Seasoned Executive Endorses Belk College's M.S. in Management

Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Julie Harris '00, Reflects on Using Your Passion as Professional Fuel
Julie Harris, Managing Director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Chair of Belk College of Business Board of Advisors

As a woman business leader who is actively involved in Charlotte, I am intensely invested in my community. Sometimes, I am asked how I find the time, or whether it’s difficult to balance all my roles. I find that if you’re passionate about your cause, that is your energy, strength and fuel.

Likewise, an organization that runs on the passion of its team should have a much higher success rate due to the strength of self-motivation. Whether that company is comprised of five or 5,000, each individual will contribute more if they are working toward a goal that revolves around their emotional center.  My advice is to support something close to your heart, and yours will not be a “job,” rather it will be your life's work.

The Belk College of Business has recognized this need for passion as professional fuel. The college’s new Master of Science in Management was designed for those people whose passion lies outside the traditional business functions, like accounting, analytics and marketing. The students in this program come from a variety of fields, ones where they are invested personally, such as art or biology or cultural studies, and that translates into internal drive.

Successful professionals, no matter their field or function, leverage opportunities to propel them further along their professional path, each in their own way. I applaud UNC Charlotte for providing a vehicle for young talent to cross-train themselves in business, making their professional goals more achievable.  The forward-thinking graduate students who are enrolled in this program are preparing to drive headstrong toward their own future.

Want to make an impact through your work? Use your passion as high-octane professional fuel.

Article Originally Published on Inside UNC Charlotte