When Alee Khambounleuang鈥檚 boss suggested she consider graduate school, she was caught off guard.
As director of corporate development at LHC Group, she led multimillion-dollar mergers and acquisitions while balancing life as a mother and community leader. Adding MBA coursework to her already full calendar felt like a stretch.
But the more she considered it, the more the idea took hold.
The University of Louisiana at 69传媒鈥檚 MBA with a concentration in Finance offered both the flexibility and affordability she needed.
As an LHC Group employee, she qualified for a tuition discount through the university鈥檚 employer partnership.
Plus, her peers in , a program for developing community leaders, had plenty of great things to say about their own experiences with UL 69传媒鈥檚 online programs.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥極K, it鈥檚 affordable, AACSB-accredited, has a great reputation 鈥 let鈥檚 do it.鈥欌
Learning to Lead in the Digital World
Returning to school after two decades meant adapting to new ways of learning. Tools like shared online files or Zoom were second nature to her classmates but new to her.
鈥淲hen I was in undergrad, the internet was just getting stable,鈥 she laughs.
鈥淚t was an adjustment, but my classmates gave me pointers and showed me how to work with newer software. It really helped me develop skills needed in the workplace and to keep up with the new generation of professionals.鈥
Fitting coursework into her already busy life required careful planning. Her Outlook calendar became her lifeline.
鈥淎fter I do my assignments, I make sure all my deadlines are on there for the next week,鈥 she says.
Skills That Stick
Some of Khambounleuang鈥檚 most memorable experiences went beyond online assignments.
In her favorite course, IBUS 540: International Business, a 10-day study abroad in Costa Rica combined company visits with peer collaboration, offering an inside look at global practices.
鈥淎t first, I thought, 鈥楬ey, three credits and a break from work.鈥 But it turned out to be so much more,鈥 she says. 鈥淢eeting classmates in person and learning from younger MBA students was such a great experience.鈥
Another standout course was QMET 510: Data Analysis, where she learned to frame problems, mine data, and evaluate results with tools like Tableau. Those lessons continue to guide her leadership approach.
鈥淚 use those skills every day, even if I'm not doing it myself,鈥 Khambounleuang says. 鈥淗aving that framework really helps me to move faster and better challenge my team. That's a key course; I'm glad it's a requirement in the curriculum.鈥
Moving Forward in Finance
The MBA in Finance online prepared Khambounleuang to step into her current role as vice president of financial planning and analysis at VieMed.
She credits the program with giving her both the technical tools and professional network to succeed.
鈥淚鈥檓 using the tools; I still speak to my network of friends. I try to stay connected through the ,鈥 she says.
She encourages those considering an MBA online to lean into collaboration.
鈥淏e flexible and embrace the group work. I wasn鈥檛 a big group project person, but I learned so much from my classmates鈥 different life experiences. Those connections are invaluable.鈥
Level up your career with UL 69传媒鈥檚 100% online MBA in Finance.