Clara Spaanstra’s future looked bright as she walked across the stage last month during the Illinois MBA commencement ceremony. Clara completed her MBA degree, concentrating in Marketing, and will start working for Whirlpool Corporation as Category Manager in the Marketing Division.

Clara joined the MBA program after working as a Marketing Analyst in Lima, Peru. Her prior experience proved to be an excellent foundation for her MBA experience. During Clara’s time in the Illinois MBA, she became the president of the Latin American Business Society. She organized various social and professional events including the Global Business Conference in November 2006, which brought in top executives from BankFinancial, McDonald’s, and Motorola. Additionally, Clara was an engagement manager for Illinois Business Consulting (IBC) and managed five marketing consulting projects throughout her second year in the Illinois MBA.

These experiences along with her desire to obtain a job in marketing resulted in her new position with Whirlpool. Clara will be working in The Brand Portfolio Leadership Development Program (BPLDP), an eighteen-month marketing rotational program where she will gain experience in product strategy, product development, and consumer messaging.

As an alumna of the MBA program, she hopes to apply all the concepts and experience obtained during the program to her new marketing position. “The MBA program made me analyze issues from different angles and come up with solutions outside the box. It also allowed me to understand other cultures and different points of view. It was definitely the best educational experience that I had in my career.”