More than a degree: CIMBA MBA graduates, in their own words

Anna Miller

A few weeks ago, I graduated with my MBA.

While I’m incredibly proud of that accomplishment, I’ve found myself reflecting less on the degree itself and more on the journey that brought me here.

Years ago, I made the difficult decision to leave high school early. Overnight, I lost the support system that most teenagers rely on and entered a world built for adults while I was still trying to figure out who I was. I worked a variety of jobs, learning through experience because I had no other choice. It wasn’t the path I had imagined or worked towards, and there were many moments when I questioned whether I had made the right choice.

Looking back now, I realize I wasn’t behind. I was building a different kind of foundation.

One of the opportunities that changed everything was stumbling into a job working for an artist. What started as a job became an eight-year mentorship that introduced me to printmaking, galleries, business operations, and the incredible impact art can have on a community. I learned not only the craft of printmaking but also how an artist builds a career, runs a studio, serves a community, and preserves a legacy.

That experience inspired me to pursue my BFA in Printmaking at the University of Iowa.

During my undergraduate years, I founded Hit Me Up In Real Life through the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at The University of Iowa Incubator. Building the organization alongside other entrepreneurs opened my eyes to something I had experienced firsthand: so many artists have incredible talent but aren’t given the business knowledge or resources to build sustainable careers.

That’s what led me to pursue an MBA at CIMBA.

I didn’t go to business school to leave the arts. I went because I believe artists deserve the same access to strategy, entrepreneurship, and opportunity as any other industry. I wanted the tools to help creative people build careers that are both meaningful and sustainable.

At one point, I thought success meant following the traditional path. Today, I couldn’t disagree more.

My path has been unconventional, messy, and at times uncertain. But it taught me resilience, curiosity, and how to build opportunities where none seemed to exist. It showed me that education doesn’t only happen in classrooms. Sometimes it happens in studios, at work, through mentors, and by simply refusing to give up.

Today, I leave my MBA with a clearer vision than ever before: to bridge the worlds of art and business, helping artists, creative entrepreneurs, and communities grow through sustainable opportunities and meaningful collaboration.

To anyone whose journey doesn’t look like everyone else’s: your timeline isn’t wrong. Sometimes the road you never planned becomes the one you’re most proud to have taken.

Here’s to the unexpected paths, the people who believe in us, and the courage to keep moving forward.

Caterina Bittante

2 years. 32 weekends. 18 courses. 3 weeks in the United States.

These are the visible numbers behind earning my Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction.

What they don’t show are the countless hours of lost sleep, weekends and evenings spent studying, hobbies put on hold, and the constant balancing act between work, assignments, and exams.

In business, we would probably call them sunk costs.

I prefer to think of them as hidden investments.

Every hour, every sacrifice, and every challenge was an investment in a journey that, from the very beginning, felt like exactly the right one for me at that stage of my life.

Two years ago, I spent a long time deciding whether to submit my application.

I couldn’t fully understand the commitment it would require, but I knew there are experiences that challenge you while still feeling deeply aligned with who you are.

For me, that experience was CIMBA.

More than an academic program, it became a place where I could truly be myself while growing both personally and professionally.

The LIFE Program gave me the confidence and courage to start this journey, while the Kepner-Tregoe course taught me a structured and rational approach to problem solving. I am sincerely grateful to everyone behind these outstanding programs for the impact they have had on my development.

Over these two years, I had the privilege of learning alongside inspiring, talented, and genuinely fun people. Every class became richer because of the different perspectives, experiences, and ideas shared by professionals from both Italy and around the world.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all of my classmates, and especially to Sara, who is also my colleague at work, Alessandro, and Mariana, for making this experience even more meaningful.

This achievement would not have been possible without the incredible support of my colleagues at SteelcoBelimed, especially my Finance team. Thank you to Martina, who believed in me from day one, and to Sara, as well as to both my current and former managers: Nicolas, Massimo, Irene, and Filippo.

“Teamwork” hardly captures what this group truly represents to me.

The three weeks in Iowa City were the perfect conclusion to this journey.

They allowed me to experience firsthand the incredible spirit and sense of community of The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. My sincere thanks go to Erin Nelson for welcoming us so warmly.

They say we become the average of the five people we spend the most time with. If that’s true, then after these two years I can only consider myself incredibly fortunate.

Because the greatest return on those hidden investments wasn’t the MBA itself. It was the person I became along the way.

Jiselle Martinez

I wanted to let it sink in for a week before writing this.

