Harvard Business School photo 10153831803628172
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? "It took a single shot to turn my entire world upside down.
Fourth of July 2010. As fireworks lit up the sky above Lake Berryessa, fifty miles away Big Brother fired a bullet through his brain. I still remember that night clear as day.
Growing up I thought I would follow Big Brother to the moon. When he leapt, I leapt. Where he flew, I flew beside him. Big Brother taught me to stay hungry and to stay focused, to endure in the face of adversity, and to love unconditionally.
Big Brother was strong, but he was not superhuman. In his last years, I watched helplessly as addiction took hold of Big Brother and would not let him go. When he finally freed himself that fateful Fourth of July, I realized there was no one left to follow.
I lost my best friend to an addiction, and I will never watch helplessly again.
I will live life the way Big Brother deserved to live his: free of fear, free of restraint, free of regret.
I will free myself from those dark places that trapped Big Brother.
I will fight those same demons and I will win.
Meanwhile, my only addiction will be to the sweetness of life.
To the taste of a new day.
To the rush of a new friend, a new love.
And to the promise of keeping Big Brother's memory alive." —Joseph Ferrer (MBA 2013)
Each year we ask MBA students a question taken from the last lines of a poem by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Mary Oliver. Read more: http://hbs.me/1Tigv5H
Financial Times | Blind executive navigates MBA challenge at MIT Sloan Financial Times When Joe Bellantoni told his wife, Denise, that he might like to go back to business school to get an executive MBA, she stared at him, incredulous, and asked, “Why?” After all, Mr Bellantoni already had a successful career as the chief financial ... |
Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when the most interesting jobs I would come across all had a line item for “MBA preferred.” That’s when I realized that an MBA was going to be critical in my career. It just so-happens that it was the best career choice I’ve ever made.”
Age: 25
Hometown: Andover, Minnesota
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Minnesota, B.A. in Economics
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Brightpeak Financial, a start-up organization owned by Thrivent Financial. Role: Senior New Business Development Specialist, Product Development
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Bain & Company
Where will you be working after graduation? Bain & Company, Consultant
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School
President of Carlson Consulting Club Vice president of Carlson Fellow and Ambassador Board Team lead for Carlson Graduate Volunteer Consultants Nominee for the President’s Student Leadership and Service AwardWhich academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Before my internship at Bain & Company, I had worked on a consulting project as a part of the Carlson School’s experiential learning program for a very large client. Thanks to the Carlson Consulting Enterprise, I had familiarity and experience using the consulting toolkit and managing the client which gave me an edge during my summer internship. It allowed me to dive into my summer project quickly and I believe it helped lead to the full-time job offer I ultimately received.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am incredibly proud and honored to be the first Carlson MBA student to intern at Bain & Company, one of the most elite consulting firms in the world. Thanks to the resources that the Carlson School provides, a network of both undergraduate and graduate alumni, and my own really hard work, I landed “the best consulting internship,” according to Vault’s 2016 survey. Even thinking about it now puts a huge smile on my face.
Favorite MBA Courses? The Carlson Consulting Enterprise, Corporate Strategy and International Strategy.
Why did you choose this business school? I chose the Carlson School because of its small class size. Minneapolis is such a vibrant business community, and since the school only takes about 100 full-time MBA students per year, the ratio of resources (career center, professors, and job opportunities) to students was going to be really high. It’s also a great place to develop a close network of talented classmates.
What did you enjoy most about business school? Business school provided me with a safe place to learn and grow in my career. Having worked at a start-up financial services company before school, I didn’t have the depth of expertise that some of my classmates did before switching careers. However, because of the broad course offerings and amount of group work, our class has been able to learn from one another to round our skill sets. I know continuing a career in consulting will allow for continuous learning, but I am thankful I first had a place to make mistakes in school instead of in the real world.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? Business school taught me a lot about working on teams. On campus, we all approached a class with different strengths and goals, but we somehow had to work together to be successful in the course. This experience taught me a lot about how to get buy-in from others, overcome conflict, and leverage each other’s skill sets.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? I am still surprised at how much this experience has changed my life. I left a job I absolutely loved to take a leap of faith into my full-time MBA. It was the scariest thing I have ever done, but it was absolutely the smartest. This program not only provided me with a platform to land my dream job at Bain & Company, but I have also learned a lot about myself and who I want to be as a professional, while making incredible friendships along the way. This journey has been a very special time in my life.
