When Samuel and Seth Ingram realized they both wanted an MBA, they knew immediately they should pursue it together.
They shared an alma mater and undergraduate major. It felt right to take the next academic step together, too. They enrolled in the general MBA program at The University of Baltimore in fall 2024.
The twin brothers mirror each other in many ways. They’re both tall, friendly and often poshly dressed. They turned their business degrees into full-time jobs in the industry. Both are driven and focused—they know the future they want and are committed to their paths.
But subtle differences show up in conversation.
One is faster to break a smile; one is more pensive. One admires leadership for its ability to build a team; one values it as a pathway to empathy and connection.
They might look at the same problem from different perspectives, Seth explained. That’s how their small diversities help them lift each other up.
“It creates a level of accountability,” Sam said. “When you’re getting your MBA, compared to undergrad, life is so different, and the responsibilities we have now compared to back then, they’re night and day. But when you have someone with you that’s getting their degree, you wake up and you see them typing their paper or going back to office hours, it encourages and pushes you toward the finish line.”
Their differences show up in their career direction, too.
Seth works in customer relationships. He speaks with individuals looking for needs-based support such as medical assistance and food stability.
Someday, he wants to start his own business to help people. He’s realizing through his MBA coursework that he can be a leader even without a C-suite position.
“What I’ve learned with these classes is to validate feelings—validate why customers feel the way that they feel—and to not pass judgment, but to put ourselves in their shoes,” Seth said. … “You have to lead with your compassion, then they will follow behind.”
Sam works in finance. The MBA program is opening his eyes to the different jobs niches in business where he can excel, but his ultimate goal is management.
“I would like to learn how to be a great leader,” he said. “I would like to use the business acumen that I learned at the University of Baltimore to make great impact throughout the community.”
Sam also joined UBalt’s chapter of the National Society for Leadership and Success. He started as a member and became a board chair. The position gives him a chance to support other students and help them build their networks in college.
He taught us that leadership is hands-on; it’s not just pointing and directing. And it gave me a different perspective of how to lead with love, with care, with direction, but also with consideration.
As they move through their graduate program, they try to take the same classes together.
They agreed a summer class they had with Eleftherios Michael was their favorite so far. The special topics course invited guest speakers and lessons that highlighted different demographics and perspectives.
“There were a lot of things that I learned about other cultures that I was not aware of,” Sam said.
Seth added: “He taught us that leadership is hands-on; it’s not just pointing and directing. And it gave me a different perspective of how to lead with love, with care, with direction, but also with consideration.”
Both brothers echoed how grateful they feel for the time they’ve had at UBalt. From the knowledge they’ve gained from their professors and their peers to the experiences they’ve enjoyed outside of class, they agreed they’ve gained more than they expected.
“I tell people all the time, you learn so much more about yourself outside the classroom than you do in the classroom once you take these classes,” Sam said. “People think that it’s just for your profession, but it’s really supposed to change you as a person. So, we’re truly grateful for this opportunity and to be at University of Baltimore, and we strive to continue to make the University of Baltimore proud.”