36 Years of Experience, and Still Learning with Illinois Tech’s Online M.B.A.

After 36 years in the workforce, Belgium-based Laurence De Raet had already built a dynamic double career, as an employee in a university and working freelance as a psychologist, consultant, and organizational specialist. She had earned a Master’s degree in psychology, had completed specialized certification in Business Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and HR analytics & HR assessments, and had worked extensively with career development, motivation, and testing tools.

But for Laurence, learning is a lifelong pursuit.

“I have a growth mindset. I need to keep learning. I think it is important to build expertise when you are passionate. I was really interested in leadership and motivation in the work environment, because often people quit a manager, not the organization! Building leadership competencies in management is a challenge; that is the real problem. That’s my passion.”

When she decided to pursue an M.B.A., she had three key traits she knew she needed: online, affordable, and AACSB-accredited. And that’s how she found the Illinois Tech M.B.A.

Choosing Illinois Tech: Flexibility Meets Quality

For Laurence, finding the right M.B.A. program was about more than just the curriculum; it was about practicality.

“My research included “M.B.A.”, “online”, and “accredited by AACSB.” And, of course, the price. The good thing about Illinois Tech is the pathway, which allows you to take three courses to enter. For someone coming from Europe, that’s so valuable, because getting foreign diplomas recognized can be complicated.”

She began her M.B.A. in January 2024 after completing two of the pathway courses in advance on Coursera.

Challenges Along the Way

Laurence admits she wasn’t confident about every subject area, and notes she was particularly worried about her finance courses.

“I’m not good with numbers. It’s not my domain. When I saw courses like forecasting and financial analysis, I said, ‘OMG, how will I do that, coming from Psychological sciences?!’”

But her determination paid off. Spending some of her evenings studying, working with professors and TAs during office hours, and understanding the benefits of showing her thought process in exams, Laurence excelled in even the toughest courses.

“I assumed I’d get a 70% in the last financial analysis assessment. It was the biggest challenge of my life. But I worked hard and put in the effort and got a 92%. I took every piece of advice from the TA to be the most prepared.”

Live Engagement and Real Flexibility

Laurence points to Illinois Tech’s flexible course design and active faculty engagement as key reasons she has succeeded.

“I loved the live events. Every course has them, and they helped us link to our real experiences. I remember many conversations, one-on-one, two or three of us, we could exchange ideas very well.”

She also values how the program lets her set her own pace.

“It’s amazing because you can work ahead during breaks at the pace that works for you. In M.B.A. programs, the majority of us have jobs and families, and you can divide your time as you want. You can also be strategic and take non-credit courses on Coursera, and let that material challenge you even more.”

And she’s especially excited about Illinois Tech’s adoption of new tools.

“The new ‘Coach’ on Coursera is amazing. Of course, we have ChatGPT for deep explanations, but Coach is linked to the videos. You can ask direct questions, review things in other words, summarize, and take exercises. It’s incredible.”

Advice for Future Students

Laurence will graduate at the end of 2025 with her Illinois Tech M.B.A., adding another degree to her already impressive academic background. But for her, the biggest achievement has been proving to herself and others that learning never stops.

Her advice to prospective students centers on her commitment to persistence, grit, and the value she sees in furthering your education:

“If you have motivation and do what the professors say, it doesn’t matter if it’s complicated. The more effort you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. Grit matters.”

And to anyone who may doubt themselves or be hesitant about taking the leap into higher education later on in life:

“It will be hard, but you can do it. Even if you’ve never worked in that domain before, you can do it. You never know how much potential you have until you try. And no matter the age. At Illinois Tech, everybody has the opportunity to find motivation in themselves, to be elevated and supported by wonderful professors, and receive the best quality, and I’m so grateful.”