MBA Student Spotlight: Mayes Lane, Evening MBA Student

My advice would be to really consider your internal and external motivations for pursuing an MBA. This doesn’t necessarily mean having a fully defined long-term career path, but it does mean being clear on why you’re doing it and what you hope to get out of the experience, even if some of that evolves over time. Balancing work, life, and school can be demanding, but it is also manageable when you’re genuinely engaged in the program and the material. When you have a strong sense of purpose, school is not a burden but is instead energizing. The experience becomes less about “getting through it” and more about enjoying the ride. If it was easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing! I personally find the Part-Time MBA experience to be challenging in the best way. The workload and extracurriculars push you, but they also reinforce that you’re learning and growing in real time, both inside and outside the classroom.

On a personal level, Booth has helped me become much more comfortable being uncomfortable. Moving to Chicago in 2025 and leaving family and friends back home was a big change for me, but it’s made me more open to new experiences and more willing to take risks. Over time, I’ve come to really enjoy that sense of exploration both in the city of Chicago and in my experiences at Booth.

Professionally, I feel I have grown in how I show up as a leader and in how I contribute in business settings. Through both coursework and experiences outside the classroom, I’ve developed a stronger ability to structure problems, communicate my thinking, and engage more confidently in financial and strategic discussions. Courses and experiences in finance have been especially impactful in strengthening how I think about valuation, investment decisions, and business tradeoffs in a more rigorous way.

More broadly, being surrounded by driven and successful classmates, alumni, and professors has had a major impact on how I approach challenges. It’s pushed me to continually keep raising my own expectations for myself personally and professionally. 

Booth’s pay-it-forward culture is very real, and I experienced it even before I formally enrolled. In the period between being admitted and starting the program, I contacted several Booth students and alumni for advice and perspective. I was consistently impressed by how willing people were to share their time and insights, even with a prospective student.

Since starting at Booth, that experience has been continually reinforced. I’ve had opportunities to both receive and offer support within the community. I’ve connected with other students and alumni who have reached out to me, and I’ve enjoyed sharing my own experiences and helping them navigate their decisions. It’s felt very natural and reciprocal rather than one-directional.

I also think Booth’s clubs and extracurriculars bring the pay-it-forward culture to life in a number of ways. Since joining Booth, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in Booth Social Impact Consulting, the Steven Tarrson Impact Investment Fund, and most recently as a co-chair of the Chicago Booth Banking Club. Across these experiences, I’ve been impressed by how students support one another, share their perspectives, and consistently help each other learn and develop. What stands out is that this mindset extends beyond just supporting fellow students. Many of Booth’s clubs also create opportunities to give back to the broader Chicago community, the business world, and the Booth network itself.

For me, “balancing it all” has actually been one of the most enjoyable parts of the Booth experience. It’s certainly busy and at times challenging, but that’s also what makes it so rewarding. If I had to break it down, the way I manage everything comes down to three things: staying organized, being intentional with my time, and having a strong support system.

Staying organized has been critical. I rely heavily on prioritized to-do lists and multiple calendars to keep everything on track. I also have to be realistic about what I can commit to and recognize when I need to say no.

Being intentional with my time has been just as important. I try to make the most of small pockets of time throughout the day. Sometimes that means using 30–45 minutes between work and class to get ahead on assignments or starting my day early to complete schoolwork before the workday. Those small moments add up quickly.

Perhaps the most important piece is having a strong support system. For me that support system is my friends and family. I’ve made lifelong friends at Booth and they have made this experience incredibly enjoyable. My friends from high school and college on the East Coast help keep me grounded and remind me to step away from the daily demands of work and school in Chicago. And most importantly, my family and my girlfriend have been my biggest supporters; always there for me when I’m stressed, need advice, or just need perspective. I’m extremely grateful for my support system and would never be able to manage everything without them.

Mayes's MBA experience is a testament to the fact that pursuing the Part-Time MBA at Chicago Booth is an intellectually challenging yet manageable and profoundly rewarding experience. At Booth, you gain the flexibility to advance your career in real-time, strengthen your business foundational skills within a highly rigorous curriculum, and join a supportive community known for its "pay-it-forward" culture.

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