For more than a decade, Elizabeth May pursued a career in nursing. She worked at the bedside, stepped into leadership roles and eventually moved into a corporate position where she supported hospitals during one of healthcare’s most turbulent moments: the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the crisis eased, she saw many of those same programs and positions reduced and witnessed firsthand the impact on nurses. “My professional background had given me the tools to care for patients,” she explained, “but it wasn’t enough to advocate for nurses or influence the systems we were working in. I realized the gaps I needed to fill were business skills and understanding.”
She decided that earning an MBA would be her next step.
Why a Clemson MBA?
When searching for a program that was her perfect fit, she considered several options, but Clemson really stood out. She wanted something close to home that offered remote flexibility while still providing in person connection. The Clemson MBA Program offered her the flexibility she was looking for with its hybrid format and weekend residencies.
From the start, Clemson’s MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MBAe) program pushed her in new ways. Before starting, she thought her path after graduating with her MBA degree was to pursue C-Suite roles to be a decision maker in healthcare. Through her MBAe courses, she discovered there were many paths to advocate for nurses, including entrepreneurship.
Throughout her nursing career, she noticed the disconnect between leadership and frontline staff. Traditional metrics like HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) scores, OSHA data and hospital ratings rarely reflected the day-to-day realities nurses faced.
Her time working in an innovation division exposed her to new ways of rethinking workflows to improve staffing and care delivery. That experience, combined with her nursing experience, planted the seed for her next step.
A journey of opportunity
After graduating in August 2025, May is grateful for her experience in the Clemson MBA program. She says the networking opportunities, pitch events and professors made the experience invaluable.
“This program starts you on a journey of opportunity and makes that opportunity feel more concrete than just talking about it,” says May. “If you are driven enough to take what you learn and actually walk those steps and just do it, it’s life-changing.”
May continues to work on her entrepreneurial venture and is currently developing a social media-driven marketing strategy to share informative and accessible content with the nursing community.
“The Clemson MBA program gave me confidence,” she said. “It showed me that it doesn’t matter if your professional background is in business. You can take your experiences and create something new.”
About the Clemson MBA Program
Clemson’s MBA program is highly regarded for its innovative approach to advanced business topics. Clemson MBA students can expect an engaging classroom experience with academically qualified faculty who also boast extensive business experience, extending far beyond the classroom. In addition, students can expect over 30 annual career-focused events that range from employer visits to networking forums and individual career counseling with the Princeton Review’s #1-ranked Career Services team.
