“I was looking for a college where I could get a quality MBA with a bias on energy and at a cost I could afford. UTPB ticked all the boxes.”  –Harrison Murabula, online MBA with Energy Business Certificate graduate   

Harrison Murabula truly understands the meaning and value of distance learning. As the time of our conversation, the Kenyan-born professional was working on an important energy project in Zambia. He graduated from The University of Texas Permian Basin just weeks earlier, having completed his MBA program online while living and working in Africa. 

Murabula graciously navigated his busy schedule (and multiple time zones) to share his UTPB online experience in a conversation that ranged from the relevance and flexibility of our program to the virtues of international collaboration unique to the online environment. 

UTPB’s Online Energy MBA: The Perfect Fit for a Global Energy Career 

Murabula’s professional background made UTPB’s online MBA with energy business certificate an obvious choice for gaining new knowledge and skills. “I work in the energy sector. Initially I worked with consulting firms to design hydropower plants in a few African countries, but then I transitioned and now I work in regulation and policy.” 

Murabula discovered UTPB’s program through a web search. “What pulled me to it was the availability of the course I was looking for, but also the pricing and the mode of payment were very attractive. Payment, even in a semester, is spread out so you don’t have to make a whole lump sum payment.” 

Murabula found welcome flexibility in other aspects of our program as well. “You can decide to take as many courses as you want during a semester, or take one if you want, or none.” 

Global Connections: UTPB’s Online MBA Classroom 

Murabula was thoroughly satisfied with his online learning experience. “You get to apply yourself just as much if not more [online]. Online learning gives you the same opportunities; you use the same resources that you would’ve used in physical learning. You get to access the same materials that the lecturers provide. A good thing about the UTPB experience is that they actually give lectures, sometimes live lectures and sometimes recorded lectures. It’s really fulfilling and I felt like I didn’t lack anything that I would have gotten from the physical classroom environment.” 

He continued: “The collaboration with other students from all over the world was refreshing. Talk about having a peek into a worldwide perspective on issues! I liked the quality of the learning aids — Canvas, the books, and their online support features, and the partnership with Coursera that allowed me to take up additional training at no extra cost. I enjoyed the journey and I am grateful for the support of most lecturers who were always ready to provide guidance.” 

How an Energy Business MBA Is Powering Murabula’s Career … and Investments  

Murabula developed expertise immediately useful and applicable to his career. “This training actually will fit in exactly with my aspirations going forward. I’m a project manager on a project that seeks to harmonize energy regulation and policies across 13 countries. We’re trying to build a continent-wide energy market or other electricity market where countries can trade all the way from Cape Town in South Africa to Cairo in Egypt.” 

“I’m trying to solve my problem,” he said with a laugh, explaining that some areas of Zambia don’t have electricity 24 hours a day, which was occasionally an obstacle during his studies. Ultimately, nothing stopped Murabula from completing his degree and applying what he learned to his job. “Some of the training such as data analytics has come in extremely handy in the work that we do analyzing the data related to energy in the region. It has been very relevant.” 

UTPB’s MBA program also proved beneficial to Murabula’s life outside of work: “[The course] Energy Investments was interesting not just career-wise but also in my personal investment journey. I now know what to do when selecting and trading stocks and bonds.” 

Recruiting Future Falcons 

Given his experience with UTPB’s online MBA program, would Murabula recommend it to others? “I’ve talked to a lot of my colleagues and I think even one of them must be enrolled by now,” he explained, adding that some close to him have decided to attend other programs at UTPB based on his recommendation. “I told my niece about it. She already applied and I think she got an admission letter and is just making preparations to come in the spring semester.” Murabula’s niece will be working on her master’s degree in psychology at UTPB’s Odessa, Texas campus. 

Advice for Prospective Online MBA Students 

Murabula offered some words of advice for anyone who wishes to follow in his footsteps: “It would help if you had full commitment when you sign up for an online course. If you dedicate time to studying and completing all tasks on time, amidst your busy schedule, you will be on course to breezing through the program in no time.” 

Murabula’s story demonstrates that you can earn a career-enhancing UTPB MBA with energy business certificate from any time zone while enjoying flexibility that accommodates your professional and personal endeavors. Interested? See program details, request further information, or apply here!