My name is Judy Deterville-Jacob. Presently, I live and work on the sunny island of Saint Lucia, and I am the Public Relations Manager at the Sandals Grande St Lucian Spa & Beach Resort, a world-class getaway for couples owned by the renowned Sandals brand.

For many years, I had been contemplating pursuing a doctoral degree. In 2022, I discovered the UniAthena Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) Programme, and the rest is history. I applied, and I was accepted as a participant in the 2022 cohort.

Being an active student and working full-time comes with many challenges, namely time management. However, having made the commitment, I stuck to the course, and I admit it has been a fruitful journey. There was no going back to what I knew. Previously, I considered myself to be more of a qualitative thinker, expressing myself predominantly through verbal expression.

However, after completing one full year in the DBA programme, I find myself leaning towards the inclusion of a numerical, quantitative form of reasoning and expression. This is what the DBA programme is all about. It changes the way one perceives the world. It is not enough to know something on a surface level. It pushes an individual to ask deeper questions as well as ground their assumptions through analysis and testing. The programme really gives one the tools to build one’s strength as a researcher.

Coming out of this programme, I envisage far more opportunities, on a personal and professional level, to make a greater contribution to business and society through possibilities for conducting research.

Thanks to UniAthena and the DBA Programme, I have gained a new lease on life!