Jared Bruff’s “ah-ha” moment came during his Innovation Studio 1 course at Georgia State University in the Robinson College of Business Flexible MBA program.
The group was discussing creativity. In one of the assigned books for the course, “Creative Confidence,” authors David and Tom Kelly wrote that when they talk about creativity to large audiences of businesspeople, those who perceive themselves as more quantitative or analytical head for the exits or look at their phones. The authors went on to explain that in this context, creativity is not about being an artist. It’s about creative problem solving.
“That hit home for me, because I would certainly have been one of the people heading for the exits,” said Bruff, a student in Robinson’s Flexible MBA program who also has a J.D. from Georgia State’s College of Law. “The Innovation Studio has moved me outside my comfort zone and opened my eyes to skills I didn’t know I had. I now see problems in a different way and have more confidence that I can creatively generate solutions.”
Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Bruff spent six years in the Air Force as a Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAGs) officer and was transitioning to civilian life. He was working as an associate at a large labor and employment law firm. There, he advised employers and defended them against a variety of actions in court and in front of administrative bodies.
When he started his MBA, Bruff’s intent was to use what he learned to help clients at the firm or to transition to an in-house position later on. He also has a computer science degree and spent several years working in the information technology departments of law firms. “I saw the MBA as a way to bring together the different skills I had,” said Bruff.
One benefit of flexible MBA programs is that students can customize their degrees. At Robinson, this includes:
- Ability to layer in one of the college’s three flexible graduate certificates. Options include artificial intelligence business innovation, disruptive innovation and entrepreneurship, and fintech innovation.
- Career pathways in areas like analytics consulting, healthcare enterprise management and digital marketing.
- Concentrations in 18 areas including business analysis, finance, and entrepreneurship.
- Dual degrees in big data science and analytics, health administration and even law.
For Bruff, it meant testing the waters by taking a data analytics class. Finding he enjoyed using statistics and technology to solve problems, he looked for other ways to build those skills. Around the same time, Robinson launched its flexible graduate certificate offering.
“I certainly had not planned on completing a certificate when I started, but as soon as I saw they were available, I knew one of them would be for me,” said Bruff. “It allows students a way to stand out quickly to employers. People can readily see you have a skill set in a certain area and that you put a lot of thought into the courses you took.”
For Bruff, the graduate certificate in artificial intelligence business innovation “looked like exactly what I wanted to be doing.”
Another benefit of Robinson’s flexible MBA program is its format easily fits into busy lifestyles. Students can take courses at their desired time, pace and location — including via Robinson Anywhere, which allows attendees to grab a virtual seat in one of Robinson’s innovative, technologically advanced classrooms regardless of where they log in from.
“I love Robinson’s locations — they are in the business, cultural and political centers of Atlanta,” said Bruff. “No other program in the Southeast is just a short walk to so many different major employers.”
As one of the most diverse business schools in the country, Robinson students gain another competitive advantage by taking classes with students from a variety of disciplines, backgrounds and cultures.
“The diversity of the student body was also important to me,” said Bruff. “We learn so much more when we’re surrounded by different perspectives. In my classes, there are students from a wide variety of majors. We have lawyers, teachers, Ph.D. students, business owners and all kinds of occupations and backgrounds. It lets you not only look at problems from different viewpoints but allows you to see how you can add value when solving problems.”
Bruff will graduate with his MBA and graduate certificate in artificial intelligence business innovation in spring 2022. For now, he is putting his problem solving and data analytics skills to use in a new role at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He hopes to continue leveraging his expertise for the agency’s benefit after he graduates.
“I feel more confident stepping outside of my comfort zone,” said Bruff. “It makes me look for opportunities I might have overlooked before. Robinson’s Flexible MBA has the options to let you build your future in different ways.”
To learn more about Robinson’s flexible MBA offerings and how they can help you expand your horizons like Jared, please visit the website.
Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business is among the top 10 largest accredited business colleges by graduate enrollment, according to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
