For California native Leah Bradley, earning Boise State University’s Online Master of Business Administration in Finance was all about taking advantage of the right opportunity.
“I was trying to advance in my career,” she said. “I have two young daughters, so I thought this would be the time to do it, before they get too much older.
“My husband, Tim, pushed me to finish it. In the long run, it helped me get to my current job. I started the job while I was in the program.”
Bradley landed a role as a program cost and schedule control analyst at Northrop Grumman in Perry, Utah, last November. Her husband is also a Boise State alum. Their daughters are Brielle, 4, and Mila, 1.
“I was working for the City of Boise, which had tuition reimbursement to attend Boise State, when I enrolled,” she said. “I also chose it because of the online program, which made it a lot easier to finish. I could do it late at night while working full-time. It was more feasible that way.”
Chuck McKinley, Bradley’s father, helped inspire her to earn a master’s degree after he got his own MBA later in life. She graduated from the Online MBA in Finance program in 13 months.
“Getting it late was a motivation for him to help me get it done early,” she said. “My dad also has an accounting and finance background, which helped me understand it when I decided to make it my career. The online format worked out well with my schedule and was very accommodating.”
All adding up
Bradley was raised in Lancaster, California, in a military family. She initially planned to pursue a career in nursing when she enrolled at Pensacola Christian College.
“After three semesters, I realized it wasn’t for me,” she said. “I went back home and started at Antelope Valley Community College and realized I was interested in math.
“When I transferred to a four-year school, I could only take one class per semester before I could move on to the next one. The closest related thing to math I was interested in was finance, which was why I switched over to that degree.”
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business finance from California State University, Chico, which was mostly online due to COVID-19, Bradley moved to Idaho. She has also worked as a real estate agent in the area.
“A lot of the information I learned in the MBA in Finance program is applicable to my career,” she said. “Having the degree helped me get into my current position.”
The capstone course, taught by Nicole Cundiff, was especially beneficial to Bradley, as she applied what she learned to that new role.
“I had a luncheon and invited my instructor,” she said. “She really pushed me, but she was also very helpful at the same time. That was one of my biggest challenges. I made great connections through the program.
“Especially online, you’re having the same struggles as everybody else because a lot of them are working or have kids. You could make better connections that way, so the capstone helped me a lot. Several other classes helped — especially because I am working in finance and my previous job was in finance. Using those classes while working was very beneficial.”
Net gains
Bradley had a strong support system in place from her family and friends while she worked toward the master’s degree.
“They were excited for me,” she said. “They were trying to figure out how I was going to get it done in one year, but I liked that option. I can’t stay up every night for two years, but I could do it for one year.”
To complete her journey, Bradley walked the graduation stage at Boise State’s commencement ceremony on campus in May 2025.
“My husband, daughters, parents and in-laws were all there,” she said. “It was so nice because my daughters got to see me walk; that made it so special. I met a few other students from different departments and my professors, too.”
Although she continues to see the benefits of having an MBA in Finance, Bradley hopes to stay at Northrop Grumman.
“I have had people reach out with other job opportunities, so the degree has already helped me a lot,” she said. “I like my current role, but I have goals to get to a manager or director position at the company where I work.”
Bradley, who has been enjoying hiking and spending time in the outdoors with her family since relocating to Utah, is happy she seized the moment and earned an advanced degree in a short amount of time.
“You have to dedicate yourself to get it done,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be in one year, but find your motivators, and find a good team to help you be successful. Pace yourself.
“I definitely enjoyed it. Everyone at Boise State made it really easy and accommodating to get things done and helped me understand what I needed to do to be successful.”
Learn more about the Online MBA
Earning an Online Master of Business Administration from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.