While Alexa’s political science major and comparative literature minor might not seem like the typical background of an MBA student, at Questrom, there’s no such thing; students come from every academic discipline under the sun.

Currently a senior account executive at O’Keeffe and Company, a full-service, technology marketing communications firm based in DC. “My job and my academics are more closely related than you might think,” she says. “You have all these classes that expose you to other things that you wouldn’t necessarily see in your job. Especially as a part-time student, it’s important to me to learn things outside of what I am doing in my day to day 9-5.” Taking classes in marketing social change and negotiation, for example, Alexa’s found that what you learn in the classroom is directly applicable to her work. “It’s made me a more aware and conscious employee in terms of my job in an internal setting, how I communicate with my managers and colleagues. It’s given me a lot of organizational awareness, and it’s also given me the opportunity to add value to our company and to our clients.” The value of the lessons she’s learned? “Having that knowledge is priceless.”

Alexa found that the flexibility she had with the PEMBA program was something unique to Questrom. “Here, you can explore it all.” Since being at Questrom, she’s taken classes in things like negotiation, corporate social responsibility marketing, and marketing social change. “No matter what your interest is, PEMBA—and Questrom—have it. It’s just a matter of navigating it and putting it all together to create your career path.”

Not to mention, her post-grad ambitions are directly in line with Questrom’s mission—creating value for the world. “I was particularly impressed by the robust focus on social impact. In terms of my career plans, I am interested in leading communications programs for a nonprofit organization or a company with a significant public service focus, so Questrom was a perfect fit.”

“Sometimes they can feel disconnected,” she says of marketing and social impact, “but I’m noticing is that the most adaptive and innovative companies and nonprofits understand that you can’t have one without the other. You can’t have a social impact without marketing, and marketing’s not going to resonate if you don’t have a social impact angle.”