What was the hardest part of business school? The hardest part of business school is deciding how best to allocate your time, especially in your first year. The Carlson School offers a lot of opportunities to get involved in leadership roles in campus clubs, take advantage of the career center resources, network with alumni, and to do well in classes. Students have to make a choice as to where they are going to allocate their time such that they maximize their own experience. There is no one way to get the most out of your Carlson MBA and that can be a really hard thing to come to terms with. However, now being close to graduation, I wouldn’t want it any other way as it allowed for a personalized experience I don’t think I would have received from another MBA program.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…the most interesting jobs I would come across all had a line item for “MBA preferred.” That’s when I realized that an MBA was going to be critical in my career. It just so-happens that it was the best career choice I’ve ever made.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…working at Brightpeak Financial, the start-up company where I worked for three years before starting my MBA. I absolutely loved my job, the people I worked with, and the projects I was getting to work on. I had a lot of responsibility, exposure, and autonomy at the small company so I got to learn a lot in a short amount of time.”
What are your long-term professional goals? I aspire to be a partner at Bain & Company. I absolutely love the firm, the culture, and the career path. I know a career in consulting can be challenging and even undesirable to most, but that might be what I like most about it. If it were easy, everyone would do it.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I have to pick four people: My dad, my mom, my sister, and, most importantly, my husband. Each of these individuals has taught me things about myself, supported me in my pursuit, and inspired me to be a better business professional and person. There is no way I would be where I am if not for these four incredible people.
Fun fact about yourself: My (now) husband and I got engaged during the craziest time of my MBA, fall of first-year. I planned most of our wedding during first-year and got married in Minneapolis just three days after my internship with Bain & Company ended in Chicago. It wouldn’t have been ideal for most brides, but I loved it because it forced us to make fast and purposeful decisions. There wasn’t time to second guess ourselves or have the dreaded Bridezillla moments. In the end, thank goodness, our wedding day was perfect.
Favorite book: Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson
Favorite movie: Spotlight
Favorite musical performer: My husband is a self-proclaimed Rolling Stones super fan and I’ve been fortunate to tag along to two live concerts, both of which were absolutely amazing. The amount of talent and energy the band has after 50 years is incredible. Both concerts were without a doubt the best and most memorable I’ve ever been to.
Favorite television show: The West Wing. My entire “in-law” family is obsessed with the show and now having seen each episode two or three times I see why. We even named our dog after one of our favorite characters, Charlie, the president’s personal aide.
Favorite vacation spot: My favorite place to vacation is in the mountains in Colorado. We drive the 16 hours with our dog which means a lot of laughs, junk food, and audiobooks. Once we arrive, we hike, snowshoe, run and enjoy family time. It such a great way to experience the outdoors and take in some of the most gorgeous views in the United States.
Hobbies? I am a frequent yogi, dog park visitor, and huge Game of Thrones fan.
What made Sara such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“Sara Moret is an engaging, positive, and inclusive Full-Time MBA student leader whose goal-oriented mindset has transformed the Carlson MBA Consulting Club (CCC) leadership structure and club events offered to students and increased the Carlson School’s visibility and interaction with consulting firms. Her enthusiasm is contagious and prompts “the best” to do their very best in support of her leadership.
As president of the Consulting Club, Sara instituted a new structure that distributed expertise across multiple student leaders. During the 2015-2016 schoolyear the CCC offered sessions for students to learn, develop, and network within the consulting world. Under Sara’s leadership we have seen an increased number of student events, the development of new student leaders and new opportunities for students to engage with the Minneapolis business community.
