A native of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nabila Mahbub Briste graduated from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics with an MBA with a focus on business analytics and marketing.
Briste was nominated for this series by Academic Program Manager Andrea Hartman. In this profile, Briste shares her favorite UD memories, challenges she has overcome and her plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Briste: When I first came to UD, I was excited but also nervous about adapting to a new country, a new academic system and balancing everything as an international student. Over time, I became much more confident in myself, both personally and professionally. I learned how to lead teams, manage multiple responsibilities and step outside my comfort zone. From organizing graduate student events to working internships and now starting my career at JPMorgan Chase, I feel like UD helped me grow into someone who is more resilient, adaptable and confident in her abilities.
Lerner: What have been some of the challenges you have faced during your college experience and how did you overcome them?
Briste: One of the biggest challenges was balancing academics, work, leadership roles and personal responsibilities all at once. There were definitely moments that felt overwhelming, especially while trying to excel in different areas simultaneously. I overcame those challenges by improving my time management, building strong support systems and learning how to prioritize without being afraid to ask for help. Those experiences taught me resilience, adaptability and the importance of staying consistent even during stressful times.
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience and why?
Briste: One of my favorite UD experiences was being involved in graduate student programming and the MBA Student Association. Organizing events that brought students together and created a sense of community was incredibly rewarding. I loved seeing people connect, make friends and feel welcomed through the events and initiatives we planned. Those experiences made my time at UD memorable and showed me the value of leadership and community-building.
Lerner: Did you have a Lerner professor or staff member that had a big impact on your UD experience?
Briste: Yes, many people across the Lerner community had a meaningful impact on my experience at UD, including faculty, staff, and members of the MBA admissions and program teams. People like Amy Estey, Bishakha Choudhuri, Mark Serva, Andrea Everard, Andrea Hartman, Jack Baroudi, Anatoliy Anguelov and Jessica Venturi each supported me in different ways throughout my journey.
Whether it was mentorship, encouragement, leadership opportunities, career guidance or simply creating an environment where students felt supported, they all played a role in helping me grow personally and professionally. One of the things I appreciated most about UD was how approachable and genuinely invested people were in student success, and that made a lasting impact on me.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Briste: To me, being a lifelong learner means always staying curious and open to growth. Learning goes beyond the classroom, it comes from experiences, challenges, relationships and new opportunities. It means continuously improving yourself, adapting to change and never becoming too comfortable to learn something new.
Lerner: What advice would you give to incoming students to make the most out of their college experience?
Briste: Get involved early and do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Some of the best opportunities come from attending events, joining organizations, talking to professors and simply putting yourself out there. College goes by very quickly, so make the most of both the academic and personal experiences. The connections you build can be just as valuable as the degree itself.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Briste: Following graduation, I am beginning my career at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as a senior associate in product analytics. I am excited to apply the skills and experiences I gained at UD in a professional setting while continuing to grow in analytics, strategy, and leadership. Long term, I hope to continue building meaningful, people-focused and data-driven solutions that create real impact.