A Day in the Life of a Flex MBA

Since 2007, Chapman University been my home away from home. My name is Loren Diaz (’11) and I live in the city of Orange, work full-time with the Center for Global Education and go to school part-time at the George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics.

Why Chapman?

It’s no surprise I chose Chapman University’s Flex MBA program. After completing my undergraduate degree in Business Administration at Chapman, I read about Chapman’s climb in the B-school ranks of 
Bloomberg Businessweek
 where it is currently listed as #48 in part-time MBA programs across the nation. At the MBA information session, I learned that prospective applicants in the room were also Chapman alumni and were optimistic about joining the Chapman community once again. I knew I would be surrounded by highly motivated students, prestigious faculty and administration, and state-of-the-art facilities at the Argyros School of Business and Economics.

What does my typical day look like as a Flex MBA student? 

No one day in my planner is the same. Below is a consolidated glimpse of my typical, busy day as a Flex MBA student:

6:00 a.m. - Early morning workout

My favorite locations to exercise: Wilson Field and the Julianne Argyros Fitness Center.

6:00 a.m. Wake Up Call – Good Morning Chapman!

6:45 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Get ready for work

After my workout, I shower, get dressed, cook breakfast, and create a to-do list for my day.

Healthy Breakfast

Morning Planning

Walking to Work

8:00 a.m. – Report time

8:00 a.m. Report Time

• Processing foreign transcript with the Office of the University Registrar
• Monitoring the Global Gateway, an web-based application database
• Recommending new technologies and marketing strategies to aid students participating in a global experience

By mid-afternoon, I work on projects related to annual events. Each year, the CGE hosts an academic conference and three on-campus fairs.

Registrars’ Office

Study Abroad Fair

International Food Fair

12:00 p.m. – Lunch

On most days, I have the option to go home for lunch. I enjoy decompressing from the first half of the day by eating a healthy lunch, reading articles, and taking a short nap. On other days, I grab lunch with my mentees from the Promising Futures Program, a support program for all first-generation students at Chapman.

Soup and sandwich

Juicing for lunch

Home grown strawberry

1:00 p.m. – Back to Work

After lunch, I check for e-mails and take a few minutes to research trends in international education. Some of my afternoon projects include creating marketing materials for overseas programs and managing the CGE social media accounts.

At my desk

Oxford Flyer

CGE Social Media

3:30 p.m. – It’s almost 5 o’clock!

In the late afternoon, I wrap up any projects left outstanding from the early morning. One of my favorite afternoon assignments has been giving tours of the university’s beautiful campus.

Global Citizens Plaza

On a campus tour

Pete the Panther visits the CGE

Panthers Abroad

5:00 p.m.

After work, I rush home to eat dinner and brush up on homework and class notes. In some instances, I have come across a few distractions of the furry kind:

Pet me instead?

Am I on your chair?

What’s on the laptop?

7:00 p.m. - Time for Class

During the lecture, I take notes and continue the discussion with friends after class.

7:00 p.m. Time for class!

10:00 p.m. – Rest or …?

On most nights, I head home to sleep. On others, I join my classmates for a drink at the local bar.

We love Chapman MBA!

What does my typical weekend look like as a Flex MBA student? 

Friday, Saturday, and/ or Sunday, 
Depending on assignments, deadlines and exam days, I study for at least 3 to 4 hours over the weekend. I have made it a habit to dedicate a time to study on Sundays. The library, graduate lounge, and student union are great places to study and meet with classmates.

Leatherby Libraries