Erminsson Tirado Delgado

This interview was originally shared while Erminsson was studying for his MBA at Newcastle University Business School. Since graduating, he has continued to build on his experience and apply his MBA learnings in his career.

Q&A

How has the full-fee scholarship supported your plans to do an MBA?

The scholarship was essential for turning my MBA dream into a reality. There is no doubt that education in the UK is highly recognised worldwide but the cost of getting a degree is also higher than other countries. By receiving the scholarship, it made studying in the UK feasible from the economic perspective of my personal and professional dream of completing an MBA in one of the top universities around the world.

On the other hand, the scholarship has allowed me to focus on the programme rather than thinking of financial element of studying. This has been an essential part of my experience as I can I get the most from the MBA.

What sort of a positive impact has the MBA full-fee scholarship and programme had on your life?

The MBA full-fee scholarship was definitely the tool that allowed me to fulfil my dream. The programme has had a threefold impact on my life. First, it has set an environment to achieve professional growth by broadening my mindset in the business world based on the education taught and the diversity of experience in the cohort.

Secondly, the programme has allowed me to challenge myself from a professional and personal perspective. It has given me the chance to evaluate the next steps in my career, based on a deep reflection about who I am in both professional and personal environments. The third impact that the programme has provided me is the opportunity of unlearning habits, breaking paradigms, and gaining new insights in the way that I can approach future business challenges.

How was your experience when applying for the scholarship?

The experience of applying for the scholarship was initially daunting. I was working by that time and in a parallel place preparing the content that was needed for the application. In some ways, the programme allowed me to take my mind out of the job to build valuable arguments in those essays which was a great challenge. Even when this can sound discouraging, I think that the application stage sets a clear purpose of what you are doing. Once the purpose is clear, the application process will be just a step by step walk through that is going to take energy from you but will feel like a win when finalised. Finally, getting your certification on completion of the programme will be an experience that you will never forget and make all the previous effort worthwhile.

What are your career plans when completing the MBA programme?

My main drive following my studies on the MBA is to follow my professional career in a path to get an executive position in the organisation that I have previously worked at, or in a company with the same or broader global relevance. Having said this, I’m working towards a Senior Manager position in the next stage of my career considering my managerial background. Now, with the knowledge and experience gained in the MBA I am sure that I could perform a more strategic role than I could have done before.

Do you have any advice for those thinking of applying for a full-fee scholarship?

Think positively. You must imagine yourself as the one who will get the scholarship.

Have self-confidence. You should believe that you are able to succeed not only because of your experience, but also for the knowledge that you can share with your cohort.

Build your self-esteem. As a scholarship applicant you should commit to the process and give all you can to demonstrate how much you want to embark on this opportunity.