Erin Norton

What degree did you pursue and why?  

Master of Business Administration. I chose to pursue this degree to expand on skills in the business industry and become a more desirable candidate for future career opportunities.

Why did you choose the Belk College of Business over others?

The course schedule was very flexible and accommodating for full-time employees. The location of the uptown campus is perfect for working adults since most do not work near the main campus. Overall the quality of the program and business school at UNC Charlotte was a great fit.

Tell us about your job. What lessons have you learned in your courses that you were able to apply to the job?

I am currently an associate buyer at Belk department store in the cosmetics division.  My team and I work very closely with the digital and print marketing departments to secure multi-channel exposure for our key sales-driving strategies.  The marketing electives that correlated with my concentration were helpful to gain more insight into what tactics have worked best for other companies. This has helped me develop more effective marketing campaigns at work based on top trends throughout the industry.

What activities are you involved in when not working/studying?

Whenever I am not working or studying I like to hang out with friends around Charlotte and visit my family back in Knoxville. I also like to attend sporting events around the city, especially Panthers games!  

What has been the best part of your academic experience? 

The study abroad program that is in between the fall and spring semesters was amazing!  I was able to attend the trip that went to Lyon, France earlier this year. It’s a great selling point that the university offers study abroad opportunities in graduate school. This trip was such a memorable experience for me and would definitely recommend it to other students in the program.

Another one of my favorite parts of the academic experience was meeting and networking with my fellow classmates.  It is really nice to relate with other working adults outside of your own company or social group. I also really enjoyed hearing other’s experiences expressed during in-class discussions and group projects.

How would you describe the Belk College of Business to someone considering a master’s program?

The Belk College of Business is a great program for working adults that are looking to grow in their careers.  The professors really bring their on the job experiences into the classroom to make the courses more valuable in the industry.  

How valuable do you feel this degree will be to your career?

The education I have received during the program has been very easily relatable to situations that I have experienced at work.  I hope that my degree will help to open up doors for potential career opportunities that arise in the future.