My current employer, Hughes Network Systems, will partially sponsor my MBA. In the short term, returning to them as part of the strategic management and solutions team is an attractive option. Long term, I would like to work as the CEO of my own high-tech telecommunications company, using my vision and experience alongside my Smith MBA, to develop cutting-edge strategies and products to enable companies to better use technology to build relationships advantageous with customers. The MS in Telecommunications program at the University of Maryland offered me a unique opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary coursework at both the A. James Clark School of Engineering and the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Courses such as “Strategic Management in Telecommunications,” “Economics of International Telecommunications Policy,” and “Decision Support Methods for Telecommunications Managers” helped me gain a solid foundation in strategic management and public policies that impact business operations in the telecommunications industry. telecommunications. However, I realized that my engineering background and work experience did not adequately prepare me to address the broader strategic issues faced by today's senior-level managers. I am interested in strategy because I believe my strongest skills lie in identifying the root causes of problems and developing and implementing lasting solutions. My reasons for earning an MBA from the Smith School are to increase my business knowledge and management skills, gain credentials and credibility to run my business in the future, and be introduced to a network of potential business partners. Given that my career focuses primarily on telecommunications, the University of Maryland is, of course, an ideal fit... the core part of the job... would be to create business strategies that result in low-cost telecommunications services. I am applying to the Smith MBA program right now because after 3 years of experience in the engineering field, I have come to a crossroads in my career. While I have relevant work experience, it did not adequately prepare me to address the broad strategic issues faced by senior-level executives. My professional motivation for earning an MBA is to complement my engineering experience and gain high-intensity exposure to the strategic business functions that are important to running a successful company. I want to use the knowledge derived from my MS and MBA degrees to become a technically savvy manager, very business-minded, strategy-oriented, and deeply attuned to the political issues surrounding the ever-changing telecommunications industry.