Just over a year ago, I was standing at the University of Iowa graduating with my BBA in Management. Last week, I was back in Iowa City graduating again — this time with my MBA, and with distinction.

Fittingly, the final course of that journey was an intensive three-week Business Integration capstone. My team, VELOCE, alongside Adrianna Siniawski and Stefano Nicosia, built and managed a premium 3D-printed carbon fiber bicycle company, making executive decisions across finance, marketing, operations, R&D, manufacturing, human resources, and international expansion while adapting to changing market conditions and competitive pressure in real time.

The experience culminated in presenting our long-term growth strategy and investment proposal to venture capitalists. We finished the simulation in first place, placing in the top 10% worldwide of all teams to have completed it — a pretty rewarding way to close out the MBA.

In between those two graduations was a year I spent mostly in Italy, and it changed me more than any classroom could have.

When I wasn’t in class, I was exploring. By the end of the program, I’d made it to 11 additional countries, and most of the travel was solo — except it never actually stayed solo. I’d end up making friends wherever I landed. I even went to my first music festival alone, and by day two it wasn’t a solo trip anymore. It was a crew.

What I actually learned this year wasn’t really about the countries. It was about figuring out how to adapt when things went sideways — missed trains, delayed flights, navigating places where I didn’t speak the language — and realizing every time that I’d find my way. Somewhere in all that finding my way, I found myself.

My biggest thank you to CIMBA for allowing me to experience such an incredible year.

So, now what?

Now I’m chasing the thing I came here to build toward: a career in the music industry on the management side. Whether that means working directly with an artist or helping build the teams and strategies that support them, I want to be the person planning, preparing, coordinating, and solving problems behind the scenes so artists can do what they do best.

I’ll keep learning, keep showing up, and keep building relationships, because I’ve learned that’s how this industry moves.

LA or NY, get ready. I’m coming.

Mariana Andoni

At 17, I wanted to be a “business lady.”

I did not really know what that meant, but I had a very clear picture of a corporate job, high heels, and a pencil skirt. I clearly knew more about the outfit than the career behind it.

As the years passed, I did find my way into business, but working in it also made me realise how much more I wanted to understand. Experience was teaching me a lot, yet I was looking for deeper knowledge, a broader perspective, and people who would challenge and inspire me. That search led me to the MBA program offered by CIMBA and The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business.

The two years that followed were intense, demanding, and wonderful. I came looking for knowledge and inspiration, and I found both in professors who challenged me, classmates who brought completely different experiences and perspectives, and friendships that made the journey even more meaningful.

This month, I graduated with distinction, and being selected by my classmates and professors as the Part-time MBA Student of the Year, Class of 2026, meant more to me than I can put into words.

Behind these two years were also the people who quietly made space for them. My family and friends accepted the missed events, cancelled plans, late replies, and many exhausted versions of me. Thank you for giving me the time to pursue this goal, for never making me feel guilty about it, and for continuing to cheer me on until the very end. A part of this achievement belongs to you too.

The “business lady” I imagined at 17 looks very different today. She is less about the outfit and more about curiosity, courage, and continuous growth. Now comes the part I am most excited about: putting everything I learned into practice, making braver decisions, and building a meaningful next chapter.

Matthew Washington

10 months. 2 continents. 1 unforgettable MBA.

I’m happy to share that I’ve completed my MBA through CIMBA Italy. This journey took me from Italy to Iowa and gave me far more than a degree. It challenged me, broadened my perspective, and helped me grow alongside an outstanding cohort. It also included a lot of travel, a few late nights, and easily more than 100 espressos.

I’m especially grateful to Angelica Alonzo, Mariana Andoni, Caterina Bittante, Alessandro Canuto, Jiselle Martinez, Anna Miller, Devin Freeman, Stefano Nicosia, and Adrianna Siniawski for the friendship, collaboration, and shared experiences that made the program so meaningful.

I’m also deeply grateful to Dr. Al H. Ringleb, Cristina Turchet, the broader CIMBA faculty and administration, and The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business for the leadership, guidance, and commitment throughout the program.

I’m excited to begin my next chapter at Northspyre and look forward to what’s ahead.

Stefano Nicosia

I’m proud to share that I have officially completed my MBA at the University of Iowa through the CIMBA program.

This journey has been much more than an academic achievement. It has been an opportunity to challenge myself, learn from inspiring professors and classmates, work with international teams, and strengthen my understanding of strategy, innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

Completing an MBA while managing professional and personal commitments was demanding, but it also reminded me that growth often begins outside our comfort zone.

I’m grateful to everyone who supported me along the way and to all the people who made this experience so meaningful.