Bowling Green State University (BGSU) alumnus Eric Peck was set to enroll in a master’s degree program at another school when the Falcon call beckoned him home.
“I knew before I started my undergraduate journey that I wanted to get an MBA,” he said. “I like the business department at BGSU and knew it was going to be a perfect fit for me.
“I stumbled upon the program because they launched it about a month before I was going to start at another university. I changed it quickly and got in. It was the best thing that could have happened to me.”
Peck graduated from the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at BGSU in December 2020. He is a pricing business analyst at Libbey, Inc., in Toledo.
“I have been working remotely since March 14, 2020” he said. “We were ready to go with all of our programs at work when COVID-19 hit, so it has not been hard.”
He found that the online degree program folded right into working from home.
“I have one less hour to commute every day, so I had another hour for homework and studying,” he said. “That was nice.”
With most of the country shut down during the pandemic, Peck is thrilled to have spent that time earning a master’s degree.
“Our company is in an exciting period,” he said. “We just got out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, so we are rebuilding for the future. Having an MBA with two years of experience there is going to be a great thing going forward.”
Fast Start
Peck grew up in Ottawa, Ohio, where he completed one year of college at the University of Findlay through College Credit Plus. The college course he took as a high school senior helped prepare him for BGSU.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics from BGSU’s on-campus program in 2018, Peck landed the position at Libbey.
“With economics, I had a wide range of ability to work in different departments when I got out of school,” he said. “The opportunity at Libbey presented itself right away. It was exactly what I wanted. I couldn’t be happier.
“It’s a pricing business role, but it has so many more aspects to it. They let me run with it when I got there. I am also involved in our e-commerce division.”
MBA 6080: Leading for Organizational Success was Peck’s favorite course in the online MBA curriculum.
“I wanted the MBA to learn more about organizational behavior and leadership,” he said. “That course stood out to me because it doesn’t just relate to my career at Libbey — it also relates to other things I do in my life, like community involvement. That was a big piece of it that I wanted to learn more about.”
Peck has volunteered for the Allen Township Fire Department for five years and has served on the board of directors of the Madison Avenue School of Arts in Toledo for two years.
“I love volunteering,” he said. “I joined the volunteer fire department in my town when I was 18 years old. I didn’t understand at the time how much time and involvement it takes. I am glad I do it. It’s fun and gives back to me because it’s exciting to be able to take care of other people.”
Strong Finish
Although the commencement ceremony was virtual, Peck celebrated his big accomplishment with a small gathering of family members.
“They are excited for me. My father knew I always wanted to get a master’s degree. To get it done in one year is that much more special,” he said of his push to complete the program despite the pandemic upending life as he knew it.
“I was able to graduate with summa cum laude honors for my MBA. This again goes back to the great professors in BGSU’s business department and their fostering of academic success.”
The information Peck learned in the online MBA program has increased his versatility and value to his company. He believes the program was crucial in helping him understand how high-level management plans and makes decisions.
“I also deal heavily in our data strategy and am embedded into the business intelligence at our company,” he said. “Having that economics background with the statistics piece from BGSU was key to me being able to do that.”
Earning an MBA in 12 months from BGSU proved to be perfect timing for Peck and pertinent to today. He found every course applicable to real-life scenarios on the job.
“It’s definitely a 21st-century degree,” he said. “You learn a lot of things that are relevant in the world. Especially with COVID-19 and seeing how the economy changes and how business models change, this degree teaches you how to adapt and change.”
Climbing the Ladder
“I want to run a company,” he said. “In my two years I have been at my current company, I have seen how you evolve in your career. I think I am off to a fast start. After getting an MBA, I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. I want to keep rolling, elevating and challenging myself to get better and better.”
Peck believes attending BGSU also gave him a fresh outlook and promising opportunity in every aspect of his life. In fact, his degree just recently helped him earn a director-level job offer as a 23-year-old. The College of Business Young Alumni Board also recently approved him as a member, and he looks forward to giving back to the communities that have helped him get to where he is today.
“Looking at things differently, staying poised and having that go-getter attitude is true to BGSU and the education you get,” he said. “This program embodied that to help me do more in my career and community.”
Learn more about BGSU’s online MBA program.
