Our MBA program is approaching its 50th anniversary!
Established in 1974, the present-day MBA was known as interdisciplinary industrial administration sciences. The program continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of students and industry. Today, the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business offers part-time, full-time, and executive MBA tracks. Our full-time MBA has ascended in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, currently perched at #51 overall and #25 among public institutions, placing it in the top 10 percent nationally.
The second MBA champion of the 2000s is Hillary Eckert (’03 psychology, ’05 MBA). Currently, Eckert is the vice president of global solutions, financial reporting, and capital markets at Workiva, a global Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company with which she has been for the last 10 years. Eckert continues to support and is highly involved with the Ivy MBA program, serving on the MBA Executive Advisory Council (EAC), where she acts as a resource for MBA students and participates in events throughout the program. Outside of her professional life and involvement with the program, Eckert can be found cheering on the Iowa State University football team, playing cribbage, trying new restaurants and wines, and attending concerts. She also loves to travel with her husband and two daughters.
Get to know more about Eckert and her continuous involvement and support of the Ivy MBA:
Q: What about yourself would you tell someone you’ve never met before? What are you up to now?
I grew up on a farm in central Iowa and love to travel to new places with my husband, Andy, and two girls, Taryn and Audrey. We moved in 2023, so our year was pretty quiet in terms of travel or the music scene. On the docket for 2024 is a trip to Italy with a group of friends, hopefully also a cruise with other friends, and we have tickets to a concert in February. Making up for lost time, I guess!
Q: What is one of your favorite memories from attending Iowa State University?
My group was one of the first Ivy MBA teams to go to a national MBA case competition. In 2003, our team traveled to Norman, Oklahoma, and competed in a two-day event. We had nerves, we had fun, and we learned so much as a team. I also got to know the other female classmates of mine on this trip. In fact, after completing the MBA program, we ended up working in the same department in our next career and are now on the MBA advisory council! This was such a fun (and at times, intense) experience that I won’t soon forget.
Q: Describe your experience in the MBA program. How has it impacted your career?
Getting an MBA launched me into a new level of thinking and leadership. I elevated my complex problem-solving skills through a very practical approach to learning – discussing real-world examples of leaders’ choices that drove or prevented change and growth. The MBA strengthened my confidence by giving me a safe place for risk-taking and testing innovative ideas and strengthened my business communication skills, especially around negotiation and conflict resolution when engaging with more senior or experienced colleagues. Getting my MBA meant much more than a higher potential salary; it really addressed my occasional feelings of imposter syndrome by driving business skills and the confidence I needed to advance my career to the next level.
Q: Did you receive any support (scholarships) while getting your master’s?
I was awarded a few scholarships in my first year, which enabled me to reduce my working hours and really focus on the program and projects while in the MBA program.
Q: How else do you stay involved with Ivy? What motivates you to continue to stay involved?
The MBA advisory council’s mission is to provide advice concerning the recruitment of students, the shaping of the curriculum, and trends in the industry. Being able to not only contribute to the discussions of what companies are seeking in employees, but also to shape and influence the strategy and direction of the MBA program is so fulfilling. It helps me give back to a program that did so much for me personally and professionally. It means so much to me to be able to meet and connect with current MBA students, as well as other executives who care as much as I do about the Ivy College of Business!
Q: In your opinion, why is it important to support students through scholarships?
During my undergraduate years, I was working 20 or more hours a week, including evenings, overnights, and weekends. It was such a weight lifted off my shoulders to have scholarships that enabled me to focus more time on my education during my MBA years. I could not think of a better place for me, personally, to make financial contributions each year. Knowing I can help another Iowa State MBA student lighten the load while they shape themselves and move into the next chapter of their career means so much. The time they put in to truly focus and get the most out of the program is such an important investment in their future.
Q: In your opinion, what makes Iowa State and the Ivy College of Business unique from other schools?
The staff and professors are such great people who care so much about the students they work with. The Ivy College of Business programs provide students with such a unique team-based environment to learn with and from their peers and other guest speakers from industry. It’s that connection and network that I think makes the Ivy College of Business so uniquely valuable. That’s an investment worth making in yourself and in your future.
