Stony Brook University panel highlights the value of graduate business education in today’s job market
In today’s fast-moving and competitive hiring landscape, an MBA is more than a credential — it’s a launchpad for career acceleration, leadership growth and cross-industry versatility. That was the resounding message delivered at The MBA Advantage: Leveraging Your Degree in a Competitive Job Market, a panel hosted by the Career Center at Stony Brook University in April.
Aimed at undergraduates exploring graduate-level education, the panel featured accomplished Stony Brook alumni whose journeys showcase the value of the MBA program at Stony Brook.
For Danielle Stallone, director of operational services at Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) and co-founder of Stallone Technology Solutions, her MBA from Stony Brook wasn’t just a degree, it was a defining career move.
“My MBA helped differentiate me in a competitive leadership training program and understand the corporate governance space,” she said. “I was able to land a leadership role within my first year after graduating with my MBA.”
Since earning her degree, Stallone has gone on to lead high-impact teams and strategic initiatives across operations, technology and product development.
“Having the experience and framework of an MBA, I was fortunate enough to start in an operations setting, move to technology, then a product role and back to an operations role,” she explained. “Because I had that schema and the stamp of approval on my resume that I mastered this subject, I had the flexibility and the confidence to excel.”
That flexibility and credibility are increasingly vital in today’s job market, according to Gagandeep Singh, senior finance analyst at The Farmer’s Dog.
“The expectation of an analyst is much higher than it was 10 to 20 years ago,” he said. “People are walking into these roles with an incredible amount of knowledge and experience. The market is a lot more competitive and there is a much higher expectation to have your master’s degree.”
Ryann Brown, a human resources professional at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, shared how her MBA helped shape her path in early talent development.
“Once I got to Stony Brook, the professors grounded me in teaching me about theory but also highlighted the art of putting what I learned into practice,” said Brown. “I was then able to leverage both out in the world and make it.”
Joe Gettler, communications specialist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, spoke to the transformational power of his experience. “My MBA helped me leap forward,” he stated.
The panel, held in the Student Activities Center, gave students a chance to hear firsthand how the Stony Brook MBA helps build not only technical and strategic skills but also personal confidence and professional agility. It underscored the importance of cultivating leadership, versatility and the ability to connect across disciplines.
With flexible options including hybrid and online formats, as well as concentrations in accounting, finance, healthcare management and marketing, the program is designed to meet the needs of students at every stage of their career.
Read more about graduate admissions in the College of Business at Stony Brook University.
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