CMU Off-Campus Success Stories

 

International Student Honored by Leading Magazine in Mexico

 

Mariana Via Urista thrives on difficult tasks and challenges and her job as an electronics industry analyst will attest to that.

Mariana, who attended CMU in Guadalajara, Mexico, graduated in May 2006 with a Master of Science in Administration degree with a concentration in General Administration. She is employed by Technology Forecasters, Inc. and lives in Mexico City, but will soon be moving to Dallas, Texas.

Her work as a research analyst in a male-dominated industry entails interviewing managers and executives of companies that manufacture, design and outsource electronics production and development in Latin America. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed as Mariana was recently named one of Mexico’s “30 Promises in their 30’s” by CNN-Expansion, a leading magazine in Mexico.

Through her interviews she gains first-hand information about both trends and the business environment in the electronics industry. She then publishes reports and collaborates with leading magazines and other media, serving as a media source of reference for the industry.

“The task is not always easy,” Mariana said. “Sometimes I must begin with little or nothing and find the numbers myself because the Mexican market is practically not studied.”

Mariana said she chose CMU because she felt the MSA program was the right blend of business and administration. She first heard about CMU’s off-campus programs through Ernesto Sanchez, the director of Jabil Circuit, Inc. in Guadalajara.

“I liked the program, the program content and the fact that it was a balance between business and the science of administration,” Mariana said. “I also liked the way classes are provided one weekend every other week. This format gave me enough time to focus on the MSA program, my work and my personal life.”

Since graduating, Mariana has remained in contact with many of her CMU professors.

“What I liked most about my professors was the personal touch they had with us. Even though we only had three weekends of classes and most of our studying was virtual, all the professors were interested in our learning and had quick responses to our questions. They were all very knowledgeable,” she said.

She added that her MSA degree has helped in giving her a more analytical approach in solving problems.

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