Although Cassidy Yatsko was born and raised in Hawaii, she took to Bowling Green State University easily. Her mother, Janece, is a BGSU alumna.
“My parents grew up in Ohio and moved to Kauai 32 years ago,” she said. “I left the island for college, but I loved growing up there.
“My sister and I had the opportunity every year to go to Ohio to visit family. We knew what it was like on the mainland, so we wanted to get out and explore for our undergrad degrees. I applied to Bowling Green, but I went to Boise State University.”
Yatsko now lives in Cleveland and is a student in BGSU’s online Master of Business Administration program. She is on track to graduate in December 2022.
“I am young and a sponge, and I want to grow and learn. That’s why I sought out my MBA,” said Yatsko, who appreciates the flexibility that BGSU’s online program provides.
Life is moving fast for Yatsko. In April 2021, she started a new role at PwC, a professional consulting firm. Before that, she worked as a mental health professional in the nonprofit field.
“I don’t know that I would have gotten the position at PwC if I hadn’t been working on my MBA,” she said. “It’s already opened doors for me, and I’m not even done. Every person who interviewed me had their MBA or MPA.”
The transition to a new professional role has not disrupted Yatsko’s life because she can complete schoolwork around her schedule.
“I truly enjoy online classes,” she said. “I have felt very supported by the professors even though we are not seeing them in person.”
Aloha, Ohio
After Yatsko graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology in 2017, she planned to embark on a career in sports marketing or community relations.”
“I went into mental health and loved it,” she said. “I played a lot of different roles, eventually moving into more of a communications and fundraising position. I made big leaps with the company and had a lot of fun, but I knew that I wanted to see a different side of the industry if I could.”
That led Yatsko to the online MBA program at BGSU and a seismic career change a few months later.
“I thought that if I stayed in mental health, I’d have a better grasp of how to fundraise for the agency, but if I stayed in development, I’d be able to relate to more of our corporate and board members and see where they are coming from,” she said.
“While networking, I decided I wanted to get into the for-profit field, whether in sports or at PWC, to see what it’s like.”
The timing couldn’t have been much better for Yatsko because BGSU was launching its fully online MBA program when she was looking to return to higher education.
“A friend who got her undergraduate from Bowling Green also recommended it to me,” she said. “I contacted the school to learn more. The staff is so fantastic. I had been out of school for a while, but they were with me the whole way.”
Marketing Management and Strategy, taught by Dr. Greg Rich, was the first course that Yatsko took. It’s also her favorite one so far.
“The class was so exciting and I learned so much,” she said. “That got me off to a good start. It was so cool. Over the past six months, I have networked with more than 100 people in different industries.”
A Big Mahalo
Yatsko has a lot of support from her friends and family, but her mother is especially thrilled to have another Falcon in the nest.
“They were really excited,” Yatsko said. “They knew I would go for my master’s degree at some point. They told me it would open a lot of doors for me and provide me with a broad view of different fields.”
With life falling into place for Yatsko, she looks forward to taking on a new career challenge while enrolled at BGSU.
“I am seeing what it’s like to work for a large company,” she said. “I can see myself working here for a long time and climbing the ladder.
“Both of my parents worked for nonprofits, which is why I went into psychology and sociology. I also got a minor in sign language and conflict resolution in my undergrad, which also helped me land this new position.”
And Yatsko, who enjoys attending baseball games, traveling and backpacking, has no plans to stop soaking up every bit of information she can along the way.
“Be open-minded, network and ask as many questions as you possibly can as an MBA student,” she said.
While enrolled in her first course, she connected with an online classmate who was halfway through the program. Their exchanges are mutually beneficial, with Yatsko giving advice on pursuing one’s passion while gaining insight on which classes to take next.
“Building that network is essential,” she said. “Talk with your professors as much as you can, too. I worked at an agency with a staff of 22. Now, I am working for the second-largest professional consulting firm in the world. I am excited!”
Learn more about BGSU’s online MBA program.
