Beyond the Blueprint: Jonathan Boudreaux鈥檚 MBA Journey

Written byFaith Derouen

"There are not many things you get to do as big as this. Enjoy the experience, take it slow, and ask questions when they come up because UL Lafayette has a huge support system. That鈥檚 one of the reasons I decided to go back.鈥

Jonathan Boudreaux
Graduation Year
2024
Major
MBA
Hometown
Mandeville, La.

From the bayous of Mandeville, Louisiana, to the boardrooms of Black Hills Energy in Wyoming, Jonathan Boudreaux's journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of education. 

After struggling in his undergraduate studies, he took a step away from 欧美三级片 life. But real-world experience soon taught him the value of a degree, motivating him to return to academia with renewed purpose. 

鈥淪omething my father always instilled in me was that there鈥檚 many things that can be taken away from you, but education is not one of them,鈥 he says. 鈥淣o one can ever take away what you鈥檝e accomplished by earning a degree.鈥 

With those words driving him forward, Boudreaux earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree from UL Lafayette in 2010. 

But his pursuit of knowledge was far from over. 

Nearly a decade later, Boudreaux enrolled in UL Lafayette鈥檚 MBA program online, marking the beginning of a journey defined by resilience and dedication. 

Charting New Waters 

Boudreaux's journey at UL Lafayette as a young mechanical engineering student got off to a rocky start. 

鈥淚t just wasn't working for me. I ended up leaving the 欧美三级片 just because I felt like maybe college wasn't the route for me,鈥 he explains. 鈥淭hen, I started working, and I realized how much I really needed a degree to do what I wanted to do in life.鈥 

Through real-world experience, Boudreaux came to understand the significance of education in unlocking opportunities and advancing in his career.

鈥淚 went back to UL Lafayette and met with the dean of engineering at the time, and he talked to me about the . And that kind of fit me a little bit better than what I originally wanted to do,鈥 he says. 

This realization fueled his decision to return to school. 

In 2010, Boudreaux secured his bachelor鈥檚 degree in industrial technology and spent a decade in the workforce. 

But after a while, he found himself craving something more. 

Motivated by his family鈥檚 educational achievements and a desire for career advancement, Boudreaux made the decision to pursue his MBA online through UL Lafayette. 

鈥淚 was looking at different universities and I decided to go back to UL Lafayette because that鈥檚 where I got my bachelor鈥檚 degree, and it was a wonderful school,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t was a great size for me, and the Office of Career Services really helped me kickstart my career. The MBA program was all online, so the process was very simple.鈥 

But after deciding on UL Lafayette's MBA program online, Boudreaux found himself facing a new set of challenges in the application process. Feeling uncertain about the next steps, he reached out for guidance. 

鈥淲hen I was applying to do this, I hadn鈥檛 taken the GMAT. So, I reached out to the MBA Director, and he walked me through the process of how to do that. He was super helpful,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 expecting a one-on-one phone call with him but that鈥檚 what he did, so I was very appreciative of that.鈥 

Striking a Balance 

Serving as president of his local Rotary club, vice chair of his local Habitat for Humanity chapter, and juggling the responsibilities of a supervisor and family man, Boudreaux added "MBA student" into his already impressive roster of commitments. 

With this array of responsibilities, his second stint at UL Lafayette required a fresh approach. 

鈥淚鈥檇 get home from work and spend some time with the family and the kids, and once they鈥檇 go to bed, that was when I鈥檇 log on,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 had a lot of late nights and there were several weekends where all I did was sit in the basement and knock out a whole bunch of assignments and schoolwork.鈥 

As Boudreaux navigated his busy schedule, he found a rhythm that allowed him to manage both his professional and personal commitments. 

鈥淚 took two classes a semester, and that was the perfect pace for me,鈥 he recalls. 

With 8-week classes, the MBA program online allows students to take two courses per semester while only having to focus on one class at a time. 

Boudreaux was able to take the knowledge from his accelerated MBA courses and immediately apply it to real-world challenges in his work. 

鈥淩ight away, I was able to apply all of the financial accounting lessons that we learned: how corporate finance is structured, how different corporations make money, and how it impacts the shareholders,鈥 he explains. 鈥淭he courses really helped build a foundational layer. Just being able to apply what I learned has been super helpful.鈥 

But Boudreaux found that this program offered more than just complementary curriculum 鈥 it fostered a learning community that transcended geographical boundaries. 

鈥淚 really enjoyed working with my classmates on some of the projects we got to do,鈥 he says. 鈥淕roup assignments were really fun. There was one student from Florida and another from West Virginia, so it was pretty neat to bring people together from all different places to work on things.鈥 

Beyond the MBA 

With three new letters behind his name, Boudreaux is looking forward to the opportunities that await. 

鈥淚 want to progress in my career, I鈥檓 currently a Regional Operations Manager for a gas distribution company. I鈥檇 like to move up to a state leadership role and progress from there,鈥 he says. 鈥淎s far as education goes, I don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檓 done. There is something else I want to get, and I don鈥檛 know what that is yet, but I really enjoyed being back in school.鈥 

With a seasoned perspective, Boudreaux extends a word of advice to those currently navigating the MBA program online.

鈥淭he small accomplishments are huge. There are not many things you get to do as big as this,鈥 he says. 鈥淓njoy the experience, take it slow, and ask questions when they come up because UL Lafayette has a huge support system. That鈥檚 one of the reasons I decided to go back.鈥 


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