In addition to her leadership in CCC, Sara supported students in the Carlson Part-Time MBA, Full-Time MBA, undergraduate, and Executive MBA programs with their consulting career searches. Over the last year alone, Sara has met with approximately 75 students to support them in this all-important aspect of the program—the career search. Sara serves as a resource to these students and assist with interview prep, case preparation, and provided networking opportunities to those she met with.” — Patrick McCarthy, Director of Student Affairs, University of Minnesota, Carlson MBA Program
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Sara Moret, University of Minnesota appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business
“Here’s a challenge to anyone – however tough and hard-shelled you may be – you won’t stand a chance when confronted with Sarah’s natural charm. “Down-to-earth”, “great to work with”, “the girl-next-door”, “sincere and hardworking”, “a natural” are some commonly used terms to describe Sarah by her peers and professors…You definitely want Sarah on your team – she delivers, works collaboratively, makes it look so very easy, is always reliable, and is supremely charming.”
Age: 25
Hometown: Loveland, OH
Undergraduate School and Degree: Ohio State University: BSBA, Marketing
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Macy’s Inc. as a Credit & Loyalty Marketing Manager
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Procter & Gamble (Cincinnati, OH)
Where will you be working after graduation? Procter & Gamble: Assistant Brand Manager
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:
VP of Programming, AMP (Association for Marketing Professionals)
Director of Marketing, Fisher Board Fellows
Fisher Board Fellows: Fairy Goodmothers Board Member & Marketing Committee Member (local non-profit board)
Fisher Graduate Women in Business: Programming Committee Member
Student Admissions Ambassador in the Graduate Programs Office
Awards: Russ Klein Case Competition “Best Presenter” Award; Procter & Gamble’s Case Competition “Best Presenter” Award; Nestlé Brand Management Boot Camp: Case Competition Winning Team
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Working with the rest of the AMP (Association for Marketing Professionals) leadership team to create a new, strengthened professional development series for 1st year MBAs. After completing our own internships, we realized there were many skills and pieces of advice we could share to help first years become even more successful in their internships. All of us on the AMP leadership team have been so excited to see the success of first years securing internships and feel very proud of the resources we put together to help them have a successful summer and become stronger leaders overall.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Securing an internship and subsequent full-time offer with Procter & Gamble. Ever since my years in undergrad, I have always had an interest in working for Procter & Gamble due to the company’s strong product portfolio and equally strong career opportunities in marketing. When I started my MBA, this was my ultimate company target and I feel that my potential helped me excel during my time working for such a wonderful company this past summer. Outside of great work experience, I now realize that Procter & Gamble also truly cares for its employees and I can’t wait to return to start my career after graduation.
Favorite MBA Courses: Leadership Legacy, Advertising, Strategic Management of Human Assets, Business of College Sports
Why did you choose this business school? As an Ohio State undergraduate, many probably assume I just chose to return to my comfort zone. However, after looking at many different business schools, Fisher was clearly the place for me (again).
My biggest reason for choosing Fisher was the class size, which is purposely kept to a small size of around 120 students per class. This allows for so many things, including personalized attention from faculty and career management, seemingly never-ending opportunities to work with the Columbus community and the ability to drive change within the MBA program in quick time. I also chose Fisher for our strong, “familial” culture. Fisher truly is a family and this extends from the friendships created within the program, to the relationships built with faculty who are extremely supportive and the alumni network always willing to lend a helping hand and time to students. Finally, I chose Fisher for what I like to refer to as the “extra stuff.” From student organizations and associated leadership positions, to case competitions and non-profit experience, to project experiences with local companies, I always jokingly say that you could be busy 24 hours a day here if you want. Fisher is also located in a city that provides opportunity for endless social, sporting and cultural events. Columbus is a booming city, which only added to an amazing graduate school experience.
