Classmate Interview
Interviewer: Dillon Anderson
Interviewee: Courtney Wright
1. What is your current career?
I am currently a full-time student. I went straight from undergraduate to graduate school and have not worked professionally in my field of study which is Emergency Management. After graduation with my MBA, however, I plan to obtain a job with an Emergency Management Department and begin my career.
2. What are your future goals?
My ultimate goal is to work for FEMA one day. I have always wanted a job that always me to travel, help people, and make a decent living. I also love the idea of using my organization skills, logic, and knowledge to coordinate multiple municipals and resources to save the lives of others during a disaster. Aside from Emergency Management, I have also come across multiple entrepreneurship opportunities and have a business in the works that I hope to have up and running by graduation. My goal, God willing, is to hold a career and own a business simultaneously.
3. What is potentially stopping you from your dreams?
I believe I am my biggest barrier to succeeding regarding Emergency Management. Without thorough field experience I find myself doubting my skills. I will be entering the professional field soon and pray everything I have learned in school, internships, and from contacts will be sufficient for me to provide effective management and response. Considering lives can be on the line, it can be quite intimidating entering the field directly out of school. As for my side business endeavors, start-up money is my focus. I hope to have a prototype of my product produced before graduation to begin soliciting investments.
4. Why did you choose this program at Western Carolina University?
I am a student in the MBA program. I chose the MBA program because of its diversified management skills that can apply in multiple different areas of my professional and personal life. From managing people, to funds, to company operations, it is and will be beneficial in more ways than I can express.
5. What has been your biggest struggle in this program so far?
My biggest struggle thus far has been adjusting to teaching styles (such as the learning community utilized in ENT 601). Our previous educational experience have been founded on traditional, teacher-student flows of information. Now, as classmates, we are expected to work together and intercommunicate to complete assignments and achieve goals. While I have now become well accustomed to this approach it was quite intimidating to begin with.
6. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
My favorite vacation spot that I have been to is Jamaica, although I will be heading to Ireland, Egypt, and Israel in April. These locations could surely change my mind. In general, however, I enjoy the beach, but I also am an avid snowboarder and love to travel anywhere with slopes.
7. What are some of your favorite hobbies?
As mentioned, I love to snowboard. It is definitely my favorite hobby. I also enjoy daily yoga practice. I started practicing yoga a few years ago and it has done wonders for my physically and emotionally. Maybe one day I will be teaching a yoga class of my own, who knows.
8. How has Covid-19 affected your life?
COVID has changed a lot for me. I am a very social person and not being able to see my family and friends has been challenging emotionally. School work on top of isolation adds additional emotional stress. However, I have learned to adapt and use FaceTime more than ever!
9. Looking back, what advice would give yourself 5-10 years ago?
I would tell myself to not hold back in any way. As I get older I realize some people are set where they are at and have no interest in progessing. Some of these people I used to look up to. Now I realize we are all on our own individual journeys and whatever you can dream can become reality with enough dedication. There is no need to settle on anything.
