Bridgette Welborn ’08, ’24 MBA packed a lot of learning in the past 11 months in Guilford’s Master of Business Administration program, but the biggest lesson she may have learned is this: You’re never too old to be successful in school.

Bridgette, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at Guilford as an adult student 16 years ago, was among 24 students receiving diplomas for completing an MBA or Master of International Sport Management at an Aug. 3 ceremony on campus. 

175 family members and friends filled the Carnegie Room in Hege Academic Commons to celebrate the accomplishments of the second cohort of students in the two graduate programs. Four other graduates were unable to participate in the ceremony.

Rob Littlejohn ’23 MBA, ’24 MISM completed his second master’s degree in as many years. A men’s basketball player, he was among a number of men’s and women’s student-athletes finishing their graduate study while competing for various teams.

“My professors were there to say, ‘You can do it.’”

“I wanted to do it (pursue an MBA),” says Bridgette, a Greensboro resident in her 50s, “but it never seemed the right time. One day I saw that Guilford was offering the MBA, and I decided to become part of the ‘family’ all over again. It was even better than the first time.”

Bridgette, who works in the purchasing field and would like to land a leadership position in an organization, enjoyed being surrounded by younger students. Nineteen of the 28 master’s graduates completed their bachelor’s degrees at Guilford, mostly in the last couple of years. 

“They were so kind, generous and considerate of me,” she says of her younger classmates, “especially with all the changes in technology. In that it was like starting over for me. There were challenges, but I needed that. My professors were there to say, ‘You can do it.’”

Michael Dutch, Seth ’40 and Hazel ’41 Macon Professor of Business Management and MBA Director, underscored the ethics-driven leadership focus of the program in remarks to the graduates. 

“I encourage you to leave this ceremony with a commitment to make a difference,” he said. “In your organizational life, you will be confronted with challenging situations. That’s the fun of management. Don’t make the easy or quick decision; make the right decision.”

Seamless transition from bachelor’s to master’s degree

Dominik Pocrnja ’23, ’24 MISM of Greensboro made the seamless transition from a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management to the MISM program and a graduate assistantship in the Athletic Communications office.

“I saw this as a springboard to my career,” he says. “I’d been around the academic and athletic programs for four years (he played men’s tennis at the College) and knew the MISM would allow me to get through at a faster pace and on to a job.” 

In May, Dominik, a Greensboro resident, began work as Assistant Director of Athletics Communications at Averett University in Danville, Va.

As a master’s student, he worked with Delaney Nightingale ’23, ’24 MISM, on a capstone project to promote Baseball 5, a five-on-five, five-inning street version of the games of baseball and softball in collegiate settings across the U.S. and ultimately the world.

As an undergraduate, Dominik interned at Duke University, where Art Chase ’91 is a longtime administrator.

MISM, by the numbers

Michael White, Assistant Professor for Sport Studies, provided some data for the MISM graduates, sharing that they had written nearly 100,000 words in combined papers, discussion board, critiques, strategic plans and other projects.

They passed more than 14 exams and completed five online career placement modules while attending 95 hours of in-person lectures and watching 36 hours of video instruction.

They traveled more than 24,000 miles in visiting Australia and New Zealand to examine sports programs in those countries, spending more than 50 hours in airports and airplanes in the process. Some students traveled hundreds of miles by van to Bristol, Tenn., for a conference.

They read more than 30 scholarly articles and 10 other books (academic and other texts) and completed four capstone projects for organizations including USA Baseball, National Basketball League of Australia, N.C. Sports Hall of Fame and Australian Football League.

“But ultimately,” Michael said, “the number that matters most is 1: each of you have earned a master’s degree from Guilford College.”