What did you enjoy most about business school? I most enjoyed the people I met and relationships I built during my two years here at Fisher. With such a diverse group of classmates, my perspective on life was completely changed as I learned from my bright classmates and the profound experiences they have had in life. I feel humbled every day to be a part of the Fisher Class of 2016 and will cherish the lifelong friendships and connections I have made over the past two years.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? I really learned to step out of my comfort zone and be open to trying new things. With two short years of grad school, I realized I should take advantage of the opportunities we have because this is the time to branch out. While I was active in undergrad, it was through pretty standard activities and I wanted to challenge myself this time around. From competing in case competitions and presenting to executives, to co-hosting our live Fisher auction and acting in a student skit, I have learned that continuously challenging yourself keeps you much happier every day.
What was the hardest part of business school? Time management. There is so much to do and take advantage of on top of classwork and your career search that it is easy to feel overwhelmed. I had to adjust to the fact that I couldn’t do everything and that time management was now 24 hours again. The work didn’t end like it had when I went home from work, so I had to acclimate to prioritizing everything.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Be yourself! Fisher truly does look for students with a unique story and leadership potential that can contribute to learning just as much as the professors. Returning to grad school is your time to grow as a person and Fisher does not aim to produce 120 identical businessmen and women. We are a unique group and being yourself will ensure you are going to mesh well with the mindset and culture here at Fisher.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I got the opportunity to manage the launch of a loyalty program from start to finish at Macy’s, Inc. I essentially had the opportunity to “manage a brand” and this renewed my interest in transitioning into a career in Brand Management. This career path would give me the opportunity for exposure to cross-functional experience within a company and I knew an MBA would help me down that path.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…less happy and fulfilled than I am in life now.”
What are your long-term professional goals? My favorite part of marketing is connecting with the hearts of consumers. I hope to one day become CMO of an organization with a mission I truly love and support in not just my professional life, but personal life as well.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? My mom. She is a single parent to my two sisters and I and supports us in EVERYTHING we want to do. My mom is always encouraging me to work harder and try new things and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support and the positive example she has always set for me. We often talk on the phone and she will tell me that it’s clear that pursuing my MBA was one of the best things I have ever done for so many reasons. While this may be true, I wouldn’t have been able to get this far without her encouragement since day one.
Fun fact about yourself: I am the future fur mommy to an Old English Sheepdog (I am getting a puppy right after graduation)!
Favorite book: Anything written by Jodi Picoult…
Favorite movie: Up (or really any Disney movie)
Favorite musical performer: Guster
Favorite television show: Any Law & Order series
Favorite vacation spot: Fort Myers, FL (where many of my family members live)
Hobbies? Yoga, Pure Barre and any other type of studio class; Trying out new restaurants, Reading and Traveling
What made Sarah such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016? “Here’s a challenge to anyone – however tough and hard-shelled you may be – you won’t stand a chance when confronted with Sarah’s natural charm. “Down-to-earth”, “great to work with”, “the girl-next-door”, “sincere and hardworking”, “a natural” are some commonly used terms to describe Sarah by her peers and professors. Make no mistake, however; she is a quiet leader who excels at anything she undertakes. The crucial difference is that she doesn’t make any noise about it. You definitely want Sarah on your team – she delivers, works collaboratively, makes it look so very easy, is always reliable, and is supremely charming. She is a student ambassador for the admissions and recruiting team at Fisher, and also their formidable, secret weapon. A proud double Buckeye, Sarah is a champion and a perfect fit for Fisher.” — Shashi Matta, Clinical Associate Professor of Marketing, and Director of MBA Programs, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Sarah Sublett, Ohio State appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Michigan State University, Broad College of Business
“Be humble at each and every turn of life. There is always someone smarter than you out there and you will succeed only when you strive to learn from them.”
