A global perspective and an international itinerary

While many educational experiences are a straight road from enrollment to convocation, some routes are more circuitous. Bader Murad—who graduates this June with a Master of Global Business (MGB) from the Sardul S. Gill Graduate School at the Gustavson School of Business—took a while to find his way. Convocation isn’t the only milestone for Murad: he’s also arrived triumphantly at his first career destination. 

Murad’s undergraduate degree in criminology and additional coursework in human resources left something lacking for him—ultimately, he found neither of those spoke to him as careers. Murad heard about the Master of Global Business while working at an outdoor store on the West Coast. He had lived in Europe and wanted to get back overseas, so he investigated the internationally focused program. 

Without an undergrad commerce degree, Murad acquired the fundamentals in an intensive, 12-week Certificate in Business Administration. It required a big a leap of faith: he quit his job to immerse himself in the program—“…in which he excelled,” adds MGB Program Associate Director John Oldale.

And then another roadblock: Murad’s undergrad GPA wasn’t stellar. However, there were many other clear and compelling elements in his application, and Oldale and the MGB Admissions Committee “had a good feeling about him.” They weighed those factors against his GPA and made him an offer of admission.

“It was the right decision,” said Oldale. “He excelled in the MGB, not only academically, but in every other way: socially, cross-culturally [and] in the experiential elements of the program.” Murad was one of the top five graduates in his class.

Murad found his MGB internship with Munich, Germany company, Metaio, on a UVic job board. He was later encouraged by a friend to apply to Hitfox Group in Berlin, where he survived a month-long interview process.

Murad says he got his job because he was able to sell the MGB program.  He competed successfully with people with MBAs and experience in consulting companies because of what he learned and experienced through the MGB program; in his words: “I learned a global mindset.” He’s already had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona twice through his job, and is heading to London and Madrid. The MGB gave him the skills and confidence to work internationally. He also said the program will have paid for itself in two years.  

With his recent promotion to Business Development Manager at Hitfox venture Applift—and an international itinerary to match his global perspective—Murad says happily, “I am living the MGB life.”