Travis Church

Travis Church received his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo before holding several positions with CDM Smith Incorporated. After six years and steady promotions at the $1.3 billion-dollar consulting, engineering, and construction company, Travis arrived at Simon a successful civil engineer with experience in project management and business development. He knew an MBA from Simon Business School would help take him even farther.

At Simon, Travis found excellence and attention. “I appreciated the learning environment and contact with professors and other students you receive at a smaller school,” he says. “Simon is an elite program where you can learn from the best and make an impact in the school community. You’re never just a number.” According to Travis, studying at Simon meant connecting with thought leaders in business. “The professors have written the books and developed the theories that other elite programs around the world teach in their curriculum,” he notes. “The opportunity to work with the professors on a one-on-one basis is a key aspect of the program.”

Along with expert instruction, Travis says Simon also helps students develop a variety of professional tools. “Simon is a rigorous program that promotes and demands teamwork and collaboration to be successful,” he says. “The ability to work well and connect with others can be a difficult skill to learn, but Simon embraces those skills and it really enhances the program.”

Travis notices the many ways the Simon experience is designed to help students succeed. “There have been many occasions when both faculty and staff have provided tremendous support and coaching in my development,” he says. “There is no real way to prepare for everything that will happen in your career, but good leaders are relentless. The Simon program is rigorous enough to offer students the right professional tools and teach them so they are tough enough to achieve anything.”