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Meet The Warwick MBA Grad Who's Rebuilding The Caribbean After Hurricane Maria

Saidi Abraham is leading a project to rebuild destroyed homes in the Caribbean. She says her MBA at Warwick Business School has helped her make an impact back home

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Wed Nov 7 2018

BusinessBecause
Saidi Abraham is accustomed to travelling. Originally from Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean, she moved to New York for her architecture degree and lived in London during a study exchange.

After her degree, Saidi worked for a few years as a construction manager back in Trinidad & Tobago before deciding that a business masters was the logical next step in her career.

“In my view, the MBA would allow me to acquire the ability to apply new learnings to any industry, thus making myself more flexible and marketable,” explains Saidi.

It was a recommendation from a family member—and a craving for “a different experience”—that pointed her to the UK for her MBA, and specifically Warwick Business School (WBS).

However, it was seeing Warwick’s place in the MBA rankings that cemented Saidi’s desire to study there. This year, the Financial Times placed Warwick’s Full-Time MBA in the top 45 in the world, fifth in the UK, and it’s consistently climbed places in the rankings over the past three years.

For Saidi, it was important to have a high-ranked degree in order to open employment doors in the future. “I had no idea where my travels and work experience would take me,” she admits. “I thought the MBA at WBS would allow for global networking opportunities and relationship developments.”

The Warwick Full-Time MBA’s LeadershipPlus module stood out to Saidi the most. This compulsory module allows students to reflect on their own leadership abilities and develop their skills during the course.

Included in the LeadershipPlus module is a 10-day workshop program, which focuses on skills including building strong teams, emotional intelligence, and how to be an authentic leader.

“The fact that this type of self-knowledge was not just delegated to career development, but rather integrated into the course as a required module, really appealed to me,” Saidi says.

To enhance her MBA experience, Saidi also took advantage of Warwick’s Partnership in International Management (PIM) scheme. The program enables students to extend their study after graduation at a partner institution around the world—Saidi was a WBS ambassador at ESADE Business School in Barcelona.

But it was an unlikely, and catastrophic, event that led to her current role as a project manager in a social enterprise.

In September 2017, just two months after Saidi had returned to her home country after her MBA, the region was devastated by Hurricane Maria. In particular, her mother’s native island of Dominica was badly affected, experiencing $931 million worth of damages. 

In the wake of this natural disaster, Saidi was offered the opportunity to lead a project through the Mercy Foundation, an organization that assists communities in the Caribbean region.

“The Foundation wanted to launch the 'Caribbean Rebuild our Homes' project, which aims to construct homes throughout the island for beneficiaries who lost all material possessions,” Saidi explains. “They approached me to request that I lead, develop, and execute the project on their behalf.”

As a culmination of her business know-how and previous construction experience, Saidi’s new role is perfectly matched to her experience. “Currently, the most beneficial effect of the MBA is the personal development that occurred there,” she adds. “I'm more confident in my business knowledge, and my experience on the MBA at Warwick has helped me identify my strengths as an individual.”

For Saidi, the decision to take up her new role was less to do with her long-term career goals and more to giving back. “I committed to this project as a way of contributing to the region,” she says.

With regards to her future plans, she’s keeping an open mind. “My experience has shown me that the MBA at Warwick Business School would benefit anyone, regardless of their industry or geographical location,” she notes.

“I am looking forward to taking on new opportunities overseas, and I fully expect that my WBS MBA will assist me greatly in opening the doors to global opportunities.” 

