Justin (Chan Ho) Lee, BS/MBA ’16

Justin (Chan Ho) Lee, BS/MBA ’16.

Justin (Chan Ho) Lee comes to the School of Management from South Korea and brings years of military experience with him as student in our combined BS/MBA program, an accelerated curriculum that leads to both an undergraduate and graduate degree in just five years. 

Q&A

Tell us about your military experience. How does that experience transition to the business world and your MBA work?

In my case, I served in the South Korean Marine Corps a few years before joining the U.S. Army Reserves. One thing both organizations have taught me, and are still teaching me, is to be action oriented. It has been rewarding particularly in my MBA work because I recognize when the team that I am working with is struggling to figure out what to do first. When this happens, I always try to complete or initiate an action to allow my team to continue driving the project to completion.  

Why did you decide to get your MBA?

I was in the accounting undergraduate program before joining the BS/MBA combined degree program. I made this move because I believed that an MBA would help me gain a broader view of business strategy and operations.

Why a UB MBA?

The UB MBA program offered a much greater return on investment than any other program out there. Compared to the affordable cost, the course content and national reputation was outstanding and so, after researching MBA schools, the only question I had for myself was, “Why not the UB MBA?” 

What has been the most valuable course, advice, experience or professor in the School of Management?

The most valuable course was data modeling, taught by Professor Frank Krzystofiak. I had never had a more hands-on course in my entire undergraduate and graduate career. The course showed me everything I need to know about Excel—from simple sum functions, to solver add-ons and advanced models that can take hours to run calculations. 

Can you offer any advice to other service members who are considering an MBA degree from the School of Management?

Come expecting not only to learn, but also to contribute to your teams. This is not a program that just teaches you definition of terms and a bunch of equations. Rather, you will learn both technical and soft skills and have opportunities to fully use your leadership skills.

What are your plans after graduation? Do you plan to work in the same industry?

I plan to continue serving as a reservist and am considering exploring other industries, particularly the defense industry.

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Discover why the UB School of Management is a great place to invest your time, money and energy to earn a bachelor's degree. Or, explore the team environment, extracurricular activities, opportunities for community and global involvement and other resources for personal and professional development that differentiate the UB MBA experience.