Why Compromise Between Being a Mom and Pursuing an Intensive Degree Program?

Who said it was impossible to enroll in a demanding postgraduate degree and be a good mother and wife?

Certainly not Corinne Choron Clayette who self-financed herself through an 18-month EMBA at HEC Paris, majoring in ENERGY. Her graduation in June 2017 will cap an experience she has described as unforgettable.

I attended world-class modules, I developed a family company, I designed a new business model, I got married … and I gave birth to a baby boy who followed me through most of my EMBA program. This was a challenging moment in my life but I have 65 new HEC Paris friends who backed me up to make it happen.

Corinne Choron Clayette took the brave decision to put her senior post in PepsiCo Europe’s Global Procurement Department on hold and seek a more impactful role thanks to her studies at the France’s leading business school. “I wanted to show my strong desire to grow within a profession I am really passionate about,” she insists. Corinne decided to focus on an Energy Major during her EMBA: “Energy is a critical commodity for procurement as it impacts both pricing and budgets,” she notes. “On top of this, many companies are developing renewable energy and related technology as part of their environmental and corporate social responsibility strategy.”

During her 18-month stint at HEC Paris, she capitalized on her expertise in Indirect Procurement to design a new business model aimed at connecting non-profit organizations with the private sector to work together towards a sustainable supply chain. She is currently working on ways to promote this model and create her own startup. “I learnt not to compromise at HEC Paris. I am looking forward to new challenges as a Senior Procurement Director in a company that believes procurement creates value and promotes corporate social responsibility.”

And her advice for women who hesitate between pursuing a degree program and being a mother? “You do not have to compromise on your personal or your professional life: I could not have experienced a better pregnancy than the one I had “on campus”!