For Karen Gates, the decision to return to Mount Saint Mary College as an adult student was an easy one.
After earning a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the Mount, her results speak for themselves: Gates is now the president and CEO of Gates Consulting, a firm she founded to provide expert HR services across various sectors. At the helm of her own firm, Gates serves as an on-demand chief human resources officer (CHRO) for credit unions and community banks, helping organizations to grow their teams safely and follow employment laws.
Gates returned to the Mount to complete an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree, all while managing the responsibilities of a full-time career and a family. For her, the Mount’s atmosphere was exactly what she needed to succeed as a working professional.
“I loved my time at the Mount,” she explained. “I really found it to be transformational and really supportive of coming back as a working adult with a family, and being able to finish my degree.”
The personal connection between faculty and students is a hallmark of the Mount experience, Gates said. She noted the impact of Business Professor Moira Tolan, whose mentorship helped her bridge the gap between her existing skills and her future goals.
“Moira Tolan was really transformational for me,” she said. “She was just fantastic. All my professors took the time to care and support their students, and ensure that you were filling any gaps that they may see.”
While the curriculum provided a strong foundation, it was the practical application of the MBA Capstone Project that laid the groundwork for Gates Consulting. The project, which focuses on the mechanics of launching a new venture, proved to be more than just an academic exercise.
The Mount “prepared me from a technical standpoint in the curriculum itself,” she explained. “I really found that work I put into my Capstone Project applicable to when I decided to start my own business.”