MBA Portfolio Introduction

My name is Stephannie DeLong and currently I am the Member Services Director for the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce in Winfield, Kansas. I received my undergraduate degree in History from Southwestern College. While attending Southwestern College I served as the President of the Student Law Association, I worked in the financial aid office of the college and I also worked part time at the Cowley County Historical Museum. My interests during my undergraduate studies led me towards a graduate school path of either law school or pursuing my MBA. My work during my undergraduate studies and my involvement with the Student Law Association, as well as my research into law studies led me to realize that pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration was the right choice for me.

In my current position as the Member Services Director for the Winfield Chamber I coordinate membership recruitment and retention, accounts receivable and payable, payroll, preparing and presenting budgets and financial statements as well as assisting in determining each year’s program of work. In addition, I am the lead staff person assigned to certain committees including the membership, ambassadors and newly formed Young Professionals initiative. Currently our organization is undergoing some staff turnover and I am pursuing the option of adding new responsibilities to my job and assuming a more permanent leadership role within the organization. I believe as this portfolio unfolds I can demonstrate more evidence of that leadership role and its implications for not only this project but my overall career.

This portfolio project is meant to demonstrate my abilities, skills and goals as an MBA student, lifelong learner as well as what I have accomplished and hope to accomplish within my career. I believe that the most important thing I gained from the MBA program was empowerment and the knowledge that I can accomplish any goal in business with a clear plan, a strong will and a solid support team with which to work. In addition, the MBA program has enabled me to synthesize and summarize my knowledge of business and to provide an overall synopsis within this portfolio of what I have to offer my employer, my community and my family as a person. Key business concepts including: budgeting, ethics, understanding of business law theory, strategic management skills, human resources management, quality control and statistical analysis have all helped me to strengthen my skills as a business leader and given me insight into my overall future career path. They have helped me more clearly define my career and life goals as well as help me to understand and apply my abilities and strengths within my current position. Overall, this document will serve as an example of where I have been within my MBA studies and where I hope to be as a result of taking this journey. I believe that pursuing my MBA has made me a better employee, a better spouse and parent and a better leader as well.