Brokenbough chases dreams, MBA

Ever since she was young, Kristen Brokenbough has had a passion for health care. While her friends dressed up as darling fairy-tale characters, she donned a stark-white lab coat and a stethoscope—an homage to her father, who worked in pharmaceuticals.  

After graduating high school, Brokenbough earned a degree in cellular biology from the University of Kansas and began working in a large retail pharmacy in vaccine production, followed by a brief stint in preclinical research. Quickly, she realized she had a bigger goal: She wanted to become a leader in the field and truly enable change.  

So, in 2015, she began her Master of Business Administration degree at Baker University School of Professional and Graduate Studies while working full time as a project coordinator at a respiratory vendor. With the ability to earn a concentration in health care administration—and the flexibility to do it while pursuing her career—she found Baker’s program to be a perfect fit. Now graduated, she plans to earn her Doctor of Business Administration. 

“I believe that earning my MBA at Baker has empowered me in the workplace,” Brokenbough said. “I feel that earning my MBA has enhanced my critical thinking skills, encourages me to think outside the box, and increased my knowledge of applicable tools that may be helpful in differing professional situations.” 

During her educational journey, Brokenbough was inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society, an international honor society that recognizes and promotes achievement in business, management, and administration. She also was able to tour Children’s Mercy Park for a class project. These experiences were two of the most memorable aspects of the program for her.  

However, the most unforgettable aspect, Brokenbough said, was the Baker community. Her classmates and professors, in her opinion, “truly valued [her] development and advancement in both [her] education and professional career.” 

“Going through the program with the same [classmates] felt like having a built-in family at a school,” Brokenbough said. “I have made good friends and made very valuable professional connections that have been beneficial in my career.”  

Brokenbough works as a compliance specialist at Catalent Pharma Solutions, an industry leader in drug-delivery technology. For her, earning an MBA from Baker was the next step in pursuing her childhood dream. 

“I feel that earning my MBA at Baker has afforded me the knowledge and courage to chase my dreams, demand more from my colleagues, and strive to continuously learn,” Brokenbough said. “As a whole, earning my MBA has made me even more excited about my career.”