If you’re looking to reach Rich Haas, you might have to meet him on a softball field. As a member of the Athletics Department staff, Rich works behind the scenes making the sales and marketing of Patriot League tournaments and high stakes basketball games come off without a hitch.
Rich did his undergraduate work at Lehigh, having earned a B.S. in accounting. He decided to add an MBA to his list of credentials, capping off three years of work with an international experience in London just a week before commencement.
With a high-intensity job, two young children and wife who works nights and weekends as a physician’s assistant, Rich’s life was already complicated. He set a graduate school pace that he could live with. “I took one class at a time,” he said. “You have to get creative to manage it all. But with a good routine and a supportive family, I was able to accomplish my goal.”
“While the accounting courses came naturally to me, the finance aspect was more challenging,” Rich reflected. “The professors were great, though, and our team projects taught me a lot that I can use in my day-to-day work. For instance, I saw first-hand how important it is to have a team made of people with varied skill sets and strengths.”
Why He Did It: “I did it because I wanted to push myself. Lehigh is a competitive environment; you are expected to challenge yourself.”
Highlight Of The Program: A culminating trip to London to meet business and government leaders, and learn more about the 2012 Olympics legacy.
Now That He’s Done: “I’m really looking forward to spending more time with my family, but of course I’ll be looking for my next opportunity to grow as well.”