Age: 29
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelors of Technology in Electrical Engineering
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Siemens Ltd, India in the role of Sales, Bid Management and Project Management
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Apple Inc. / Cupertino, CA
Where will you be working after graduation? Apple Inc. / Cupertino, CA
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:
Activities
President of the Broad Consulting Club
Team Leader for Business DoctorX (a pro bono consulting initiative at Broad)
Awards
Broad Warrior Award in May 2015
Outstanding First Year Student Award in May 2015
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I spend a lot of time these days mentoring and coaching the first year students at Broad. Helping them achieve their goals is an activity that I am immensely proud of
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Three years into my previous career, I was already leading a multinational team with subject matter experts having 10+ years of experience. The satisfaction that comes from leading a perfect interaction with my team and enabling sales of our product and services was very important for me
Who is your favorite professor? Dr. Elizabeth Bain (our business communications course professor). The teachings that Dr. Bain have imparted has had a profound impact on how I manage communications not only in business environments but also on how I structure arguments in the most cohesive and influential manner.
Favorite MBA Courses?
Strategic Sourcing by Dr. Gary Ragatz
Simple and Complex Negotiations by Dr. Jennifer Dunn
Why did you choose this business school? Post my MBA, I wanted to be in the supply chain and leadership space in a global corporation and the program at Broad was well positioned to enable by endeavors
What did you enjoy most about business school? The teamwork-centric curriculum was the most appealing aspect as it simulated a real world environment in the academic front. Everything at Broad is team oriented and the two years working with team mates from diverse cultural and business has really trained me to face the challenges that I am going to encounter at Apple.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? Be humble at each and every turn of life. There is always someone smarter than you out there and you will succeed only when you strive to learn from them.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? Never expected that I would have so much fun in an MBA program
What was the hardest part of business school? I missed out of Study Abroad program because of other time commitments and I will always regret it.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Be ready to reinvent yourself and be challenged beyond your wildest imagination. The Spartan spirit is in not believing yourself to be entitled just because you are an MBA, but working hard for the betterment of oneself, the organizations you are affiliated to and the community at large.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…back at my earlier workplace, I was finding my work less challenging and when I realized that my inputs will be better used someplace else.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…as a backup plan, I was negotiation a job offer in Germany in a similar field.”
Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Late Steve Jobs for his never ending passion for perfection
What are your long-term professional goals? In the near long term, I would want to manage the global supply chain for a multinational corporation. In the very long term, I want to start my own consulting firm specializing in procurement and supply chain optimization
Who would you most want to thank for your success? My parents. They have sacrificed a lot in order for me to be here.
Fun fact about yourself: I love suits. I wear suits whenever I get the chance often to the ridicule of my colleagues. I own 18 pairs of suits.
Favorite book: The Alchemist
Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption
Favorite musical performer: Coldplay
Favorite television show: Game of Thrones
Favorite vacation spot: Goa, India
Hobbies? Singing
What made Jinson such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“Jinson Pappachan, more than any student in the Broad College, is responsible for the MBA program’s recent success in creating consulting opportunities both during the graduate experience and after graduation in permanent positions. He took a floundering student organization (of 5 students) and has built the strongest organization in the MBA program (with over 70 active members), a significant feat. Through his direct involvement, consulting companies have increased their frequency of visits to the Broad College, the most notable visit being from McKinsey and Company in September 2015.
Additionally, Jinson created a not-for-profit consulting group, BusinessDoctorX, that has been providing pro-bono consulting advice to entities across Michigan during the 2015-2016 school year, resulting in work product generated over 100+ hours of volunteer time from himself and a team of volunteers under his charge. Jinson works as hard as he does because he believes in sharing his expertise and time with his student colleagues and clients in a way I have not seen before. This young man is truly special, and I look for great things from him in the future.” —
Wayne Hutchison, Director, Academic and Program Services, Broad MBA
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Jinson Pappachan, Michigan State appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Babson College
“By working closely with people who I had just met from all corners of the globe, I was pushed on my opinions and assumptions and challenged to think differently and to become an assertive decision maker. These experiences allowed me to appreciate and embrace the importance of conflict in a group and to realize how it can be dangerous to have a group that agrees on everything.”
Age: 26
Hometown: Hanover, NH
Education: McGill University, Bachelor of Arts and Science (Major: Cognitive Science, Minor: Art History)
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Harry Winston (Timepiece Marketing Assistant), adMarketplace (Project Specialist, Account Manager)
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? This summer I completed an internship at Cloud Technology Partners in Boston, MA while also launching my own company, JumpSmart Inc. at Babson’s Summer Venture Program.
