Coming Full Circle: How the Notre Dame EMBA Helped Clinton Squadroni Grow as a Leader & Join a Lifelong Family

"Now, as a CEO, I feel like a more well-rounded leader. I’m able to drive not just sales and management, but finance, tech, product, and revenue."

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For Clinton Squadroni, completing the Notre Dame EMBA program was as much about personal fulfillment as it was about professional growth. “I grew up in South Bend, so Notre Dame was in my blood,” he said. “I was always a huge fan. I didn’t go to undergrad at Notre Dame, and that was something I always wished I’d done. Doing the Executive MBA was my chance to come full circle.”

After nearly 20 years of business success, first as a franchisee and later as an executive, Clinton found himself at a crossroads. “I was wondering what my next step would be,” he recalled. “I wasn’t even 40 yet. My kids were young. I’d had a long, successful business career, but I didn’t have formal financial training. I could run a business, but I always felt almost subpar to my peers who had that formal academic background in finance.”

A close friend who had already completed the Notre Dame EMBA program, encouraged him to take the leap. “He was the one who put me over the edge,” Clinton said. “He told me, ‘If you’re going to do it, now’s the time.’ Within about three weeks, I was submitting my application, and honestly, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

A Challenge Worth Taking

The transition back to academia after two decades in business was no small feat. Clinton started the program just as he turned 40, “a very nerve-wracking point in my life,” he admitted, and dove headfirst into the notoriously rigorous quantitative first semester.

“It was exactly what I needed,” he said. “Accounting, finance, investments, financial statements — that’s everything I signed up for. It was the hardest semester, but it was also the most rewarding. I was reading accounting books on airplanes, studying late at night, and just trying to absorb the knowledge to become a better person and a better leader.”

This time, he said, the difference was motivation. “In undergrad, you’re just trying to get your degree and get out. In the EMBA, you’re paying for the knowledge, and you want to apply it to the real world immediately.”

Supported Every Step of the Way

The coursework was challenging, but the Notre Dame community made all the difference. “One thing the EMBA team and staff do a phenomenal job of is ensuring that everyone gets the support and resources they need,” Clinton said. “It’s hard to not make it through the program unless you really try not to. And that’s not because it’s easy, it’s because everyone puts so much effort into ensuring your success.”

Clinton’s life didn’t slow down while he was earning his degree. He continued to travel internationally for work and raise two young children with his wife, who he credits for her unwavering support. “It was a family commitment at home. I call it the Notre Dame family commitment,” he said. “My professors, my team, and the staff were all accommodating and understanding. If they didn’t build the program the way they do, there’s no way I could have gotten through it.”

That support structure is part of what makes the Notre Dame EMBA experience so unique. “It truly was a family atmosphere,” he said. “Those people in my small groups will forever be family. The faculty and staff will forever have a place in my heart.”

Leading with Confidence and Purpose

During the program, Clinton also transitioned into a new leadership role. He first moved into a senior-level position with his previous employer and was later recruited as CEO of his current company. He credits the EMBA with giving him the tools and confidence to lead more effectively in these expanded roles.

“The program helped me feel more confident sitting across the table from private equity and finance professionals,” he said. “It gave me more institutional and structural knowledge around finance and strategy. Now, as a CEO, I feel like a more well-rounded leader. I’m able to drive not just sales and management, but finance, tech, product, and revenue.”

For Clinton, the program’s greatest lesson went beyond business fundamentals. “Every single course, every single professor tied their lessons back to growing the good in business,” he said. “They teach you that business takes creativity and hard work, but also that you can be successful by doing it the right way. That was one of the biggest lessons of all.”

A Lifelong Family

For Clinton Squadroni, what stands out most about the Notre Dame EMBA experience is the people. “My cohort is still very close,” he said. “We have a WhatsApp group that’s firing every single day. There’s a handful of people from my class that I’d consider family. That’s what the program builds for you — lifelong friends you never expected to meet this late in life.”

He encourages future students to make the most of every moment. “Once you’re in, enjoy every minute,” he said. “Don’t miss out on dinners, late nights, or study sessions with your cohort. Those two years go by fast, and you’ll miss those weekends for the rest of your life.”

Looking back, Clinton sees the Notre Dame EMBA as far more than an academic achievement. It fulfilled a lifelong dream, forged lasting friendships, and transformed the way he leads. “It was truly everything they said it would be,” he reflected, “and I believe it will keep giving back for years to come.”

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