Select a Degree Level *(Required)

Thanks for your interest in OU Online! At this time, we don't offer any online programs that align with your current experience or education level. Please revisit us in the future to find a program that best fits your goals or explore our on campus programs at ou.edu

Select an Area of Interest *(Required)

Select a program(Required)

First Name(Required)

Last Name(Required)

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Address(Required)

Note: Applicants residing in states not participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), or in states where the program does not meet licensure requirements (e.g., California, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Idaho, etc.), are not eligible for enrollment.

Note: Applicants residing in states not participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), or in states where the program does not meet licensure requirements (e.g., California, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Idaho, etc.), are not eligible for enrollment.

Note: Applicants residing in states not participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), or in states where the program does not meet licensure requirements (e.g., California, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Idaho, etc.), are not eligible for enrollment.

This field is hidden when viewing the form

fbclid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

gclid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

msclkid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

gaid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_source

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_source

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_medium

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_medium

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_campaign

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_channel

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_term

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_platform

This field is hidden when viewing the form

ip_address

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_location

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_content

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_product

This field is hidden when viewing the form

ironfocus_id

This field is hidden when viewing the form

track_ID

This field is hidden when viewing the form

first_url

This field is hidden when viewing the form

last_url

This field is hidden when viewing the form

referrer_url

Meet Heath Warren:

How OU’s MBA Program Shaped a Student-Athlete into a Business Leader

START HERE

Share a few details and we'll connect you with an enrollment coach to discuss your goals and next steps.

By submitting my information, I consent to being contacted by The University of Oklahoma and/or OU Education Services via SMS/text message, phone, email, and other electronic means, including through the use of an automatic telephone dialing system, AI-powered technologies, and artificial or pre-recorded voice, for purposes related to OU’s program portfolio; my contact information will not be shared with third-party affiliates. Message and data rates may apply. Opt-out of communications any time by replying STOP to SMS, asking to be removed during a call, or clicking the unsubscribe link in emails. For support, refer to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for more details.

START HERE

Share a few details and we'll connect you with an enrollment coach to discuss your goals and next steps.

By submitting my information, I consent to being contacted by The University of Oklahoma and/or OU Education Services via SMS/text message, phone, email, and other electronic means, including through the use of an automatic telephone dialing system, AI-powered technologies, and artificial or pre-recorded voice, for purposes related to OU’s program portfolio; my contact information will not be shared with third-party affiliates. Message and data rates may apply. Opt-out of communications any time by replying STOP to SMS, asking to be removed during a call, or clicking the unsubscribe link in emails. For support, refer to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for more details.

1Your Interests

2Your Information

Degree Level(Required)

Thanks for your interest in OU Online! At this time, we don't offer any online programs that align with your current experience or education level. Please revisit us in the future to find a program that best fits your goals or explore our on campus programs at ou.edu

Area of Interest(Required)

Program(Required)

First Name(Required)

Last Name(Required)

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Address(Required)

Note: Applicants residing in states not participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), or in states where the program does not meet licensure requirements (e.g., California, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Idaho, etc.), are not eligible for enrollment.

Note: Applicants residing in states not participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), or in states where the program does not meet licensure requirements (e.g., California, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Idaho, etc.), are not eligible for enrollment.

Note: Applicants residing in states not participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), or in states where the program does not meet licensure requirements (e.g., California, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Idaho, etc.), are not eligible for enrollment.

This field is hidden when viewing the form

fbclid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

gclid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

msclkid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

gaid

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_source

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_source

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_medium

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_medium

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_campaign

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_channel

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_term

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_platform

This field is hidden when viewing the form

ip_address

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_location

This field is hidden when viewing the form

utm_content

This field is hidden when viewing the form

marketing_product

This field is hidden when viewing the form

ironfocus_id

This field is hidden when viewing the form

track_ID

This field is hidden when viewing the form

first_url

This field is hidden when viewing the form

last_url

This field is hidden when viewing the form

referrer_url

From the Track to New Possibilities: The Career Impact of Earning an OU MBA

Heath Warren’s experience at the University of Oklahoma extended beyond academics and athletics. As a former OU track and field athlete and MBA graduate, he found the relationships built during the MBA program to be among the most impactful aspects of his time there.

“The MBA program taught us a lot about where we want to go with our careers, but along the way, the relationships we made also taught us a lot about ourselves,” Warren said. “I think it goes beyond business.”

The connections he formed in the program continue to shape his personal and professional life. After earning his undergraduate degree and competing in track and field at OU from 2016 to 2019, Warren returned for his MBA at the Price College of Business, gaining mentorship, practical experience, and a lasting professional network.

“The relationships we built here through the MBA program have carried into our business lives,” he said. “There are a lot of great ideas going around from a business side, but on the other side, we’ve also built real friendships.”

Program Outcomes: What You'll Learn

Why Choose an Online Master of Business Administration from OU: Professional Networks and Lifelong Connections

For Warren, a key benefit of the MBA program was its strong sense of community. Classmates supported one another by sharing job opportunities, discussing career challenges, and offering advice. These connections developed into lasting friendships.

