Stewart Center hosts first MBA Experience Weekend

On June 13-14, Freeman School alumni, faculty, staff and students came together for the first Stewart Center MBA Experience Weekend.

Hosted by the Stewart Center for Professional & Executive Education, the two-day event was designed to enable admitted and prospective Executive and Professional MBA students to connect with future classmates, hear from current students and alumni, and gain insights into the range of MBA program formats and options available to working professionals.

“Getting an MBA is a big decision,” said Ashley Francis, assistant dean for the Stewart Center. “We created MBA Experience Weekend to help both admitted and prospective students better understand the process and options available to them, and there’s no better way to do that than letting them hear firsthand from our faculty, staff, current students and alumni.”

The weekend kicked off with an overview of MBA formats available to students followed by a panel discussion featuring alumni of the Professional and Executive MBA programs.

“There’s never a perfect time—but there’s no better time to bet on yourself," said Dr. Stephen Jones (EMBA '23), founder and CEO of Care Eleven Health. "Freeman gives you the tools to lead with clarity, move with strategy, and be unapologetically excellent in any room.”

“The program is a launchpad for leveling up—not just in your career, but in how you see and shape the world,” added Ivy Robinson (PBMA '23), chief growth officer with St. Thomas Community Health.

“The Freeman MBA Experience is so much more than a degree," said Daphine Barnes (EMBA '25), executive director of economic mobility with GNO Inc. "It enriches your life in ways beyond measure, developing you into a strategic thinker, civic leader and social entrepreneur.”

The panel was followed by a session on financial aid opportunities and a networking reception with current students, alumni, faculty and staff.

On Saturday, the program concluded with a morning discussion on innovation in leadership led by Alex Sleptsov, lecturer in strategy and entrepreneurship and faculty director of the Executive MBA program, followed by an application workshop.

For more information about the Stewart Center's MBA programs for working professionals, contact Amanda Trevizo, assistant director of graduate admissions with the Stewart Center, at atrevizo@tulane.edu or 504-862.8485.