Student Reviews

Warwick Business School

Student

Verified

12/08/2023

On Campus

BSc Management with Marketing

I loved Warwick business school. The staff is supportive, my academic tutor was key in my development throughout the 3 years and you have to meet with her/him every term. Most professors are helpful and would happily offer support if needed. You also have office hours and can contact professors by email and through the forum. In general, WBS instills in you the willingness to learn and the resilience needed for you for whatever career you choose. Very international community which broadens your horizon and makes you more open minded and self aware. You will most certainly make friends and memories for life. I recommend that you get outside of your comfort zone and try new activities with your friends! WBS also has a great reputation and offers careers opportunities, and careers support throughout the degree. There is the opportunity to do a year abroad to further develop on a personal level. I wasn’t able to do this due to Covid but I would have loved to do it during normal circumstances! Would definitely recommend this. Although Warwick is not a city university, the campus vibe has a lot of advantages, especially at an undergraduate level. You are always around familiar faces, and in a student environment. Moreover, Birmingham is only 20 mins away from Leamington spa and London is only one hour away! Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway!

Student

Verified

1/12/2022

On Campus

Life at Warwick Business School

Pursuing my master's degree at WBS has been a game-changer in my life. With high-quality education, interaction with students from across the world, amazing campus life and much more. I was able to learn about business, finance, project management and strategy all in one course: MSc in Management at WBS. Besides the top-notch education from the best professors, I also enjoyed being a part of fun societies and participating in fun activities such as scavenger hunts and so much more. The school also organises many company visits and interactions which help students get a head start at finding a job. As my course came to an end, I also have a good full-time job placement in my hands. Overall, my experience at WBS was a great one.

Asad

Verified

27/06/2022

Blended

Outstanding

The Warwick Business School was like a dream come to life for me. The University ranking speaks for itself, from top-tier facilities to some of the best professors I had to honour to study with I fell in love with my course. Interactions with people from all over the world gave me a newfound confidence in myself. Career prospects after graduating are endless due to the contacts of the universities and the success rate for previous students, it does open a lot of doors for students in various career fields. The campus life is quite good as well with a lot of student groups and clubs, and extra circular activities to engage students at all times. Loved my experience.

Wenrui

Verified

19/05/2022

On Campus

A good business school

It is a very cutting-edge, career-oriented business school, all courses are very practical, and the college does a very good job of career service. From the hardware and facilities to the staff, the student experience is at the core of the school and student satisfaction is taken very seriously. I understand that many universities in the UK are relatively traditional and can occasionally be rigid in terms of rules and regulations, and although WBS has a relatively short history, this makes it more innovative and dynamic, which is essential for a business school. The downside is that because it is on the outskirts of Coventry, it is a long bus ride to the city centre, not to mention the difference in experience from a big city like London.

Hrithik

Verified

2/09/2020

On Campus

Campus

The people, campus, staff. It’s a very enjoyable environment and it’s particularly good for learning and playing sports. The people there are extremely friendly and welcoming and it’s very easy to make friends

Student

Verified

3/08/2020

What I Like About Warwick

I’ve personally liked my experience at Warwick so far because of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet and how many opportunities we students are provided with to learn and grow. Within Warwick, I’m part of the Business School, a learning haven comprised of well-structured modules and extremely helpful people All in all, a great place to be :)

Student

Verified

27/07/2020

Campus Life

One thing that stood out for me was the campus life, you felt like part of a community. The social aspects of the student union and on-campus accommodation meant you can easily get together and enjoy with friends. Additionally, I felt the course provided a variety of subjects allowing me to enhance my knowledge, from Marketing to Law and Finance. Overall I would most definitely recommend this university to friends and family.

Student

Verified

6/07/2020

Excellence self catered

The campus is very welcoming and Modern. There are many opportunities at Warwick but it is up to the student how do they want to make the most out of it and the staff at the school will definitely helo as much as possible. The location and the ranking have been amazing.

Bakytzhan

Verified

4/07/2020

Warwick business school

Warwick business school is one of the best universities around the globe with a solid base of economic and business studies. Moreover, students get a chance to study in a diverse and warm environment with professional stuff which tries to provide the best opportunities for career development. One of the memorable features of the university are great events which sometimes take a place in one of the landmarks of the London city, the Shard building.

