Finding Success Through Collaboration – Jerry Neely

Jerry Neely, ’19, MBA, made the most of his MBA experience by connecting with faculty and other Meredith students, and by accepting invitations to engage with the program.

“My willingness to invest in my own future and having a phenomenal support structure in place at home and at work makes me strong,” said Jerry. “I built on that strength by taking advantage of every opportunity to participate in activities with the MBA program.”

One of his favorite aspects of earning his MBA was the opportunity to collaborate with other students.

“I would say that the most impactful times I spent on campus were all the weekends of collaboration with classmates on group projects,” said Jerry. “I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my classmates, learning from their experiences, and sharing mine for their growth.”

Jerry found that the friendly community helped him further develop his professional networking and overall social skills. In particular, he connected with one of his faculty members, Assistant Professor of Operations Management Yunsik Choi.

“My time with Dr. Choi was great.  We had a lot in common from the beginning.  He is of Korean nationality and my mother was Korean so I spent a few years of my life in Korea,” said Jerry.  “That created an instant bond that we were able to build upon.”

Ultimately, Jerry worked with Choi and another faculty member, Assistant Professor of Management Lisa Delise, on a paper that has been submitted for publication.

“Working with professors on a project like that was an excellent learning experience for my professional development,” he said.

Jerry also supported the MBA program in a variety of ways, including serving as the student representative at a recruiting event and marching in Meredith’s 2019 Cornhuskin’ parade, which was the first time graduate students had participated in the College’s annual tradition.

Jerry is excited to see where his career goes next. Although he said he struggled to achieve goals early in life, he is proud to have earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA in the last five years, an accomplishment that he calls “life-changing.”

He had some words of advice for others who are thinking about pursuing their MBA.

“Do it, but more importantly, don’t just go to classes and rush through the experience.  Take the time to learn from one another and share your own experiences along the way,” he said. “I guarantee that you will have a more fulfilling experience.”