When Mira Kolodkin enrolled in the online Master of Science in Management (iMSM) from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she was navigating one of the busiest periods of her life.
Around the same time she gave birth to her son, Mira stepped into a new leadership role at work. The position required skills in leadership, communication, advocacy, and financial decision-making, areas where she wanted stronger formal training.
“As I stepped into the role, I found myself questioning whether my decisions were grounded in best practices,” she says.
To strengthen her foundational leadership concepts, Mira first enrolled in the Strategic Leadership and Management Graduate Certificate from Gies College of Business. What she learned inspired her to continue.
“The amount I learned in a short time was staggering, and I quickly realized I wanted to deepen my knowledge further,” she says. “As a result, I transitioned into the online Master of Science in Management program (iMSM).“
For Mira, the decision came down to quality, affordability, and flexibility. She wanted a respected business education that could fit around a full-time job and a newborn. Being able to start with the graduate certificate and stack those 12 credit hours into the iMSM allowed her to start small and build upon that knowledge when she was ready.
Building confidence as a leader
Although Mira already held a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and was serving as a professor of Biology, her new leadership role required expertise in areas where she had limited formal training.
“My primary learning goals were to develop a research-backed framework for advocating on behalf of my department with senior leadership and to build a stronger understanding of the financial principles required to manage a budget.“
The program delivered on both fronts. By combining organizational leadership and financial management, the iMSM helped her become a more confident and effective leader.
Finding flexibility in a demanding season
Balancing graduate school with a full-time career and a new baby required flexibility and discipline.
“I often completed coursework while my son was feeding or sleeping, and in between work meetings,” Mira shares.
While some learners complete the program in one year, Mira spread the degree across three years to accommodate the realities of work and family life. The ability to learn on her own schedule made it possible to keep progressing, even during life’s busiest seasons.
Learning with the future in mind
For Mira, the iMSM was about more than succeeding in her new leadership role. As a professor, and new parent, she was also thinking about how her profession and the higher education landscape were changing.
“The pandemic significantly disrupted my professional sector,” she explains. “I recognized that higher education could look very different in the coming decades.”
At a time when she was taking on new leadership responsibilities and caring for a newborn, the program gave her an opportunity to strengthen her skills in leadership and financial management while broadening her professional skill set.
“This program provided me with the opportunity to broaden my professional skill set and create flexibility to pivot professionally if ever needed.“
That long-term perspective helped her stay focused during the most demanding periods of the program.
“Even when I was more exhausted than I had ever been, I reminded myself that completing the program would position me to better support my family and care for the people I love.“
Alongside that sense of purpose, careful planning helped her continue making progress. She often planned her coursework a year in advance and used the summer months, when her work schedule was lighter, to complete course content for the year ahead.
Investing in what comes next
For Mira, the iMSM was more than an opportunity to earn a master’s degree. It gave her the flexibility to build leadership and financial management skills while balancing a full-time career and the responsibilities of raising a young child.
Her story demonstrates that professional growth does not have to come at the expense of life’s other priorities. With the right support, flexibility, and determination, it is possible to keep investing in yourself, even during life’s busiest seasons.
Explore the Master of Science in Management from the University of Illinois and build in-demand business and leadership skills.