Where will you be working after graduation? After graduation, I will be continuing run my company, JumpSmart as Founder & CEO.
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:
The sole recipient of the class of 2016’s Ralph Z. and Charlotte R. Sorenson Scholarship Award for Meritorious Achievement Graduate Assistantship Scholarship for research in Future Global Trends F.W. Olin MBA Scholarship Lab Manager and Teaching Assistant with Amon Millner at the EASE Lab at Olin College of Engineering Published academic paper at Constructionism 2016 on JumpSmart’s early prototypes Co-Chair of the 2015 Babson Entrepreneurship Forum Captain of the Babson MBA Ice Hockey Team Volunteer at 826 Valencia Accepted into the Babson WIN Lab Accelerator Accepted into the Babson Summer Venture ProgramWhich academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of my time as Co-Chair of the Babson Entrepreneurship Forum. I chose to apply for the position after attending the event the year before and noticing several key areas for improvement. I gave myself a high bar to hit including selling more than 500 tickets after previous years of less than 300 attendees. I also wanted to make this year’s BEF a more collaborative effort, so I connected with Olin College of Engineering to host a panel as well as 10 separate Babson clubs at the undergraduate and graduate level. I was in charge of bringing in speakers, and I led a team of 15 students to bring in more than 50 entrepreneurial speakers and from around the world, sold out the conference with over 530 attendees, and had excellent feedback from attendees after the event. I was able to plan and execute this event while also hitting key milestones for JumpSmart like getting funding and adding key team members. In fact, running the BEF was the best preparation I could have had for starting my own company.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of starting my own venture, JumpSmart. JumpSmart creates interactive products that introduce kids ages 8-12 to coding in a physically active and socially engaging way. I have always been grateful for early experiences I had learning to code when I was just 8 years old. That skill eventually helped me in my career. I wanted to create a similar experience for others, and to design products that invite children into coding—especially those who don’t learn well in a traditional sedentary, solitary way on a computer screen. I have been able to challenge myself with JumpSmart and have been very proud of my accomplishments to date.
This entrepreneurial venture has allowed me to grow as a person as well, and I am now comfortable presenting to crowds of over 300 people, talking over the details of our hardware products with engineers and software developers, and negotiating deals with investors. Early on, I wanted to know how the product worked so I personally built our first electronic prototype. I raised seed funding from Rough Draft Ventures at General Catalyst Partners, and have tested our first five prototypes with over 700 children in Boston at the Boston Museum of Science, Boston Children’s Museum, TEDx, the Google Offices, YMCA, Girl Scouts, and FIRST Lego League. I have been able to connect with experts from Microsoft who are following our progress and planning future collaborations. I have been flown to Thailand and LA to present JumpSmart at various events. We just published an academic paper on our product in Constructionism 2016 as well and were written about in BostInno, Boston Magazine, and Network World. These all came about as a result of me taking action and following through on my goals.
Who is your favorite professor? Professor Les Charm because he taught me how to see through smoke and mirrors and look to the heart of any situation.
Favorite MBA Courses? Entrepreneurial Finance, Babson Consulting Alliance Program, Management Consulting Field Experience (MCFE), Measuring & Managing Strategic Performance, Marketing High-Tech Products
Why did you choose this business school? I came close to coming to Babson for my undergraduate degree because I have always wanted to start my own business and I loved my visit there, but instead I chose to get a completely different experience studying science at McGill University and building up a background that I could apply to my future business. For graduate school, the choice was simple because I knew exactly what I could create with my background in cognitive science, product development, and technology, so I could come in sprinting. I pitched JumpSmart for the first time within the first two months of school and have not stopped since. I was inspired by stories of past Babson Entrepreneurs because of the conscious companies and social enterprises that have emerged from the graduate school as well.
