We recently caught up with two members of the Rice Jones Executive MBA Program to learn a bit more about their background, their reasons for choosing to pursue an MBA, and why they selected Rice. We also learn a bit more about the Rice Executive MBA Program and what each student has planned for after they complete their program. Read more about James & Keri in the pages that follow.
James Reade Dawson, Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, Executive MBA Class of 2022
School and Program:
Rice Jones Executive MBA Program
Hometown:
Nacogdoches, Texas. Nacogdoches is the oldest town in Texas. We love the beautiful rolling hills and tall pines!
James Reade Dawson, Rice Jones Executive MBA Class of 2022
Undergraduate Institution & Major:
Stephen F. Austin State University, Environmental Science.
I have always had a love for the land! I wanted to make a lasting contribution to environmental stewardship.
Pre-MBA Work Experience:
I have been professionally engaged for twenty years in the Upstream Oil and Gas industry. My main focus in this industry has been the water space. Developing infrastructure for reliable water supply chains to service upstream development. I truly enjoy the challenge of finding solutions that are environmentally responsible and economically sustainable to service the robust oil and gas industry in America!
Why Business School? Why Now?
During my career, I have built, developed, and matured many businesses from the ground up. I enjoy tackling challenges at full throttle. Without surprise, there are often major swings in the economic climates that we work in. I have found the biggest challenge in business development is timing! Your entrance and exit strategies are pivotal to your success. I recognized that I needed a better toolset to help identify and execute timing in my business models to realize success. I also knew that The Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice offered those tools. This was the most important driver for me attending business school now!
Why did you pick your school/program? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
In my professional life I have encountered multiple peers whose business acumen and performance impressed me. The majority of these people had one thing in common: the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University. I researched the programs offered, and it became clear to me the Jones School was a perfect fit. I also really appreciated that an Executive program was offered, which placed me in classes with peers who had similar experience levels.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to your graduating class?
Unity is incredibly important to me. Creating unity among my class, team associates, and work peers is by far my most valuable contribution and championed goal. As I mentioned earlier, I have founded many businesses and experience has taught me one very important lesson; businesses consist of a collection of people working together. “Together” being the key word. In my opinion, unity is the driving principle that equates to success in business.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I love farming! My home is a working small farm. I love raising my family on a small diversified working farm. It is a great way to keep things in perspective. Farming has definitely shaped my business strategies. I have found that conservative forecasting in business models is a very valuable trait.
Post-MBA Career Interests:
I am very interested in forming a Venture Capital group focused on the interconnectivity of energy and agriculture. Our work will center on new technologies that add value and create efficiencies in this space. I believe that food equity is a major problem and warrants investment to solve the many complicated challenges associated with modern nutrient and calorie demands.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
Be honest and real about why you want to attend graduate school, how you are going to fit schoolwork into your already busy schedule, and what you desire to learn during your graduate school experience. My key takeaway is that graduate school will immediately begin filling the gaps in your professional life that you were unaware of, and that is a good thing!
What is your initial impression of the school’s students/culture/community?
My experience at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University has made the impression on me that the students, culture, and community all have at their core, care and compassion for one another. Rice is a school where we lift each other up, applying an attitude of unity while simultaneously encouraging personal growth. Your teammates, professors, and you will go on an amazing journey together that will result in surprising and exciting outcomes.
Keri Sprung, Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, Executive MBA Class of 2022
School and Program:
Rice Jones Executive MBA Program
Hometown:
The Woodlands, Texas
Keri Sprung, Rice Executive MBA Class of 2022
Undergraduate Institution & Major:
The University of Texas at Austin, BA Biology
Pre-MBA Work Experience:
I have 25 years of work experience primarily in medical research and innovation for-profit and non-profit sectors. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, I worked for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. across several Texas Medical Center healthcare institutions. I served as vice president of marketing for an Austin-based biotech firm. I later co-founded two medical device companies that provided surgical services to hospital systems across the southwest region. Since 2012, I have worked at the Texas Heart Institute in the Texas Medical Center and volunteered with several non-profit advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association, Texans for Stem Cell Research, Breakthrough Houston, Genetics Policy Institute, and Elnita McClain Women’s Center. I currently serve as a Rice Business Board Fellow for Children at Risk.
Why Business School? Why Now?
In the last ten years, I found myself increasingly curious about what makes public-private partnerships successful. Despite diverse work experience in a large for-profit corporation, startups, distributorships, and non-profits, I found myself taking courses online to fill in knowledge gaps and fully understand the complex business ecosystem. The intellectual space where these entities intersect interests me the most, and I longed for deeper involvement. I recognized that my lack of formal business training would prevent me from meaningfully advancing in my career – especially in the complicated business environments I love. I had decades of experience working with management teams and leaders, but I needed to learn “why” and “how” decisions are made in the board room and C-Suite.
Why did you pick your school/program? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Adding value to my institution, family, and community – both personally and professionally – was my primary goal when choosing an MBA program. I chose Rice Business because I wanted not only to complete a rigorous curriculum but engage with a diverse and progressive alumni community after graduation to expand my network for professional, philanthropic, and personal goals.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to your graduating class?
We started our program during a global pandemic on Zoom — not exactly conducive to building relationships with your classmates. I knew that networking was one of the significant reasons many executives seek an MBA, so I decided to be brave and reach out personally to connect with as many of my classmates as possible in the first few weeks. Our cohort of 63 brilliant professionals is exceptionally close today, and I am honored to be in this program with every one of them.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
In 2015, I recognized the need to submerge myself into a rigorous graduate program and decided to take a few courses at the Rice Glasscock Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. I was concerned that my ability to inspire others would soon hit a plateau if I did not seek formal training. I took 4 or 5 courses at night, and they were enlightening. Taking these continued learning courses solidified my decision to apply to the Rice MBA program.
Post-MBA Career Interest:
My goal is to continue to advance my career in the non-profit sector and engage in additional opportunities with entrepreneurial individuals, companies, and institutions in the future that are pursuing impactful business ideas that will benefit from my breadth of experience and new knowledge.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
When evaluating the commitment, don’t be apprehensive about the time commitment. If you sit down and assess a 22-month program and break it down into weeks, it does not look so daunting. It is always possible to find time in your schedule. With solid scheduling discipline and support from your family, friends, and co-workers the program is entirely manageable — and exhilarating.
What is your initial impression of the school’s students/culture/community?
Inspiring and engaging with boundless optimism.