From a Lifelong Goal to a Growing Network: Tia Chambers ‘27 EMBA on Her Notre Dame Journey

Choosing Notre Dame

Earning an MBA has been a goal of Tia’s for years. When the time finally came to make that goal a reality, she had to decide what kind of program would allow her to continue building the career she already worked so hard on and values.

With more than a decade of experience in retirement plans and investing, Chambers wanted an experience that would challenge her alongside other experienced professionals, without having to step away from her career. “I saw the benefit of being able to apply the information I learned in the EMBA immediately to work,” she said.

That combination of immediate application, an experienced cohort, and an in-person experience ultimately led Chambers to Notre Dame. And after completing her first year of the 22-month Executive MBA program, she has found that the experience has delivered in ways she expected, and even in ways she didn’t.

A Welcome Home

Chambers considered a variety of MBA formats before deciding that an Executive MBA was the right fit. “I was unsure about what I wanted to do, whether that was a full-time program or part-time program in the evenings or virtual or an EMBA program where there was an in-person component,” she said.

The Notre Dame Executive MBA format stood out because it allowed her to remain in her career while learning alongside other professionals, “When I joined the program, I had over 10 years of experience in retirement plans and investing, so to be surrounded with other professionals in their field, was incredible.”

But while the structure of the program initially drew her to the EMBA, her visit to Notre Dame helped her determine where she wanted to pursue it. During her visit, Chambers said several people offered her the same welcome: “Welcome home, you belong here.”

That sense of belonging continued once Chambers began the program. While Notre Dame and other programs had emphasized their collaborative environments, she said she wasn’t sure what that would look like in practice. It didn’t take long for her to find out. “Getting on campus and within the first day or so getting our team assignments, I really felt that collaborative environment,” Chambers said.

The relationships she built through those teams quickly extended beyond the classroom. Classmates became people she could turn to for academic and professional questions — and those connections became friendships.

Chambers experienced that firsthand while attending a conference in Houston, where one of her classmates lives. “He came, picked me up from the airport, took me to lunch, and showed me around the town,” she said. “I’d say that he and some others definitely have become more like friends and family than just classmates.”

A Notre Dame Connection

For Chambers, the power of the Notre Dame network was evident before she ever enrolled.

Her path to the Executive MBA began when her friend, Amber Clarke ’26 EMBA, introduced her to the program. Clarke answered her questions about everything from the trips to South Bend to why she chose Notre Dame, and remained a resource throughout Chambers’ decision-making process.

“Throughout my journey, she has been a resource and a sounding board; from me figuring out what program I wanted to go to, to applying, to then starting,” Chambers said. The relationship came full circle when Chambers attended Clarke’s graduation after beginning her own Notre Dame journey.

Now, Chambers is building her own community within the EMBA program.

Working in financial services, she has classmates with similar professional backgrounds whom she can turn to when she needs another perspective. “When I’ve had things going on at work and I need to bounce an idea off of someone, I will go to them and ask them questions,” she said. “So it’s been incredible to have that resource.”

The network has also helped Chambers explore a longer-term interest in entrepreneurship. “I have a few classmates that are entrepreneurs that have connected me to others to think about that pathway,” she said. “So that has been awesome already.”

Learning That Grows Confidence

For Chambers, one of the most meaningful outcomes of the EMBA has been an improvement in her executive presence. “I really wanted to get the EMBA for my confidence,” Chambers said. “I can already tell in one year that my confidence has improved in client meetings or meetings with people in the C-suite.”

That increased confidence is important as Chambers considers where she wants her career to go next. Her passion is financial wellness, education and literacy, work that currently represents a portion of her responsibilities but that she hopes will become a larger part of her career. The MBA is helping her prepare for that possibility while ensuring that her education does not become a limitation on future opportunities.

As she looks toward her second year, Chambers is excited about courses focused on artificial intelligence and its applications in business. “In the second year we have quite a few AI classes: AI and Strategy or Data and AI for Senior Leaders, and other similar topics,” she said. “I’m really excited about that.”

For Chambers, the evolving curriculum is another example of how the program is preparing her for the future. “It’s really evident that the program works hard to make sure that our classes are relevant to today’s time and technology,” she said.

A Supportive Community

For anyone considering taking the same step, Chambers’ advice is simple: “Just do it.”

“It’s a simple answer. But pray about it to make sure it’s the right fit for you.”

Once students make that decision, she wants prospective students to know they won’t have to make the journey alone.

“The Notre Dame community is super supportive, so just know that you’re not doing this alone,” she said. “You have a supportive network between professors, classmates, administration and student life that really wants you to succeed.”

Are you ready for your next step?

Learn more about Notre Dame’s Executive MBA program