An internship turned into an executive team position for Cammi McClurg ’17 BBA, ’19 MBA. Along the way, she learned the importance of continual growth as a person and a professional. “Everything in my life is now building on the foundation I began building at ONU,” she says. “Faith integrated with business skills, flexibility and lifelong learning are helping me accept new career challenges.”
Growing up in the Church of the Nazarene, Cammi visited Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) as a high school student. She knew right away that ONU was where she would pursue her bachelor’s degree in business administration. A Master of Business Administration degree was one of her long-term goals, but she thought she would have to delay pursuing that goal until she was established in a career.
Following her graduation from ONU in May 2017, Cammi accepted a summer internship position in Attractions with The Dollywood Company in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. “My family and I had often vacationed at Dollywood,” she says. “I loved the people and the culture. And I was very impressed by how they approached and ran their business with Christian principles, values and morals.”
Much more to learn
When she heard about ONU’s graduate assistant program for MBA students, Cammi decided to apply. In fall 2017, she began her MBA courses while working in ONU’s Alumni Relations office. Although this was a rigorous endeavor, she knew she was laying the foundation for her future success.
“In Alumni Relations, I did a lot of event planning,” she says. “Homecoming, Young Alumni events, alumni trips and so much more. This turned out to be great preparation for what God had ready for me later.”
Cammi was the youngest student in her MBA cohort, but she saw this as a blessing. “I was learning from my professors and also from working professionals,” she says. “I learned a lot from their experiences and heard about how they were applying what we were learning in their workplaces.”
Marketing was not one of Cammi’s passions when she began her MBA studies. Class discussions, reading assignments, group projects — plus guidance from Dr. Lynda Allen ’82, ’88 MBA, their professor — gave Cammi a new perspective on the importance of effective marketing plans and implementation.
Learning and growing, personally and professionally
After graduating with her MBA in May 2019, Cammi joined the team at The Dollywood Company — a Herschend Family Entertainment property — as a Business Analytics Intern.
Today, as Senior Operations Manager, she is one of The Dollywood Company’s 5,000 employees. Her leadership responsibilities include managing the attractions team, serving as coach for the Transformational Leadership Program, and regularly serving as acting manager on duty for the Pigeon Forge property.
“Having my MBA degree definitely sets me apart in the workforce,” she says. “I get a lot of positive feedback from my supervisors and co-workers about my excellent people skills and ability to manage projects. This degree has made a key difference for me in advancing in my career.”
Cammi adds, “Nothing from my MBA degree program is wasted. I’m using everything I learned as I continue to advance in my career. ONU motivated me to be curious and set me on a path to continue to learn in my career.”
Learn more about ONU’s graduate degree programs at Olivet.edu/academics/graduate-programs. For more information or to enroll, email onlineadmissions@olivet.edu or call 877-465-4838.
