Student Spotlight
Shellie Crandall
"It’s like I had 12 other people at my level or higher that I could talk to in a very safe environment."
How has the Graziadio School experience contributed to your success?
The Pepperdine program was one of the best experiences of my life. The quality of professors is extremely high and the quality of people for the cohort classes are diverse, talented, and bright. Since I came out of the military and was with Brinks for several years, I was looking for experiences outside of what I knew -- in particular, diversity in job functions and industries. I wanted to see the different ways people looked at business and leadership roles. There was also cultural diversity in my class with students coming from Guatemala, Japan, and India. That really put a whole different view on life and business in general.
What was one of your most rewarding experiences?
What was surprising was how close the class became, including with our professors. If there was an issue with work, we were talking about those problems. The class became an avenue to solve problems. People in our roles don't have people to talk to -- just those who report to us. It's like I had 12 other people at my level or higher that I could talk to in a very safe environment. I feel confident that I can reach out to them personally and professionally and get good feedback and input.
What makes the Graziadio School unique?
Pepperdine faculty have the theory and the concepts, but a lot of them have real life experience as well. We were working at a level where everyone in the room is a successful person, so the professors served as experts in their area but acted more as peers. They communicated their expertise in a way that valued what we brought to the table as well. It was a very collaborative experience.
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