radford University’s online MBA in Business Analytics program.
