Luke Ascoli ’23 MBA
Luke Ascoli’s Bryant journey didn’t begin until well into his professional career. After starting a new role at CVS Health, he realized he needed more training and promptly invested in Bryant’s Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics. That certificate soon became a natural steppingstone for Ascoli to complete the Two-Year MBA program.
Why did you continue your education at Bryant University?
I joined CVS Health in 2015. CVS has a robust analytics department within a matrix environment, and I found that I needed more expertise in business analytics and coding concepts. I went looking for a local program, and the Bryant Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics popped right up.
The certificate was a test for me to see how difficult it would be to go back to school for the first time in almost 20 years. I liked the quality of the program so much that I decided to get my MBA. The certificate plugged right into the MBA, so I didn’t have to take those courses again. It was the perfect pathway for me.
What are a few highlights of your experience?
Professor Michael Roberto teaches the first class in the MBA program, Managing Corporate Enterprise, and it was a great way to start. It was a fascinating class and got me thinking about business concepts and company strategy. The case studies and the discussions were great; it always seemed like valuable, interesting work.
What skills have you added through your programs?
Bryant gave me the confidence to be a better partner to the individual organizations that exist within CVS. We’re a large company, so we have robust departments, like finance, product innovation, strategy, organization. Bryant gave me the ability to interact with them from a place of knowledge and understand what they’re saying.
I would have a class, and then the next day or the next week, I would hear some of the concepts being discussed at work. It would really click for me — that content I was learning, and then applying that at work. It was amazing. Even the way Professor Roberto talked about unified strategy across an entire enterprise, I see that playing out at CVS. It’s all very applicable.
How has your Bryant experience impacted your career?
I’ve already used the skills I’ve learned to progress successfully at CVS. Just this year, I progressed into a director role. The skills and knowledge I got from Bryant helped me be confident in going after that role. I’m now the director of specialty pharmacy product development. We develop clinical programs for patients who are on specialty medications for rare and chronic diseases. I would love to continue in healthcare product development and keep progressing. I’m on a good career path, and I’m happy with the way it’s going — and Bryant definitely helped me get there.
Why would you recommend Bryant?
Bryant is a great business school. The amount of knowledge and expertise that the professors have is across the board amazing. If you’re considering going back to school, the graduate certificate to MBA program pathway is a really unique, useful road to take. You can get a taste for what it’s like going to Bryant for relatively low risk. It’s a great pathway to see if this is something you’re interested in pursuing.
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