As CEO of leading home care provider and skilled nursing service Care Indeed for 14 years, Maria Dee Bustos saw the need to upskill and redefine her organisation’s vision. The home care industry was growing more complex, and the needs of the people it served were evolving. Experience alone was no longer enough.
For her, pursuing an Executive MBA at the University of San Francisco’s Masagung Graduate School of Management was both bold and necessary. “As a CEO in a highly competitive industry, my world often felt confined to the demands of my business,” she says. “The EMBA widened my horizons, reinforcing that leadership is not just about navigating the known but embracing the unknown with confidence and a strategic mindset.”
One of the defining moments of her EMBA was the 10-day global practicum. It immersed her in the realities of global markets, cultural diversity, and international business strategies. It was a turning point. “The EMBA programme became the driving force behind the personal and organisational change I wish to pursue,” she says. “It pushed me beyond my comfort zone and prompted me to question my worldview.”
Masagung Graduate School of Management programmes offer students a global business perspective that focuses on social justice, cultural understanding, and diversity. Source: University of San Francisco
The Masagung Graduate School of Management continually strengthens its offerings each year. As an AACSB-accredited school — a distinction held by only 5% of business schools worldwide — it has long provided “majors that matter.” In today’s digital era, that promise still holds true. Located in the heart of the AI revolution, the school focuses on analytics, machine learning, and the ethical adoption of AI, areas essential for anyone interested in entrepreneurship and management ethics.
Its rankings speak for themselves: #19 for Entrepreneurship MBA, #20 for Business Analytics, #24 for Management MBA, #28 for Executive MBA, and #38 for Finance in the US News and World Report 2025 listings. Beyond the EMBA, the school offers full-time and online part-time MBA programmes, MS in Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MSEI), MS in Information Systems (MSIS), MS in Marketing Intelligence, Master in Management (MIM) with a Business Tech concentration, online MS in Accounting, and more. Each programme is designed to unlock the whole USF experience.
The learning is hands-on and rooted in real-world applications. Holly Landrum ’24, an MSIS graduate, says it provided her with skills she can apply directly in the workplace. “I love how relevant and needed of a programme it is,” she says. “I felt like they made me a more critical thinker, a better employee, and a more marketable candidate if I were to look for other jobs.”
Kenneth Bautista, also in the MSIS programme, agrees. “I apply the tools that I learned from my coursework daily, having benefited from the opportunity to work solo or in collaboration with my classmates, through projects that harness real-world data and business events,” he says.
The University of San Francisco’s location enables more opportunities to connect with industry professionals, opening career opportunities. Source: University of San Francisco
A strong sense of community pairs well with this blend of academic depth and practical experience. Bustos says that joining the EMBA programme was not just about advancing her career but about becoming part of a network that both supports and challenges its members. She met individuals who inspired her and offered new perspectives. “Each of us brings unique strengths, as well as areas for growth, and the beauty of a strong community is that we complement and uplift one another,” she says. “The EMBA amplified this mindset, introducing me to extraordinary people and perspectives that continue to shape how I approach challenges and possibilities.”
That community also extends into the school’s powerful alumni network. The NetworkUSF Networking Hub connects alumni and students for career conversations at any time. Users can search for connections based on location, industry, expertise, or even personal interests. These can range from a brief conversation to an in-depth informational interview.
For Cinthiya Joseph ’23, an MSIS graduate, that network made a difference. “USF gave me the basics I needed to start my career in the technology industry,” she says. “Most importantly, the exposure and the network of people I was introduced to were a huge help.”
The school’s location is another major advantage. Studying in San Francisco means having access to one of the most diverse economies in the country and some of the world’s most innovative companies.
“Being able to walk to the offices of Salesforce, LinkedIn, and BlackRock truly motivates me to achieve my goals,” says Mark Spencer ’24, an MSIS graduate. “The largest cybersecurity conference, RSA, is held annually just blocks away from campus. At this conference, I met a mentor who encouraged me to show genuine interest in my passions and to network effectively.”
This environment helps explain why USF graduates are found at the likes of Amazon, Salesforce, Porsche Ventures, Gartner, Cloudflare, SAP, TikTok, Kabam, Credit Sesame, and the United Nations. They stand out for their ability to make data-driven decisions, lead digital transformation, and solve complex challenges with creativity and skill.
For full-time MBA student Puja Sinha, the experience has been nothing but rewarding. “My time at USF has been enriching, offering opportunities to work on client-facing projects and secure a summer internship,” she says.
Learn more about University of San Francisco’s Masagung Graduate School of Management.
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