Griffith Business School opens MBA scholarship competition

Griffith Business School are giving aspiring business leaders a chance to apply for a full MBA scholarships and others worth up to $130,000.

The skills acquired through an MBA at Griffith Business School have proven useful for professionals across a range of industries.

The leadership skills acquired through an MBA at Griffith Business School have proven useful for professionals across a range of industries where planning business strategies means thinking not just on a national scale but a global one.

Now the Griffith Business School and Queensland Business Weekly are giving you a chance to secure an MBA scholarship to follow in the footsteps of these recent graduates.

Find out how to apply at griffith.edu.au/qbw

Liesl Hull

State Sales Manager - Queensland, SUEZ Recycling & Recovery Australia

Why did you choose to study an MBA at Griffith Business School and how did you find the experience?

I currently lead a team of exceptional sales people in the waste and recycling industry, which is an industry I am passionate about so I wanted to expand my skills to provide the best outcomes to my team and the business.

Liesl Hull, State Sales Manager Queensland, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery Australia.

I was seeking an MBA that was also aligned with my values and which would incorporate sustainable business methodologies as well as focus on responsible leadership.

Through my research I found that the Griffith MBA was the one most aligned with my expectations which was imbedding sustainability throughout the course content as well as having an innovative mindset.

Being in a male-dominated industry, I found that the MBA gave me the confidence to challenge the status quo and assist in addressing some imbalances within my organisation but also focus on supporting local community initiatives.

Having completed my MBA in 2020, I can honestly say that the Griffith MBA delivered on and exceeded these expectations and offered opportunities to practise these values, whether in the relevant assessments or participating in the Global Business Challenge.

I found the course content exceptionally relevant and challenging and the mixed mode of delivery offered flexibility, especially being a full time, career-driven working mum of three boys.

The course conveners and lecturers were very approachable, highly skilled and supportive and feedback on assessments was efficient and concise.

Being a Griffith MBA Alumni has also meant I have access to ongoing networking events and relevant industry functions so it feels as if I haven’t really left the program and the MBA support team ensures connectivity.

How has doing an MBA changed your career?

The MBA has heightened the passion I have for my industry and my career and changed my approach to innovation and leadership whilst opening my eyes to global situations within my industry space.

This MBA really gave me the confidence to push ahead with some positive innovations and initiatives such as a commercial food waste composting services which provides innovative and environmental outcomes for the company and also our customers.

I also had the honour of participating in the Global Business Challenge representing the Griffith MBA which excellent MBA team members which led to the team putting a trademark in place for a unique and innovative business concept utilising blockchain technology.

The premise is to connect producers of valuable resources with manufacturers and track waste along its circular journey as a resource and keep it in the circular economy as long as possible.

With waste being shipped all over the world and very little traceability, this solution allows transparency along the value chain to all stakeholders.

How has studying the Griffith MBA impacted the way you think about leadership?

From the get-go, the Griffith MBA challenged me on how I viewed leadership and allowed a far wider lens of how businesses could implement responsible leadership, from a local and global perspective.

Leadership for Sustainable Business really drove home the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Business Goals and I embed these into how I lead my teams to view their impact both personally and in business.

I found that the MBA really also challenged me to do more both professionally and personally as I had more to offer than what I realised. By giving more back to the community, I found that I felt more fulfilled.

Luke Shanahan

Director Clinical Measurements-Cardiac, Diagnostic and Sub Specialty Service, Gold Coast Health

Why did you choose to study an MBA at Griffith Business School and how did you find the experience?

After many years of clinical study in cardiac investigations at a national and international level, I realised that an underlying factor of continued success in the medical field was business.

I chose to study an MBA at Griffith Business School due to its focus on sustainability, responsible leadership, flexibility of course subjects and additionally it covered all the core business skills that I wanted to improve.

Director clinical measurements-cardiac, Luke Shanahan. Picture: Nigel Hallett

These core business skills included human resources management, finance, accounting, marketing, business law and strategic planning.

Another key reason for choosing the MBA was that it was applicable to business in general and would not limit my career to Healthcare.

Not having a business mentor or someone that could provide me with direction I found the MBA a valuable experience as it helped me gain confidence with my business skills whilst additionally allowing me to build relationships with staff and other students who were able to impart some their knowledge from real life experiences.

The MBA allowed me to apply course concepts to assist in developing strategic plans for gaps that I had identified between business decision making and what was actually taking place on the clinical coal face.

The Griffith MBA was very flexible with face-face and online study options and the lecturers were all very knowledgeable with real life experience. I personally worked full-time throughout the MBA and whilst it was challenging balancing work, study, social life and family it was achievable.

I think the key is time management and planning courses in advance. I was able to attend face-face courses on weekend and then did other courses online before and after work.

The other advantage of the Griffith MBA was course facilitators/lecturers were very accommodating in allowing assessments to be related to current work situations.

How has doing an MBA changed your career?

Shortly after finishing the MBA I was appointed the Director of Clinical Measurements- Cardiac Investigations at Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service.

This position provides leadership and direction for Cardiac Investigations across the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (and indirectly assists Department of Health at state level), including highly specialised clinical expertise and professional leadership in cardiac science investigations and clinical service delivery.

The business skills I developed throughout my MBA have assisted me in this position and additionally gaining these skills from MBA has now opened doors outside of the healthcare industry.

How has studying the Griffith MBA impacted the way you think about leadership?

In challenging economic, social, political and environmental times it has made me realise the importance of responsible leadership. This includes displaying respect, integrity, equality and equity.

The Griffith MBA teaches the aspects of being a responsible leader and it is up to individuals to enact.

In my somewhat short career as a leader, the pragmatic things I have learnt to be effective from MBA, and real life experience are to act with integrity, listen carefully to others, treat others with respect and understand the roles that people play behind the numbers.

I think there is a challenge between doing things right whilst still doing the right thing and by this I mean just because something may be legally acceptable and effective doesn’t mean it is ethically acceptable.

Leadership is not easy, however, at the same time can be very rewarding when plans and strategies come to fruition.