Spotlight on Regan McDonald MBA’10

 Not everyone who goes after a MBA degree wants to get rich right away. For her part, Regan McDonald has long wanted to use her business skills for good.

Though the idea is at odds with what most people associate with a MBA degree, Regan said she would “rather be happy in what I am doing than make a lot of money.”

Regan’s nonprofit spirit was fostered by her experience in Washington D.C., where she worked after graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in international business. In D.C., she worked for a small four-person company focused on fundraising and advocacy for veterans, the environment and the arts. 

“A big corporation is just not a fit with me,” she said. “I want a real sense of making a difference.”

Currently obtaining her TCU MBA, Regan is interning at Susan G. Komen for a Cure® headquarters in Dallas, where she hopes to land a fulltime job after graduation.

She credits the Neeley School with providing ample resources to pursue careers in the nonprofit arena. 

“My Neeley School training has taught me to use my connections. You never know if a phone call from someone might put your resume at the top of the stack.”

And that’s exactly what happened. Regan called on a longtime friend’s mother, Joan Katz, who is well known in the Metroplex and throughout the Komen organization for her personal battles with breast cancer and high-profile support of the Race for the Cure® in Fort Worth.

“I grew up participating in the Race for the Cure in Fort Worth with Joan’s daughter Lorie,” Regan said. “It was so much a part of my life, that when I was looking for internships, Komen kept popping up.”

During her summer internship, Regan made no money, put in long hours, took on challenging tasks, and made a big impact. She used her TCU MBA skills to analyze the Marathon for the Cure®, a year-old, grassroots fundraising program. Regan’s work led to a three-year partnership with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series, with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® the official national charity of the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon. The event will take place Sunday, March 14, 2010.

Regan’s success in her summer internship led to a 20-hour-per-week contract position. 

“I love working for Komen,” she said. “Yes, it is a large organization, but it doesn’t feel like one. Everyone is open to new ideas. It’s a collaborative, committed, supportive environment.”

Regan’s commitment seems tireless. Even though she travels from Fort Worth to Dallas for her job while going to school fulltime for her TCU MBA, and travels all around the Metroplex for events associated with her job, Regan recently began training with Luke’s Locker to run in the marathon that she helped grow.