“We share articles about what happened in the sports world or what’s going on in life, and we meet up, go have a blast, and just talk about life like friends do,” Warren said.

These relationships were so meaningful that a group of classmates traveled to Oregon to surprise a friend for his 30th birthday.

“We would have never met him if he hadn’t come through the MBA program,” he said. “It just speaks volumes. A lot of great individuals come through this building, and the friendships you make can be everlasting.”

Learning Business Leadership from Experienced MBA Faculty

One aspect of the OU MBA program that stood out most to Warren was the opportunity to learn from professors who were actively working in their fields.

“I also found out that they don’t just have full-time professors, but professors who come from the market, from their own businesses, or from real-world scenarios,” he said. “What better way to learn than from someone who is doing what you might be doing day to day?”

This perspective became one of the biggest selling points for him, influencing his decision to fully commit to the program. Throughout the program, Warren found that professors invested not only in students’ academic success, but also in their personal and professional growth.

“Every professor I had poured into us in a different capacity based on what they taught and the knowledge they possessed,” he said. “But there were also a lot of professors who took the next step and really cared about you as both a student and a human being.”

From Student-Athlete to Entrepreneur: Developing Leadership Through an MBA

One professor, in particular, made a lasting impact. Warren credits entrepreneurship professor Ron Bolen with helping him see how he could transition from athletics into business.

“That was really the first time I saw how I could morph my athletic career into a business career,” Warren said.

In Bolen’s entrepreneurship course, students were challenged to create and pitch their own businesses to real investors and business professionals.

“At the final, he brings in some of his friends and even local investors, and you seriously have the opportunity to start your own business right then and there as an MBA student in the program,” Warren said.

This experience opened his eyes to new possibilities, showing how his background could shape his business approach, and reinforced an important lesson about leadership.

“It helped me start thinking, wow, I can take what I love, whether that’s sports or another hobby, and morph it into a business,” he said. “If you’re here getting your MBA, you’re going to go out into the real world and be a leader,” Warren said. “You might be building a business career, but it’s all about the people.”

This perspective has remained with him throughout his career.

“You can build a great business or do well in your workplace, but if you’re not treating your people with respect and taking care of them, then what are you doing it for?” he said.

Gaining Hands-On Business Experience Through the OU MBA Applied Field Project

Participating in the Applied Field Project was a defining experience in Warren’s MBA journey. The program enables students to partner with companies and gain hands-on experience addressing real business challenges.

“The program has many opportunities to get real-world experience while you’re getting your MBA, but one in particular is called the Applied Field Project,” Warren said. “Basically, it’s like a soft internship.”

At the end of the project, students present their work to professors and classmates, giving them valuable professional experience before graduation.

“I thought that was one of the coolest things about coming here because, yes, everybody can read a book or take a test, but when it comes down to it, what is the real world actually going to look like?” he said.

From MBA Internship to Full-Time Career at Newmark

The Applied Field Project (only available in the campus-based Full-Time MBA program) served as a turning point in his career. Through the project, Warren partnered with Real Foundations (now Newmark), which led to an internship and eventually a full-time position. Today, Warren assists companies in improving and automating business processes.

Practical Experience for Career Acceleration

“From the start of the Applied Field Project to my internship, to now full-time employment, I’ve been with them for over five years,” he said. “That’s the nature of our work — figuring out how to automate businesses so they can take a lot of the nuances out of their daily work life,” he said.

His experience with Newmark provided firsthand exposure to solving complex business problems and developing practical solutions.

“When I partnered with Newmark Real Foundations, that’s exactly where I got to see the start of this process: how to tackle the fact that every business is different, how to understand what their problems are, and how to build a solution going forward to take those problems away and make life easier,” Warren said.

Bridging the Gap Between Athletics and Leadership

Warren believes the MBA program helped him bridge the gap between athletics and business leadership. His experience as a student-athlete taught him discipline, teamwork, and relationship-building, skills that translated naturally into business.

“The track and field team taught me a lot about people and how to build strong relationships,” he said. “My teammates became more than just teammates — they became friends.”

That mindset carried over from athletics into the MBA program and his career.

“How to respect people, treat them well, and build genuine connections,” he said. “The friendships I made both on the track team and in the MBA program are lasting.”

For Warren, the University of Oklahoma consistently provided opportunities for growth.

“The world is really your oyster here in the MBA program,” he said. “You never know what you’re going to walk into or who you’re going to meet, but everyone here has great intentions, and they just want the best for you.”

Heath Warren

Explore Online Programs and Take the Next Step

Warren’s journey didn’t end with track and field—and yours doesn’t have to end where you are right now, either.

Whether you’re a student-athlete preparing for life after sports, a professional seeking career advancement, or someone aiming to strengthen your leadership skills, the University of Oklahoma MBA program provides hands-on business experience, mentorship from industry leaders, and access to a lasting professional network that supports growth.

Your next steps:

Explore OU Online programs and discover opportunities for career growth
Understand timelines, flexibility, and admission requirements
Apply for a program and start your own OU journey