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Kruglick and McLynden Named Poets&Quants' Best and Brightest Online MBAs

MBA@Nebraska Alumni Recognized for High Academic Achievement
Kruglick and McLynden Named Poets&Quants' Best and Brightest Online MBAs
Brittany Kruglick, '22, and Casey McLynden, '22, both May graduates from the MBA@Nebraska program, earned spots on Poets&Quants Best and Brightest Online MBAs list. The annual recognition includes high-achieving online MBA graduates from all over the world.

Poets&Quants' recently released the fifth annual Best and Brightest Online MBAs and included two Huskers, Brittany Kruglick, '22, of Phoenix, Arizona, and Casey McLynden, '22, of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Selected for their "strong academic performance, critical and consistent contributions, striking personal narratives and innate potential," the students joined others in the list of the world's top-ranked online MBA programs.

As part of a feature in the Poets&Quants Class of 2022, Kruglick and McLynden answered questions about their experiences in the online MBA program. Both shared they chose the online MBA@Nebraska in part due to its reputation and rankings, which currently include No. 1 best value in the nation and No. 3 overall in the nation and No. 9 globally by the Financial Times.

"After researching several online MBA programs, the University of Nebraska consistently ranked strong in the Top 10 to 20, the coursework structure was very flexible, and the program offered incredible value with total tuition two or three times less than comparable schools," said McLynden.

They found the program's fully online, mobile-optimized classes made it possible for them to earn their degrees while continuing to work and fulfill family and life commitments. The eight-week courses use the Canvas platform and feature guided video overviews and live group discussions.

"The quality and organization of the online learning portal [called Canvas] were very impressive. The ease of use of the portal really allowed students to focus on coursework rather than navigating or finding material. Aside from the convenience factor, my knowledge retention is better in an on-demand setting as I was able to customize my pace of learning, quickly pull up references, take digital notes and re-watch lectures," McLynden said.

Kruglick, who got her undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona, shared how she built relationships with peers in the MBA@Nebraska program.

"The most surprising thing about going through the program online was that I felt like I was able to make genuine connections with fellow students and faculty even though all of the interactions were fully remote. Although each group project was only eight weeks long at most, I still felt like I was able to get to know people on a personal level, which I really enjoyed," Kruglick said.

Outside of the classroom, the program also impacted their careers. As the current nuclear fuels project manager for Constellation Energy, McLynden explained how the MBA@Nebraska program helped him grow and develop while providing "the perfect complement" to his quantitative engineering background.

"The specialization in finance provided a richer and more integrated understanding of my company’s financial operations, which has helped most directly during upfront business case evaluations for project viability. The coursework in supply chain management has made me more aware of the complexities and risks when sourcing from vendors and the importance of a diverse supply chain, which is vital for ensuring the security of nuclear fuel supply for reactors. Finally, the managerial leadership coursework equipped me with several pragmatic tools for leading, motivating, and overcoming interpersonal challenges when managing a team. For those of you, like myself, who do not have extensive educational or professional experience in business operations, I cannot recommend an MBA program enough to prepare for a future in management," he said.

The digital retail performance strategist for General Motors, Kruglick shared how she sharpened her skills in order to help with her pursuit of senior leadership roles.

"I feel that I’ve been able to leave my personal stamp on each position I’ve held in the automotive industry, which has historically been male-dominated. I’ve climbed the ladder within huge, global automotive organizations faster than I could have ever dreamed of when I started my career," she said. "I feel like the sky is the limit for what I can achieve in the future."

Both McLynden and Kruglick shared they earned raises and promotions while in the program or immediately after graduation. This further demonstrates the return on investment for the MBA@Nebraska as alumni reported a 33% increase in salary in a survey conducted by Financial Times for their worldwide ranking of online MBA programs.

Those looking to advance their career by earning an MBA@Nebraska should complete an application by one of these three dates: July 1, November 1 or April 1. To learn more about the MBA@Nebraska, visit: https://mba.unl.edu.

To read the Poets&Quants article, visit: https://poetsandquants.com/2022/06/11/best-brightest-online-mbas-class-of-2022/3/. Read their profiles on Kruglick and McLynden.

Published: June 21, 2022