Lafayette native Mary Alexander has taken no pause in her education. She graduated from UL Lafayette in 2016 with her management degree, then again in 2018 with her . She is currently a law student at SMU Dedman School of Law.
鈥淚 certainly want to find a position where both my MBA and JD will be utilized and my brain challenged,鈥 she said. 鈥淥ne thing I always tell myself is to remain open to any experience 鈥 you never know where life may take you.
鈥淎s a transplant now, living and going to school in Dallas, I can say that it鈥檚 hard to be away from the Cajuns and the lifestyle I grew up on,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was born and raised in Lafayette and knew that UL Lafayette was not only a stellar educational institution but that it also had the culture I wanted in a college.
鈥淯L Lafayette provided me with a perfect combination of soul and challenge,鈥 she said.
Mary chose the degree in management to keep her options as open as possible.
鈥淚 liked the breadth the degree plan afforded,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t allowed me to try different subjects such as marketing and finance and discover what drew me to business in the first place.鈥
Because of the broad range of topics in Mary鈥檚 curriculum, she was offered experiences that shaped her education going forward. She completed legal internships, was in the Student Government Association, and she took advantage of UL Lafayette鈥檚 study abroad program.
鈥淎s an undergrad, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he experience changed my life not only personally, but academically as well.
鈥淚nternational business became an interest of mine after that summer, and it was one of the reasons I decided to complete the MBA program,鈥 she said.
Earning her proved to be very beneficial for attending law school.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize how much an MBA degree would benefit me in law school,鈥 she said. 鈥淓ven if I do not become a transactional attorney, understanding the business of law is something I am extremely grateful to possess. I credit that knowledge exclusively to the UL Lafayette MBA program.
鈥淚 really enjoyed UL Lafayette鈥檚 practical approach to the business program,鈥 she said.
鈥淔rom planning a charitable event in undergrad to collaborating with MBA students from all over the world to develop a business plan, the majority of my learning at UL Lafayette came from hands-on experience,鈥 she said.
鈥淣ow sitting in law school lectures, I miss that way of learning and can appreciate it for what it was,鈥 she said.
Mary also gives credit to the people at the University.
鈥淭he people in the B.I Moody III College of Business Administration made my experience what it was,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he professors who challenged me, the administration who supported me, and the classmates who suffered with me have all changed my life for the better.
鈥淚 will always look fondly at my days spent in Moody Hall,鈥 she said.
