Charlandra Watson earned her undergraduate degree in engineering from Vanderbilt. So when she was ready to pursue her Executive MBA, in hopes of broadening her expertise and advancing her career, she already knew where to turn—and not just because it was familiar. 

“As a Black female and executive leader,” she says, “I felt it was important to pursue a degree at a university that is highly competitive. I also wanted a program that embraces diversity and inclusion—and that would embrace and support me.”

At Schneider Electric, where she has worked since 2015, Charlandra leads cross-functional operations teams responsible for the order conversion and scheduling of $300 million in revenue across North America. “I have a very technical background and aspire to move into a business leadership role,” she says. 

It was so technical, in fact, that her courses in Accounting and Finance during the program felt “like a foreign language to me,” she says—so she is especially proud that she performed very well in both classes. “I learned a lot,” she says, “but it was very important for me to put in the time.”

It helped, she says, to study with professors who are “experts in their respective industries.” One of the program’s other big advantages was the opportunity to work as part of a C-team of other professionals with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. Charlandra credits the team’s flexible and collaborative approach with helping her manage the responsibilities of the program while handling the responsibilities of her career and family (she and her husband have three sons, and Charlandra found time to cheer them on at sports games while enrolled in the Executive MBA program).

Now, she is in a position to offer advice to others who, like her, are contemplating the journey. “It’s not going to be easy,” she says. “However, I promise you that, with the faculty, your C-team, and your peers, you are not going to fail. Everyone is working together to help you succeed.”

Fun Fact: Charlandra loves acrylic painting and often paints abstracts and portraits on clothing, as well as canvas.

As a Black female and executive leader, I felt it was important to pursue a degree at a university that is highly competitive. I also wanted a program that embraces diversity and inclusion.