Rihards Gederts entered the Graduate Business Administration (GBA) degree program at Tufts University in February 2022, “when COVID was still at a kind of peak, so live lectures didn’t seem like a good option.” As a mid-career European professional who had lived and worked in New York City for several years, Gederts was particularly attuned to the opportunities available in international business; and, as a finance manager in Riga, Latvia, Gederts also appreciated the remote study option. He was looking for a program that could “provide an MBA skill set,” but with an international global focus.
In selecting the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Gederts “considered other universities, both in Europe and the United States.” He determined that “the U.S. approach to business education and the country’s cultural business mindset” were “extremely valuable,” leading him to choose an American school. He finally decided on the “globally focused, strategically focused global affairs school…” at Tufts, explaining: ”I spoke with several people from Baltic states and also with high-level CEOs in the United States and they all told me that Tufts was a great, great university. The GBA program had just recently launched. I could see it was quite innovative and that it offered the sort of classes I really wanted to pursue.”
Combine Business and International Studies in One Degree
Study With Industry and Thought Leaders
Why Choose a GBA Over an MBA?
Gederts considered MBA programs, looking closely at those with an international focus. None offered the breadth and depth of the Tufts GBA. As he puts it: “The G, for global, is the main differentiator between the GBA and the MBA. The GBA focuses on broader issues in global affairs, such as global strategy, which I think are really important to today’s fragmented world full of geopolitical risks.” There is a downside: “In the corporate environment, everyone recognizes the MBA. Not everyone understands the GBA approach.” Gederts says the tradeoff is more than worth it because “the education and experience gained from the GBA is better than the standard MBA.” The sort of employers Gederts hopes to work with are the type who get the difference and appreciate the value a GBA adds.
The GBA Program Builds International Business Skills
The Tufts GBA curriculum interweaves foundational business aptitudes (e.g., marketing, strategy, negotiation, finance, analytics, supply chain) with explorations of international law, global macroeconomics, politics, and security. Gederts lists decision analysis among the top skills he developed in the program. His work as a corporate finance professional benefits from the training he received at Tufts, which he uses to “think about how to make decisions based on numbers, probabilities, and strategy.” Gederts applies these skills in his role as a “portfolio investment manager and organization manager for large companies like Lidl, Roche, and similar businesses based in Europe.” He adds, “Macroeconomics really helped me to understand how the global economies are intertwined.”
In addition, he “consults for a New York City real estate brokerage firm,” where he “focuses on finance, analytics, and marketing.” In all his professional roles, his day-to-day responsibilities “involve quite a lot of analytics, thinking about how to expand a retail business or real estate business strategically.” The degree has also positioned him to “give guest lectures on global strategy and international retail management at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Germany.”
The GBA curriculum includes ample opportunities for hands-on learning in real-world environments. Gederts reports: “We undertook a real consulting project during our immersion week in Boston last year. We consulted with one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the United States on their sustainability strategies. That was an extremely useful experience… I’m using the skill sets I developed at Fletcher in consulting finance strategy on a day-to-day basis.”
Putting GBA Skills To Work
Gederts applies the skills he developed in the program to his professional life every day. The program “really helped me think strategically about all my decisions. As a result, I don’t stress out about any aspect of my life anymore. I think things through well; I have become more structured and organized.”
In addition to skills, Gederts established invaluable personal relationships in the program. He is “definitely much better connected globally as a result of the program. I have contacts in almost every country.” The recent graduate reports that he “already has a couple of good job interviews thanks to my Fletcher connections and GBA achievements.”
His network is also helping him pursue one of his most cherished personal goals, which is “to build a stronger bridge between the United States and the Baltic States—especially with Riga, Latvia.” To that end, he has invited American professors to Riga for guest lectures and established a Fletcher alumni club for the Baltic states. “The Fletcher School develops the type of leaders who build bridges,” Gederts explains.
Advice for Future GBA Students
All GBA students benefit from a broad, rigorous curriculum taught by a distinguished faculty. To optimize the program experience, Gederts offers the following guidance. “First of all, participate in as many networking activities as you can,” including immersions and case competitions. “One of my most significant achievements with my team at Fletcher was participating in a $100,000 venture competition at the Tufts Derby Entrepreneurship Center. We worked on my idea for impact investing SaaS IT into real assets and got into the semifinals. I learned a lot from that experience.” Gederts also “participated in a Cornell University case competition for microchip production in Brazil, advising the Brazilian government on how they could restart their chip manufacturing.”
Tufts students can access powerful resources through Fletcher and the university’s research centers. Gederts particularly recommends PitchBook, which he “utilized a lot to investigate investment strategies, how companies are performing, and who works there so I could try to connect with them through PitchBook.” The greatest resource, however, is the peer network created by faculty and fellow students. “Talk as much as you can with the professors and dig deep into the courses because they are excellent. Ask your fellow students and your professors for advice. Really build those bridges,” he advises.
Master Global Business With a GBA From Tufts
Rihards Gerets sought a nuanced multifaceted approach to international finance; that’s why he chose the Tufts GBA. He’s happy with his choice; as he puts it, “The GBA program has really lifted my future potential.” Can it do the same for you? Contact an enrollment advisor to schedule a one-on-one conversation to learn more about the program.