Jillian Bradley Blanchard’s connection to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette runs as deep as the roots of the century-old oak trees on campus.
Her grandparents met on campus when it was still known as the Southwestern Louisiana Institute, or SLI. Her grandfather later taught there, and today her father, brother, and sister each have bricks along the Walk of Honor as alumni.
“It’s in the family,” she says. “It’s home.”
After earning her bachelor’s degree in business in December 2018, Blanchard eagerly enrolled in the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration MBA program to build on her momentum and family legacy.
Earning her MBA in 2021 made her a two-time Ragin’ Grad, but the moment carried extra weight. Her Commencement date marked the two-year anniversary of her father’s death.
Having the choice to earn her MBA degree online, along with support from University staff, helped Blanchard continue her coursework while managing her grief and full-time job.
“I was still grieving, and I wanted to honor that; I also didn’t want to take away from my work in economic development,” she says. “Ultimately, I decided to go back online. I met a lot of cool people, it helped me go at my own pace, and I finished it all on time.”
Maintaining Momentum
Blanchard began her college career knowing she wanted to help her hometown thrive, but unsure what form that might take.
Choosing to study business management at UL Lafayette, she says, helped her find her path. An internship with LEDA led to her first full-time role.
“I would always tell myself, ‘I love Lafayette, and I just want to see it grow,’ and that’s exactly what Opportunity Machine does; they help Lafayette Parish grow,” she says.
Continuing her own growth at the University seemed like a natural next step.
“I’ve always believed in education and UL Lafayette, and I really enjoyed my experience with the College of Business,” she says.
She started her MBA coursework on campus in spring 2019. Soon after, her father received a terminal cancer diagnosis. He passed away that May.
The grief was overwhelming.
“At that point, I kind of made myself sick, so I withdrew from the program,” she says.
Blanchard threw herself into the frenetic pace of economic development, drawing on her undergrad experiences as a member of Phi Mu, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the Sigma Alpha Lambda Honors Society.
She didn’t want to take her foot off the gas to return to the MBA degree program and knew on-campus courses no longer fit her schedule.
“I didn’t want to have to say, ‘I can’t go to that event,’ or not be involved in the community because I have to go to class from 6 to 9 p.m.,” she says.
Because UL Lafayette's MBA is AACSB-accredited and offered both online and on campus, she knew switching formats wouldn’t mean sacrificing quality or earning a different degree.
B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Programs Robert Viguerie worked with Blanchard to make the process as smooth as possible, she says.
“He was amazing,” she says. “He was so supportive throughout the whole ordeal. That really helped me go back.”
Gaining New Skills, Opportunities
During the four semesters in which she earned her degree, she balanced coursework with full-time work and deeper community involvement, joining the board of Lafayette’s young professionals’ organization, the705.
As she gained strategy and leadership skills through the MBA curriculum, she also built applicable time-management and relationship-building skills.
“One thing leads to the next,” she says. “The skills I learned in both my curriculum and through volunteerism prepared me for new professional and personal challenges. They’re so transferable. You just never know where you’re going to end up when you put yourself out there and say ‘yes’ while you can.”
For Blanchard, saying “yes” led to becoming president of the705, being selected for the Leadership Lafayette Class XXXV, and becoming a 20 under 40 honoree.
Her experiences and networking through Leadership Lafayette led to her current role as senior marketing manager at Rudick Construction Group, a commercial construction firm.
"Marketing in construction is a whole universe within itself," she says. "It's very interesting and not something I saw myself getting into, but I'm really glad I found it.”
To succeed in her role, Blanchard needs to go beyond basic marketing principles. She must understand the construction industry, how Rudick Construction operates, the roles of subcontractors, and the nuances of each industry they pursue, from higher education and manufacturing to public works and healthcare.
"You have to know each one," she emphasizes. "You can't just copy and paste. Each project requires understanding why it's important to that specific client. The MBA definitely helped with understanding target markets and doing research.”
She sees her trajectory as a culmination of networking, education, and community involvement. Taking away any one of those, she says, is a missed opportunity.
“Often, people will focus entirely on work or education, and it doesn’t have to be that way,” she says. “Get involved in your community. Tout that you’re an MBA candidate; that carries a lot of weight, especially from UL Lafayette’s College of Business.”
Make new connections and build applicable skills to go further in your career. Request information today about the MBA degree program online.