Mission High School (MHS) marketing teacher Erika Balderas was selected to attend the PhD Project Conference in Chicago this past November. The PhD Project, an award-winning program to create diversity in management, recruits minority professionals from business into doctoral programs in all business disciplines.
Balderas had the opportunity to meet with more than 100 doctoral-granting universities that were represented during the university exhibit fair at the conference. Networking with the university reps, deans, professors and current doctoral students provides candidates with the tools and resources they need to be better prepared for the application/admission process to doctoral programs. Balderas graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration emphasis in Marketing and International Business. She worked for Staples Corporation headquarters upon graduating, then began teaching marketing in hopes of inspiring students. She is currently working on a Masters of Business Administration through Baylor University and plans to continue to obtain a PhD from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Balderas’ professional experience and continued pursuit of higher education serve as a model to follow for MHS students as they prepare to succeed in college, career, and life.