At Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Bryan Buechel, '18 MBA, leads clinical operations for Alluma, a pharmacy benefit administrator serving health plans nationwide. Earning his Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln equipped him with skills in analytics, finance and supply chain management to thrive in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.

“Before starting the MBA program, my training and experience were largely clinical. I led pharmacists and support staff, collaborated with providers to enhance patient care, and managed pharmacy operations at Mayo Clinic,” Buechel said. “However, it became clear that different, multidisciplinary skill sets would be critical for success as the healthcare system evolves.”

Buechel noted that his analytics courses became particularly valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These classes taught me to use large data sets creatively to improve decisions, outcomes, and access to care. That skill was critical when new information emerged daily," he said.

He credited Elina Ibrayeva, associate professor of practice in management, for inspiring him to always prioritize workplace culture. She also shared thoughtful, timely and constructive feedback, and anecdotes to make the coursework relatable.

"The organizational leadership and management coursework has continued to be important as we launched Alluma as a startup in 2019 and now scale operations to support growth,” he said.

Buechel appreciated the MBA program's fully online, mobile-optimized classes, which allowed him to balance family and work responsibilities while enhancing his leadership capabilities.

“I selected the Nebraska MBA program largely for its flexibility as my wife and I were welcoming our second daughter at the time. I was able to tailor my coursework based on upcoming family or work commitments yet was still able to complete the program in less than two years,” Buechel said.

He also earned a specialization in finance and focused elective coursework on analytics, noting that Nebraska’s MBA program was one of the few offering both online.

"On a personal note, the time management and organizational skills that I learned juggling family, work and MBA program commitments have continued to pay dividends," he said. "In December 2022, I received my private pilot’s license, which was a dream of mine since middle school.”

While using his MBA to meet both his personal and professional goals, Buechel looks back at his time in the high-return-on-investment program with fond memories.

“The Nebraska MBA program was a great fit,” he said. “In addition to the phenomenal learning experience, it’s been fun to see how classmates have used their degrees to find success in different fields. It’s inspiring to see how the timeless skills we learned can be applied to a variety of industries.”  

This year, the highly-ranked MBA program celebrates its 60th anniversary. Alumni are invited to enjoy the Nebraska Business Tailgate on Saturday, Nov. 2 for the Nebraska vs. UCLA football game to celebrate. Register here.