IMBA student gains international experience while preparing for a corporate leadership role
Casey Roach, ’25 International MBA, is continuing to make strides in her career and academic journey. Last time Roach was interviewed, she was just about to start her internship with CVS Health in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Now, she has secured a full-time position at the company and just completed studying abroad in Germany, gaining invaluable global business experience. She also traveled to other countries during her immersion, including Hungary, pictured above.
“I interned with CVS Health in the summer and was fortunate to receive a full-time offer to join the general management corporate rotational program,” she says. “This is a two-and-a-half-year commitment where I will rotate through three different business units, exposing me to different departments and setting me up to take on a managerial role at the completion of the program.”
Roach says she was drawn to this job because of the diverse experiences it offers.
“This program is exciting because I get to see different areas of operation and explore where I excel most,” she says.
Through her internship at CVS Health, Roach gained valuable skills that helped her prepare for this next step.
“Since CVS is such a large corporation, one of the most important qualities is successful time management and the ability to work well on a team,” she says. “The IMBA program is comprised of such diverse individuals, and because the program relies so heavily on group projects, I was really able to pinpoint my strengths in teamwork while also learning how to navigate my weaknesses.”
A defining part of Roach’s experience in the IMBA program has been her time studying abroad at WHU, a university in Düsseldorf, Germany.
“The program has been great so far. WHU’s MBA program is made up of individuals who are both native Germans as well as individuals from other European and Asian countries, so it’s been really rewarding getting to know all of them and working with them in class,” she says.
Although adjusting to a new culture has had its challenges, Roach says the experience has been eye-opening.
“It was a little scary when I first arrived in Europe because things are very different here versus in America, but everyone I have interacted with has been very forthcoming and willing to help me,” she says. “Additionally, it’s rewarding to explore other cultures and learn about how operations in America are different than in Europe. It opens the door to learning about new cultures and different opportunities for success — in day-to-day life and in business operations.”
Roach has also been fascinated by the way European business education incorporates perspectives on American corporate structures.
“One of the most interesting things I’ve learned in my classes abroad is that the European classes typically compare their operations to American business operations as a baseline,” she says. “Professors do not hesitate to ask Americans their thoughts on European business operations or ask clarifying questions on how things work in America.”
Roach has always envisioned a career with a multinational corporation, and her time abroad has reinforced that ambition.
“My dream has always been to work for a multinational corporation and live abroad,” she says. “When I complete my studies in Düsseldorf, I will have explored 11 different countries, all of which are unique in their cultures. I think this experience has set me up to be successful working with anyone on my team, no matter their background.”
With a full-time role at CVS Health and an international business education, Roach is ready to apply her global perspective in a corporate setting. She looks forward to taking on new challenges and growing as a leader in the evolving business world.
-Madeline Murch