Auburn University alumna Claire Hendrix enjoyed internships that provided her experience working with the likes of Warner Bros., the Country Music Association and even the promotions team of Charles Barkley, but she felt to become a successful business owner herself, she needed something else.

That something else, she decided, is an MBA from Auburn’s Harbert College of Business.

“As I thought about my future, I knew my time in Auburn was not done yet,” said Hendrix, who earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations/marketing in 2022. “I have career-related interests in event-planning, marketing, communications and talent-relations, but I knew one day I wanted to open my own business. However, since my undergraduate degree was in the school of liberal arts, I knew I needed more business knowledge to pursue my entrepreneurship goal.

“The MBA program at Harbert was the perfect place for my next step,” she said. “It would allow me to continue my educational experience, expand my network, build my business knowledge, and learn how to be an entrepreneur; all while getting to stay in Auburn and continue my family's legacy.”

Hendrix, a South Carolina native, credits her family support for finding success at Auburn.

“Becoming a student at Auburn was one of my dreams for as long as I can remember. I heard stories and saw pictures from my grandparents, parents, siblings and extended family,” she said. “I am proud to say that I am a third-generation Auburn graduate, and the third person in my immediate family to go through the MBA program.”

She’s also having a lot of fun while doing so.

According to Hendrix, the summer of 2022 internship she did at the Country Music Association (CMA) as part of the communications and media team was most memorable.

“My time and work were dedicated to all things 'CMA Fest,'” she said, referring to the popular Nashville event that drew several hundred thousand people from around the world for four days of country music performances. “In the weeks leading up to the festival, I was completing different administration tasks like sending emails, stage schedules, creating intern responsibilities, packing boxes, and more.”

More recently, in the summer of 2023, she worked on the Talent Relations Team in the sports department at Warner Bros. Discovery—an experience that included promoting various sports media personalities like former Auburn basketball star and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.

“This was a dream role for me as it was a combination of my strengths and interests,” Hendrix said. “The responsibilities I had and the team I worked with made it such a valuable experience for me.”

Other highlights, she said, included working the 'MLB on TBS' studio with host Ernie Johnson, and analysts Pedro Martinez, Jimmy Rollins and Curtis Granderson.

“It was an honor getting to know them beyond their show on television,” she said. “They were such a joy to meet and work with for the summer.”

Hendrix also worked two internships closer to campus, creating and leading programs involving 500-plus students at Church of the Highlands.

“I am leaving Auburn better than when I got here, and I feel better prepared for what is next because of these last 5.5 years,” Hendrix said. “Auburn changed my life forever: the education I received as an undergraduate and graduate student, the lessons I learned, the experiences I had, and the people I met have made me who I am today.”

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Learn more about the Auburn MBA programs. 

The Harbert College of Business which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Raymond and Kathryn Harbert's transformational naming gift, is a nationally ranked hub of undergraduate, graduate and continuing business education that is inspiring the next generation of business leaders. Our world-class faculty deliver unparalleled academic rigor in the classroom, while our research-driven scholarship advances thought leadership and best practice across business disciplines. The largest college on Auburn's campus, Harbert enrolls more than 6,900 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.