Student Spotlight
Makayla Lim works as an administrative assistant at the Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering in the College of Engineering, located in Hoover Hall. She is also a student in Ivy’s professional MBA program, and expects to graduate in fall 2024.
Originally from Washington, Lim received her bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Washington Tacoma. On a whim, she followed some friends to Iowa State University after graduation.
Lim never had the traditional college experience of living close to campus, as she went to a commuter school with just one set of dorms. Moving to Ames would be her first experience living in a college town.
“I thought to myself, ‘this would be the perfect time to try something different for a year and if it doesn’t work, I can pack up and go back home’,” said Lim. “Almost two years later, here I am still enjoying Iowa.”
After starting her position at Iowa State, Lim learned about Ivy’s professional MBA program and was immediately interested.
“I saw that it was part-time with classes condensed into six weeks. This was right up my alley, and I liked that it was so flexible. I could either take classes once a week in person or 100 percent online if I found myself needing a break.”
She was happily surprised by the various specializations in the program. With her undergraduate degree being in business administration, she saw this as being the perfect opportunity for her to expand her skills.
“I am currently focusing on the business analytics specialization. I have always been interested in coding but was not sure if I would be able to learn it again or even practice it again. In the academic sense, this ability to choose a specialization of interest has been my favorite aspect of the program.”
Lim said Lacy Greenfield, student services coordinator, and Leah Berte, assistant director of professional master’s student services, have been especially helpful.
“When I have questions for them, either Lacy or Leah gets back to me within a business day or two. The faculty as a whole have been nothing short of amazing, and they have an abundance of information and real-world examples on how the industry is changing.”
“The faculty as a whole have been nothing short of amazing, and they have an abundance of information and real-world examples on how the industry is changing.”
— Makayla Lim
In addition, Lim has found her peers and professors to be an exceptional aspect of her experience in the program.
“I still remember the first week of class and James Summers, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship, had put us into groups to answer questions about ourselves and it was a memorable time. My group of peers have easily made this experience worth it. We all come from different backgrounds of work experience and life experience, and we bring that together and make our learning environment safe. Without my peers, I would not be successful in this program. I know I have made lifelong connections with them.”
Outside of her busy schedule, Lim makes time to do things she enjoys and keeps some balance in her daily life.
“When I am not on campus or working, you can find me at home with my cats, enjoying our downtime. When I am not home, I am with friends either chatting over dinner and/or a bonfire or going out on day activities with them, from kayaking and farmers markets to enjoying live music.”
In the short time that Lim has been in Iowa, she has been able to create a happy and comfortable life for herself, balancing work with pursuing a degree and keeping a healthy balance in her schedule. Her experience in Ivy’s professional MBA program has helped to not only expand on this but also better prepare Lim for her future while creating positive memories along the way.
To learn more about Lim or to follow her collegiate and professional career, visit her LinkedIn profile.
Learn more about Ivy’s MBA programs.
December 11, 2023