Student

Verified

12/08/2023

On Campus

BSc Management with Marketing

I loved Warwick business school. The staff is supportive, my academic tutor was key in my development throughout the 3 years and you have to meet with her/him every term. Most professors are helpful and would happily offer support if needed. You also have office hours and can contact professors by email and through the forum. In general, WBS instills in you the willingness to learn and the resilience needed for you for whatever career you choose. Very international community which broadens your horizon and makes you more open minded and self aware. You will most certainly make friends and memories for life. I recommend that you get outside of your comfort zone and try new activities with your friends! WBS also has a great reputation and offers careers opportunities, and careers support throughout the degree. There is the opportunity to do a year abroad to further develop on a personal level. I wasn’t able to do this due to Covid but I would have loved to do it during normal circumstances! Would definitely recommend this. Although Warwick is not a city university, the campus vibe has a lot of advantages, especially at an undergraduate level. You are always around familiar faces, and in a student environment. Moreover, Birmingham is only 20 mins away from Leamington spa and London is only one hour away! Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway!

Student

Verified

1/12/2022

On Campus

Life at Warwick Business School

Pursuing my master's degree at WBS has been a game-changer in my life. With high-quality education, interaction with students from across the world, amazing campus life and much more. I was able to learn about business, finance, project management and strategy all in one course: MSc in Management at WBS. Besides the top-notch education from the best professors, I also enjoyed being a part of fun societies and participating in fun activities such as scavenger hunts and so much more. The school also organises many company visits and interactions which help students get a head start at finding a job. As my course came to an end, I also have a good full-time job placement in my hands. Overall, my experience at WBS was a great one.

Asad

Verified

27/06/2022

Blended

Outstanding

The Warwick Business School was like a dream come to life for me. The University ranking speaks for itself, from top-tier facilities to some of the best professors I had to honour to study with I fell in love with my course. Interactions with people from all over the world gave me a newfound confidence in myself. Career prospects after graduating are endless due to the contacts of the universities and the success rate for previous students, it does open a lot of doors for students in various career fields. The campus life is quite good as well with a lot of student groups and clubs, and extra circular activities to engage students at all times. Loved my experience.

Wenrui

Verified

19/05/2022

On Campus

A good business school

It is a very cutting-edge, career-oriented business school, all courses are very practical, and the college does a very good job of career service. From the hardware and facilities to the staff, the student experience is at the core of the school and student satisfaction is taken very seriously. I understand that many universities in the UK are relatively traditional and can occasionally be rigid in terms of rules and regulations, and although WBS has a relatively short history, this makes it more innovative and dynamic, which is essential for a business school. The downside is that because it is on the outskirts of Coventry, it is a long bus ride to the city centre, not to mention the difference in experience from a big city like London.

Hrithik

Verified

2/09/2020

On Campus

Campus

The people, campus, staff. It’s a very enjoyable environment and it’s particularly good for learning and playing sports. The people there are extremely friendly and welcoming and it’s very easy to make friends

Student

Verified

3/08/2020

What I Like About Warwick

I’ve personally liked my experience at Warwick so far because of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet and how many opportunities we students are provided with to learn and grow. Within Warwick, I’m part of the Business School, a learning haven comprised of well-structured modules and extremely helpful people All in all, a great place to be :)

Student

Verified

27/07/2020

Campus Life

One thing that stood out for me was the campus life, you felt like part of a community. The social aspects of the student union and on-campus accommodation meant you can easily get together and enjoy with friends. Additionally, I felt the course provided a variety of subjects allowing me to enhance my knowledge, from Marketing to Law and Finance. Overall I would most definitely recommend this university to friends and family.

Student

Verified

6/07/2020

Excellence self catered

The campus is very welcoming and Modern. There are many opportunities at Warwick but it is up to the student how do they want to make the most out of it and the staff at the school will definitely helo as much as possible. The location and the ranking have been amazing.

Bakytzhan

Verified

4/07/2020

Warwick business school

Warwick business school is one of the best universities around the globe with a solid base of economic and business studies. Moreover, students get a chance to study in a diverse and warm environment with professional stuff which tries to provide the best opportunities for career development. One of the memorable features of the university are great events which sometimes take a place in one of the landmarks of the London city, the Shard building.