The Power of a Broad MBA Network

Choosing the business school that fits your Master of Business Administration (MBA) goals makes an immeasurable impact on your career. With more than 550 AACSB-accredited business schools in the United States, the options are nearly limitless. Prospective students face a variety of questions when researching an MBA program: Where is it located? What’s the tuition? Does the school have a good reputation? Is it a collaborative community? 

One question that should be asked of every business school is: How well will the MBA program help me build my professional network? 

The Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University excels in network-building opportunities for MBA students, resulting in benefits that pay dividends well beyond commencement day. 

Why choose a business school with little to offer after classes have ended, when you can choose an MBA program that keeps on giving? Baylor’s MBA Alumni can answer that.

Karen K. Martin, MBA ’83, Amine Qourzal, MBA ’13, Ahmad Jenkins, MBA/ME ’13, and Ryan Gloede, MBA ’21, have benefited in five distinct ways from their MBA network, both before and after graduation. 

Baylor’s MBA network helps with career transitions across industries.

Career transitions can be tough; ask anyone attempting to break into a new field. Forbes estimates “half of all American workers are actively considering changing industries.” LinkedIn reports that retail workers led the pack in 2024, with 54 percent seeking new careers. Perhaps surprisingly, 47 percent of employees in high-paying careers like tech and information are also looking.

Whatever your field, connections are important in transitioning to another, said Jenkins, senior manager of Strategy and Enablement at Netflix.

“Networking during an MBA program allows students to plant seeds that will blossom into key connections,” he said. 

What better networking potential are “key connections” than friends? 

“Find people you genuinely connect with and create authentic friendships,” Jenkins said. “That will impact your career more than simple networking – friends love to help friends.” 

“I think MBA networking is one of the most powerful tools for making a successful career transition, whether it’s across industries or into a new function,” said Gloede, director of Surgical Contract Services at Vizient. “The Baylor MBA program surrounds you with people from diverse backgrounds. Those connections can give you direct access to real-world insights and possible mentorships.”

Baylor’s MBA network provides quality connections, rather than quantity.

Business referrals come in different qualities, and many are less helpful than others. Searching through a hundred “leads” looking for one quality connection creates unnecessary complications and takes time. Not maximizing relationships is one of the missed opportunities MBA graduates regret.

Baylor’s MBA networks cut through the ocean of potential contacts to quality connections. In other words, the Baylor MBA program helps you maximize your relationships. 

“Cast a wide net on potential connections because you never know who can impact your life. Then create connection tiers to organize your network,” Jenkins said. “You will contact some of them frequently. Others will be monthly or quarterly syncs. Focus on quality for the frequent connections and balance the other tiers based on your time/energy.”

A broad MBA network helps access hidden job markets.

“It's a proven statistic that 70-80 percent of employment opportunities are never advertised,” Martin said. “A wide MBA network helps overcome by making another adage true: It's who you know, not what you know.”

In addition to the direct connections from your MBA network are the extended contacts this network brings. The strength of “weak ties” or friends of friends, have proven to help gain new jobs. Thus, the broader your MBA network, the weaker ties you’ll have over time. Building the network now pays off later.

“We are blessed at Baylor to have some of the best alumni who are eager to support the next generation of MBAs entering the market,” said Qourzal, associate director at Baylor’s career center. “These varied professionals are more than willing to help by hosting students at their companies, having informational interviews, or even hiring interns or full-time employees. It’s all part of the culture we instill in each one of our graduates.”

A broad MBA network contributes to entrepreneurial success.

A broad MBA network not only helps in established career fields, it also helps when you want to start your own business. 

“My MBA network opened doors I never imagined, like business ownership,” Gloede said. “After graduating, a former colleague who knew my strengths referred me to a franchise opportunity with CarePatrol. Today, my wife and I proudly own CarePatrol of Northwest DFW.”

“Word-of-mouth referrals of your business and project management skills can often lead to engagement contracts,” Martin said. 

Relationships formed in Hankamer’s MBA program lead to long-term professional collaborations.

Gloede tells of one such collaboration. 

“I met a fellow student in the Baylor MBA program who happened to work at the same company as I did; we hit it off immediately,” he said. “Even though he’s since moved out of state and left the company, we still stay in touch, whether keeping up with family, talking Baylor sports, and, of course, connecting regularly on professional topics.”

Martin said “projects in the MBA program reveal students’ skills and aptitudes,” which aids in networking later. Further professional collaborations come through organizations like the Dallas Business Club of North Texas, which is “a wonderful resource for all Hankamer MBA graduates – traditional or EMBA.”

Another benefit of Baylor’s MBA is networking events held throughout each year. Career treks, alumni panels, and company informational sessions help students prepare for their career. 

“We also take our students on a week-long trip to New York City for a leadership summit where they network with Baylor alumni who are in leadership roles across industries,” Qourzal said. “Here they learn from some of the greatest minds in business to enhance their chances of career success.”

Why should a prospective MBA student choose Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business?

Two specific advantages of a Baylor MBA rise to the top for these grads: quality of the educational experience and the faith connection. 

“Hankamer's rankings are high in every degree program,” Martin said. “The faculty have tenure and possess business experience. Employers view our degrees highly. Baylor graduates volunteer for extra duties, mentoring, and other opportunities to help companies. We unapologetically address the spiritual side of issues as a private, Christian institution.”

Baylor’s Christian orientation was also important to Gloede.

“One of the most unique advantages of the Baylor MBA program I experienced was how its Christ-centered principles are thoughtfully integrated into the curriculum,” he said. “There’s a level of personal attention at Baylor – grounded in integrity and faith – that you simply don’t find within most other programs. That alignment with my own values played a big role in why I chose Baylor.” 

“I have established relationships with faculty and staff that I simply do not believe I would have made had I attended another institution,” Jenkins said. “The time I spent with the career management team was invaluable to my development, and I truly believe they helped me unlock my potential. Baylor has the impact of the largest institutions but takes a student-first approach like a small institution.” 

Discover more about MBA options at Baylor.

Baylor offers a Full-Time MBA, an Online MBA and an Executive MBA in Dallas that meets just one weekend each month. You can start or continue an application for your MBA at Baylor here.

Baylor’s Online MBA offerings are the best online MBA programs for leadership. You can earn a 100 percent online MBA while getting expert instruction from nationally acclaimed faculty and all the other resources you’ve come to expect from the University’s Business School. Choose a General MBA program or concentrations in Business Analytics, Cybersecurity, Executive Communication, Global Trade and Supply Chain Management, and Marketing. Click here to begin the three-step Baylor MBA Program application process.

What’s Next?

Creating and fostering a professional network is an integral part of your success in your career. Read more about the best tips for networking effectively.

Networking is just one aspect of how a Baylor MBA can prepare you for success. Here’s more ways a Baylor MBA can elevate your career.