How a Part-Time Internship Changed My Part-Time MBA Experience

The following blog post was written by Austin Jackson, clinical trials manager at University of Rochester Medicine and Professional MBA student. 

If you had told me a year ago that I would be working in a full-time leadership position, pursuing a Professional MBA, planning a wedding, and accepting a part-time internship, I probably would have laughed.

Actually, I definitely would have laughed.

Like many students in the Professional MBA program at the University of Rochester Simon Business School, I already had an established career when I started my MBA. I manage clinical research operations at University of Rochester Medicine, where my days revolve around overseeing clinical trials, working with physicians, managing multimillion-dollar research portfolios, solving operational challenges, and helping bring new therapies to patients.

The MBA wasn’t about changing careers overnight—it was about becoming a better leader.

At least, that’s what I thought.

Then an opportunity presented itself that I hadn’t expected.

A part-time internship.

At first, it didn’t seem to make much sense. Why would someone already working full-time take on an internship? Wasn’t that something you did before landing your career?

The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized this was exactly why I came to Simon.

One of the things I’ve learned throughout the program is that growth usually starts just outside your comfort zone. I had spent years building expertise in healthcare and clinical research, but I wanted exposure to a different side of business. I wanted to understand operations from another perspective, strengthen my financial knowledge, and see how another organization solved problems.

So, I took the leap.

The internship was with Mariano Events, a national event marketing company. I expected to learn a few new skills and gain a different perspective on business operations.

I didn’t expect it to become one of the most impactful experiences of my MBA.

Before long, I found myself helping lead projects that directly impacted the company’s operations. What started as a traditional internship evolved into managing payroll operations for more than 2,000 employees and brand ambassadors, improving financial processes, supporting organizational growth, and eventually transitioning into a consulting role after the internship officially ended.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped feeling like an intern.

I started feeling like a business leader.

Of course, there were moments when I questioned whether I had taken on too much.

There were days when I started with meetings at work, transitioned into classes at Simon, and ended late at night reviewing payroll reports or preparing for another internship project. Somewhere in between, I was squeezing in homework, trying to have dinner with my fiancé, planning a wedding, and reminding myself that sleep was still important.

My calendar looked like organized chaos.

There were evenings when I wondered if I had made the right decision.

Then something interesting happened.

Instead of everything competing for my attention, each part of my life started making the others better.

The finance concepts I learned in class suddenly had real meaning because I was applying them during my internship. Operations 
Management wasn’t just a textbook discussion anymore, it was helping me improve workflows both at work and in another organization. Leadership conversations in the classroom influenced difficult conversations I had the very next day.

Simon stopped feeling like somewhere I went after work.

It became part of how I approached work.

One of my favorite parts of being a Professional MBA student has been learning alongside classmates from completely different industries—healthcare, finance, engineering, consulting, technology. We all walk into the classroom carrying different experiences, and those different perspectives make every discussion richer.

It’s easy to think an MBA is about adding another credential to your résumé.

For me, it has been about adding experiences that I never imagined I’d have.

The internship reminded me that career growth doesn’t always happen in a straight line. Sometimes the best opportunities don’t fit neatly into the plan you originally created.

Sometimes they make your schedule a little crazier.

Sometimes they force you to become more disciplined, more organized, and more intentional with your time.

And sometimes they completely reshape the way you see your own potential.

Looking back, I don't remember every late night spent studying or every weekend spent balancing assignments with internship work. 
What I remember is realizing I was capable of far more than I had given myself credit for. 

That has been the greatest lesson of my MBA experience.

The Professional MBA at Simon hasn't simply taught me finance, strategy, or leadership. It has given me the confidence to say yes to opportunities that once felt out of reach.

Today, I still work full-time. I’m still finishing my MBA. I’m still consulting with the company where I interned. And yes, I’m still planning a wedding.

Is it busy?

Absolutely.

Would I do it all again?

Without hesitation.

Because somewhere between the lectures, late nights, spreadsheets, meetings, and countless cups of coffee, I realized something important: growth rarely happens when life is perfectly balanced.

Sometimes it happens because you’re willing to bet on yourself—even when your calendar tells you not to.

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Looking to learn more about the student experience? Connect with Austin to get your questions answered!

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