Geraldine, what is your current position?

Partnership Development Specialist at United Nations Volunteers.

Why you decided to start an EMBA?

I wanted to study something that was in a different domain from my previous studies. I was looking for a study that would give me a different and enriching perspective on how I approached my work tasks. In addition, being a full-time employee, I needed flexibility in order to disrupt as little as possible my working presence. 

Would you suggest an EMBA to women? Why?

Yes, I would definitively suggest it. An EMBA gives you a 360-degree vision of the working environment, giving you the possibility not only to develop new competencies and skills, but also tools to analyse and decide how to approach the challenges of the working environment and career for a woman.

In addition, it expands your network and you then have more people you can contact to exchange ideas and solutions. In some cases, it can make you feel that you are not the only woman facing some type of problems, such as reconciling career and family, and you can dialogue with people in similar situations.

Which challenges did you meet?

When I began the EMBA I lived in Panama. Every month I had to travel to Lugano. My supervisor at the time supported me strongly in pursuing this study and gave me the needed flexibility. The compromise I had to make was to have less time for myself, my hobbies, family and friends. Particularly as a woman, this can be a challenge if you have a family as you have to find an equilibrium between the EMBA, work and the family.

Describe yourself before and after EMBA in three words.

Before: limited competences in finance, fragmented business administration expertise, no in depth knowledge of business theories.

After: More competent, analytical, realistic.

How the program changed your mindset?

The program definitely changed my mindset. I now look more at working tasks and career with a more realistic and analytical approach. In particular, I also adopt a multidisciplinary approach when analysing situations. I reckon I have a better financial perspective, both at work and in my private life, and this helps me a lot in taking decisions.