Whitman MBA Pursues Ph.D. to Share Research on the Intersection of Psychology and Female Entrepreneurship

Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam
Degree: Ph.D. in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises

After participating in the Orange Tank Pitch Competition and the Panasci Business Plan Competition while pursuing her MBA at the Whitman School, Mi Hoang Tran ’19 MBA discovered an interest in entrepreneurship. That interest led her to remain at Whitman to pursue a doctorate.

“When I started my MBA, I concentrated on supply chain because I had five years of experience, but Whitman exposed me to so many opportunities in entrepreneurship,” says Tran.

Tran knew that staying at Syracuse University gave her access to top research opportunities, the opportunity for interesting coursework and access to top-tier research publications, as well as the ability to teach undergraduate courses after only two years of her Ph.D. program.

“I am looking forward to improving my teaching skills,” she says. “I hope to find a position at a university after graduation where I can continue to research and teach entrepreneurship.”

While Tran credits many individuals for her success, she is most grateful for her advisor, Johan Wiklund, Al Berg Chair and professor of entrepreneurship. After working as a research assistant with Wiklund while earning her MBA, Tran gained exposure to his work in the relationship between entrepreneurship and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Wiklund set the groundwork for Tran’s current research on the intersection of psychology and female entrepreneurs.

“My current research focuses on the impact of psychological vulnerabilities and gender on the well-being of entrepreneurs, which is really interesting because both ADHD and entrepreneurship are male-dominated areas,” she says. “Female entrepreneurs with ADHD are challenged by many behavioral stereotypes in business.”

Tran appreciates her advisor for always pushing her to explore new opportunities to achieve her long-term career goals. “Professor Wiklund continually encourages me to be a productive and successful researcher. He really cares for his students and is always there to help,” says Tran.

Tran hopes to follow this example in her own career, continuing her research and teaching others about the exciting opportunities in the field. She says, “I want to inspire my future students to pursue entrepreneurship and adopt entrepreneurial thinking throughout their careers.”