Kristina Targonskiene G’18

From corporate law to strategic consulting, an MBA ensures I have endless possibilities in my career.

I came to the United States from Lithuania three years ago for two reasons. First, I’d met my husband-to-be on vacation. And secondly, I had the opportunity to grow in my career as an international legal expert. I love to explore and try new things—that’s just part of who I am. So I moved.

After tirelessly researching universities, applying and being accepted to at least seven different legal programs, I enrolled in a one-year master’s in law at the University of Connecticut School of Law. At the time, I had a very clear idea of how I wanted my career to take shape. I saw myself graduating, taking the Bar Exam, and becoming a corporate lawyer. However, my path wasn’t quite so simple.

I quickly realized that to fulfill my dream of working as a corporate lawyer, I needed additional credentials in business. That’s when I found Bay Path University. My colleagues at a firm where I’d taken a position as a law clerk suggested I look into Bay Path. The University offered me what I needed the most—the theoretical subject matter, and above all, the practical application.

At Bay Path, I enrolled in an accelerated one-year MBA program. Although I was a full-time student not employed full-time, there was still pressure and stress. Moving to and living in America required me to make many adjustments, but I have been very supported by the University community. I can turn to anyone with any question and find myself met with a helpful, friendly answer. My classmates became my biggest supporters and many of my relationships have evolved into what I believe will be lifelong friendships.

One such friendship formed with my mentor, Dr. Vana Nespor. I was offered a graduate assistantship with Dr. Nespor, assisting with her ongoing research project, The Effectiveness and Impact of Bay Path University’s Adult Women’s Accelerated Undergraduate Degree, focused on the impact of higher education for adult women. The stories I heard from these women touched my heart so deeply it reshaped my thinking about what matters most in a career. I felt motivated to pursue a career where I could help others succeed and began thinking about consulting for businesses. Now, I’m a graduate assistant for President Leary, coordinating the translation of her book, Achieving the Dream: A How-to Guide for Adult Women Seeking a College Degree, into two different languages.

I am fluent in three languages: Lithuanian (my first language), English, and Russian, so I am able to play an important role in the book’s translations. A professional translator has transcribed Achieving the Dream into Spanish, and an alumna of Bay Path’s accelerated Saturday program for adult women is proofreading the translation. Another alumna is working on the Russian translation while I have been able to proofread it. It’s been an amazing process to work with graduates of the University’s own programs, as they understand from a personal perspective the book’s content, including the sensitive information and emotional aspects of each story.    

I’m confident that I made the right choice in pursuing my MBA at Bay Path and am amazed at how much I’ve learned in just one year. After I complete my MBA in October, I’m planning to take on consulting work. I’ll be able to use my legal knowledge for risk assessment, and can combine that with my strategic business skills to recommend effective solutions. I’m really looking forward to exploring the ways I can play a role in affecting positive outcomes for others.