Alumni

Meet Kae Lovaas

"I went into the Executive UST MBA program as a fairly successful manager and came out being a strong leader. I really understood the difference between managing and leading by the time I received my degree."

I completed my Executive UST MBA in 1998 and worked in the property and casualty insurance industry for another seven years. I am retired now, but have used the skills and background that I acquired in my career and in the MBA program to mentor others and volunteer with organizations that could benefit from my skill set.

I originally decided to get a graduate degree because I realized that my ability to progress further in my company would be dependent on both my abilities and my credentials, and an M.B.A. was an important credential.

I chose St. Thomas because I wanted a program that had practical application - one that wasn’t all textbook but was related to the real world of business. I wanted professors that had been a part of the business world and experienced the daily challenges that I faced. I wanted to go to class and be able to immediately apply what I had learned in class.

There were two key learnings that were very meaningful for me. First, I went into the program being a fairly successful manager and came out being a strong leader. I really understood the difference between managing and leading by the time I received my degree.

The second learning that was critical for me was the understanding that the skill set that got me where I was would not necessarily be the skill set I needed for the future. That was a tough truth to accept because I knew I was good at the what got me to my current position and the ability to let go of those skills and replace them with executive skills was a huge risk, but one that really paid off for me.

My program employed the cohort concept and it was the most valuable part of my education. The members of my class brought such a broad range of backgrounds and experiences that I was able to learn something from each of them every class session. Being exposed to multiple approaches to success made me a better supervisor because I learned to appreciate the varied approaches of my direct reports.

My position didn’t change a lot after I received my degree but, for me, what was important was how I performed my role. I really understood my strengths and weaknesses better and had a better understanding of how to surround myself with people who would compliment my background. I was a leader and lead with greater ease and comfort as opposed to the intense and driven person that I was prior to my UST MBA program. I believe that those I worked with found me a better colleague, manager and leader after I completed my UST MBA.

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