Finding Greatness: Victoria Horton-Roark

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 12:00 AM
Categories: Pressroom | Students | Finding Greatness | School of Business

Macon, GA

Victoria Horton-Roark, who is pursuing the University’s Master of Science in Management degree, is a graduate research assistant for MGA’s School of Business. She recently presented a research paper at a conference of the Southeastern chapter of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences. Her career goal is to become a manager involved in human resources and organizational structuring.

Full Name: Victoria Alexandra Horton-Roark.

Age: 31.

Hometown: Forsyth.

Residence: Macon.

Employment: “Currently I work as a full-time assistant retail store manager with Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. I am also a graduate research assistant working with Dr. Anthony Narsing and the School of Business at Middle Georgia State University. Both positions are providing me with crucial information as I learn the intricacies of managing a successful business, the various forces at play in the global business community, and how world events affect local business, the strategies needed for delegating responsibilities to associates based on skill assessment, and the skills needed to promote and encourage the satisfaction and growth of others within an organization. Performing both jobs and being a full-time graduate student with MGA has taught me how to organize myself and my life to meet tasks and realize objectives efficiently.”

 Activities: “In the past seven months I have taken multiple steps necessary to transform myself into the person I wish to be. Specifically, I have taken my physical health and wellbeing very seriously this year, shifting my diet to healthier eating habits as well as working out at a local gym on a regular basis. As I have traveled through my weight loss journey, I have learned from and encouraged various others striving to better themselves in this manner. I have also realized a deeper level of pride in myself as I have met my weight loss and fitness goals and have gained a higher level of confidence regarding myself and how I interact with others. I have also been able to form a deeper connection to and appreciation of nature as I utilize most of my free time hiking trails at various Georgia state parks. Additionally, I enjoy reading and writing fictional stories, permitting my mind to take a break from business and analytics and entertain myself with new worlds, stories, and characters. I have utilized all my extracurricular activities to maintain a positive balance among my physical, mental, and emotional states.”

Degree Objective: Master of Science in Management. “With this degree I believe new doors will open for me, creating pathways into the middle and upper management tiers within corporations, companies, and businesses. As I move forward, I wish to become a manager involved in human resources and organizational structuring. I plan to be primarily involved in improving communication between different tiers of an organization, utilizing my experiences and acquired knowledge to do so. My experience working at the retail level of Goodwill and other companies has emphasized to me that positive and consistent communication between upper, middle, and lower management is scarce in many organizations. This communication is vital for employee pride, job security, and overall satisfaction, as well as the overall productivity and profitability of a business. I have experienced firsthand the negative effects that occur when consistent communication is absent in a company and as an upper-level manager hope to help organizations achieve more efficient communication system, closing the gaps between upper, middle, and lower management in a way that drives results and improves overall job satisfaction.” 

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Middle Georgia State University.

She chose Middle Georgia State University for graduate school because … “As an undergraduate student, I found the class structure and size of Middle Georgia State University to be ideal for my overall learning experience. I experienced great accessibility regarding communication with my professors about my courses and assignments. Such ease and accessibility led to me engaging in graduate studies with MGA.”

Her greatest experience as a Middle Georgia State graduate student has been … “Representing Middle Georgia State University’s School of Business at the SEInforms 2022 Conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on October 6^th-7^th. Performing the duties of session chair and presenting a paper compiled by Dr. Anthony Narsing, Dr. Greg George, and myself provided me with a fantastic learning experience that further honed my public speaking abilities. Furthermore, being able to meet and engage with other students and professors involved in the business and research field offered a broad scope of other opinions and information regarding business and research for me. It was a fun and invaluable experience combining my love for business, management, and travel, and I was honored to represent MGA at the event.”

To her, greatness means … “Striving everyday not to be better than others but to be better than oneself the day before. The greatest lesson I have learned in this life is that until death we never stop learning and transforming as individuals. Whether these changes are positive or negative is solely up to us and our perspectives regarding life and the control found within it. By focusing our energy and intelligence on ourselves and our emotions in our given situations, we can achieve great satisfaction and experience a high probability of success and growth. Only when we are genuinely happy and at peace with ourselves regardless of our situation can we truly help others at our full capacity as we see fit and grow further as individuals ourselves. To be able to accomplish such a transformation as well as enjoy the transformation as it occurs is what I consider true greatness.”