Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
Exclusive look inside a day in the life of this young professional at Airbus USA
Reading time: 6 minutes
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Mobile resident Olivia Malasovich has figured out how to balance work and life with school — and at just 23 years old. Olivia wears many hats. She’s a full-time Airbus employee, MBA-student at the University of South Alabama (USA), fiancée and church volunteer.
Her days are filled with a mix of building her career, volunteering, online assignments and wedding planning. See how she’s crushing it and what a day in her life looks like!
We sat down with Olivia to hear how South’s online MBA program makes it easy for busy professionals to balance it all + advice for those considering an MBA. Here’s what to know — and why you should enroll now.
Meet Olivia Malasovich, local Mobilian
Although Olivia was born in Slidell, Louisiana, her college career began right here in the Mobile Bay area with Coastal Alabama Community College. Before her time at Coastal even began, Olivia had every intention of transferring to Ole Miss after a year.
Then she learned about the pathway program between USA and Coastal Alabama. Olivia began exploring South as an option, and she transferred to USA following her graduation from Coastal.
It was at USA’s Mitchell College of Business that Olivia began to get fully plugged in.
She was involved in clubs, was an ambassador for the Mitchell College of Business and worked three other internships before securing one with Airbus, the world’s most valuable aerospace and defense brand, according to Brand Finance.
After graduating with her bachelor’s in Business Administration in December 2024, Olivia was offered a full-time HR position with Airbus — but that wasn’t the end of her education journey.
How did Olivia balance her Airbus job + MBA studies + life?
In August 2025, Olivia decided to pursue her MBA. An added bonus: she had support from her employer, Airbus:
“I want to continue to grow my resume, and it’s never going to be a bad thing to have an MBA. Since Airbus provides tuition reimbursement as a benefit, that gave me incentive and motivation to just do it.”
Olivia Malasovich
Her education was just one positive gain from Olivia’s time at USA: She met her now-fiancé Brockton Parker in her first class, Calculus II. Parker is currently a senior at South, studying mechanical engineering. So in addition to working full-time and volunteering, Olivia is booked and busy with wedding planning.
With a busy schedule such as hers, Olivia wasn’t able to do in-person classes for her MBA.
“Whenever South put out the online MBA opportunity, I immediately was like, ‘Yes!’”
Olivia Malasovich, MBA student at USA’s Mitchell College of Business
Olivia loved the professors, the environment, the culture and the community at the University of South Alabama. Her undergrad experience was so great that she couldn’t imagine passing up another opportunity to choose the Mitchell College of Business — even as life grew busier.
A typical day for Olivia, a full-time employee pursuing an online MBA:
- 4:30AM: Wake up + work out
- 6:40AM: Head to Airbus
- 12-1PM: Quick lunch + check in online for MBA assignments/updates
- 1-3:30PM: Work
- 3:30-6PM: Complete assignment for MBA + dinner
- 6-8PM: Volunteering at church
- 8-10PM: Free time with her dog, Sage
- 10PM: Bed time
The flexibility of the MBA program at South allows Olivia to move at her own pace, meaning she can just take one class per term if needed.
Rather than starting back from square one, she’s strengthening the professional skills that were built in undergrad. Olivia is able to immediately apply the knowledge she learns in the MBA program directly to her HR work at Airbus.
All of Olivia’s coursework for the semester was already posted online, giving Olivia the chance to plan out her assignments and adjust according to her career and personal life.
The program’s five concentrations present professionals with the opportunity to tailor their education to their specific career goals.
Find out more about the flexibility of USA’s MBA program here!
How this top 6 percent rating distinguishes the Mitchell College of Business
USA’s Mitchell College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), a prestigious recognition earned by only 6% of institutions offering business degrees worldwide. This achievement, paired with the easy path between Coastal and USA, made it an obvious choice for Olivia when she was considering which school to choose for her bachelor’s.
Olivia’s love for the Mitchell College of Business is also founded on how personable their faculty and staff are. Rather than “just taking her money and giving her an A,” says Olivia, they get to know their students personally and are always available to provide advice.
“The Mitchell College of Business helped me develop. That’s why I graduated early, and that’s why I was able to do so many things and get the opportunities that I have, because if I just go down into the dean’s office and sit there and ask him a question, he’s going to answer.”
Olivia Malasovich
Employees at Airbus ask Olivia often whether they should pursue an MBA. Her response? “Do it. Even if it takes a long time, it’ll benefit you in the long run.”
“If it takes you four years, and you want to just do a class a year, that’s fine, but it’s not going to ever hurt you. And if it’s too much, take a semester break. You can just make it your own, and you have the freedom to shape it around your own personal life.”
Olivia Malasovich
USA’s MBA concentrations include:
- Economics + Finance
- Healthcare Leadership
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- Marketing
- Sports Management
Find out more about USA’s MBA curriculum here!
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