What did you enjoy most about business school? I am passionate about many things, both artistic and scientific. Business school was an incredible amalgamation of all of the things I love. I loved meeting people from around the world and being able to learn about myself through learning about them. I loved the challenge of the classes and the experiential leadership courses that made me a better leader, such as the MCFE class I took leading a team of undergraduate students in a consulting project with Clarkson Consulting.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? The biggest lesson I gained at Babson came from all the group projects we were put into in first year. By working closely with people who I had just met from all corners of the globe, I was pushed on my opinions and assumptions and challenged to think differently and to become an assertive decision maker. These experiences allowed me to appreciate and embrace the importance of conflict in a group and to realize how it can be dangerous to have a group that agrees on everything. These experience helped me with build a successful team with JumpSmart.
What was the hardest part of business school? For me, the challenge at business school was in choosing which opportunities to take advantage of, both at Babson and in Boston. There are so many excellent speakers, programs, and classes to take. When my business became a priority last year and started to gain traction, I was able to hyper-focus on it and was very grateful to my classmates and professors for their support in my endeavor.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? If you’re going to come to Babson, make sure that entrepreneurship is “in your bones” in the words of one of my favorite entrepreneurs, Ayah Bdeir, founder of LittleBits. Starting a company, especially in the early stages, is challenging and requires a lot of humility and willingness to commit to put in long hours to make it happen. If it is not “in your bones” then you will not be able to fully take advantage of the resources Babson has to offer.
I knew I wanted to go to business school when…Harry Winston was acquired by the Swatch Group while I was working there. All the organizational changes aftermath of the acquisition brought up many questions for me about how great businesses evolve.”
If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be a pediatric eye doctor. I have had very poor eyesight (-10 prescription) since I was seven years old and in my neuroscience classes I was always fascinated by how the eye works and how it connects with the brain.”
Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? My parents have run a successful restaurant in Hanover, NH for over 25 years (Murphy’s on the Green if you’re ever in town). I admire my dad’s ability to attract and retain talent, hiring employees that average 10-20 years working at the restaurant. He has built a positive culture that many people call home. My mom is the detail-oriented half of the partnership, and she keeps the wheels turning on the entire operation. Both of them taught me how to work hard, and I have been inspired by what they have built: a vibrant place where ideas are exchanged that has brought joy to millions of people in its lifetime.
What are your long-term professional goals? I want to run JumpSmart and become the leader in robotics education for children. My goal with JumpSmart is to open up STEM education for children with learning styles who typically shy away from coding. We will not all need to be programmers in the future, but we will need to know the basics of coding in order to participate in a future filled with even more technology. Eventually I would also like to work in venture capital investing in companies that have an economic and social impact. I believe business is the fastest way to spread an idea, and I want to be part of spreading great ideas quickly that benefit the world.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I most want to thank my sports coaches through the years. I played ice hockey, field hockey, and lacrosse in high school and played lacrosse at McGill. The coaches I’ve had showed me how to overcome adversity and work hard through pain to reach my goals. They showed me how to push my own limits and especially what it means to play for a team.
Fun fact about yourself: I was a competitive gymnast for ten years growing up, and can still do a back flip every now and then.
Favorite book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Harry Potter Series
Favorite movie: Little Miss Sunshine
Favorite musical performer: The Roots
Favorite television show: Lost
Favorite vacation spot: New Zealand
Hobbies? Running, snowboarding, painting
What made Bryanne such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“Bryanne was one of the leaders for the biggest student run event at Babson, the Babson Entrepreneurship Forum. This event brings hundreds of people to our campus to see some of the most influential names in entrepreneurship. In addition to the extraordinary and arduous work Bryanne did on the Forum, she had to juggle at least one difficult situation that could have put her integrity in conflict with the goals of other’s at the college. She sought out advice when she needed to, but she took the responsibility to act in this situation without hesitation. Not every student so willingly stands up for what they believe to be the right thing even when they have to be the “bad guy”. As a result, Bryanne is one of those people it is easy to see as a colleague as well as a student.
In terms of impact, I have been so pleased and impressed with the focus of Bryanne’s business venture and the way she has pursued it in the last two years. Her goal of inspiring children to engage in coding and to learn what is possible when you take control of technology is not only laudable, it is crucial. I am so excited to see where Jumpsmart goes, and look forward to my own son learning about coding and computer science with it.” — Bate Buckman, Director of Graduate Student Affairs, Babson College
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Bryanne Leeming, Babson appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
“[The achievement I’m most proud of] is having led, and being directly responsible for, teams ranging from 19 to 130 people. It was a trial by fire, but it forced me to learn and grow in the process.”
Age: 29
Hometown: Newnan, Georgia
Education: United States Air Force Academy, B.S. in Management with a Minor in Japanese
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? US Air Force, Airfield Operations Officer
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? ScottMadden (Atlanta, GA)
Where will you be working after graduation? ScottMadden, Associate
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:
2015 Student of the Year (selected by student peers) Selected as GT Leadership Fellow Coached seven (three last semester, four now) undergrad students from diverse backgrounds on leadership Co-President (and Interim President) of Net Impact Orchestrated Net Impact club activities (e.g. career workshop, monthly meetings, etc.) Oversaw strategic product production and coordination with Faculty Advisors for future expansion of club objectives Overhauled MBA Graduate Lounge with photos Coordinated with GT Admissions and Marketing offices for recruitment of both graduate and undergraduate students Took photos of MBA program and then uploaded them to shared drive for use by other offices Took photos on a per request basis for special events (e.g. Dean’s Scholarship Dinner for undergraduate students) Co-conducted interviews for prospective MBA students Corresponded with prospective MBA students to answer questions about the program Worked with Career Services and Marketing to target recruitment of military veterans Volunteered for recruitment video Made suggestions as to how to specifically demonstrate GT’s unique understanding of veterans (e.g. no need to get commander’s letter of recommendation) Currently working on FAQ section of GT MBA veteran webpage Worked with Admissions office and conducted research on how to increase female and minority student enrollment in MBA program. This was a class project for Service Operations class. Maintained full-time student status while serving as a full-time dad. I enrolled in many practicum classes, during which we participate in consulting projects with companies. When I need to meet with the client, my mom or mother-in-law watches Graylan. Otherwise, I bring Gray to everything else (e.g. project meetings, etc.) since I watch him 8am-5:30pm every day while my wife is at work. Occasionally I bring Gray to client meetings (e.g. Mister Migs non-profit for Pro-Bono Consulting). This also requires significant patience on the part of all of my project teammates but they’ve all been more than understanding and are highly supportive. Volunteered for St. Bernard house re-building project Member of Consulting Club, Operations Club, and Women’s (NAWMBA) ClubWhich academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Being a full-time student while being a full-time dad. (My wife works full-time.) Making it work on any given day is always a challenge, but with a little bit of creative problem solving, and a lot of teamwork, my wife and I are able to make it happen.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Having led, and being directly responsible for, teams ranging from 19 to 130 people. It was a trial by fire, but it forced me to learn and grow in the process.
Who is your favorite professor? Prof. Jonathan Clarke. He took a subject in which I had minimal experience (finance), and honed it down to its most essential, practical components. While I still don’t aspire to become the next Warren Buffet, Prof. Clarke was successful in driving home the critical importance of finance in the business world.
Favorite MBA Courses? Finance and IT Practicum. Finance, because it’s essential to a successful business career. IT Practicum, because the project on which we worked for Microsoft was both fun and challenging.
Why did you choose this business school? Culture fit and ROI. I immediately liked Jim Kranzusch, the Executive Director of Career Services, and Paula Wilson, the Director of Admission. They made me feel like I had a place at GT. Moreover, GT was highly understanding of my personal situation. While I was deployed, I applied for separation from the Air Force but it was initially denied. GT kept my acceptance open until my separation was eventually approved in late May. Additionally, GT is completely covered by the GI Bill so the ROI is practically unbeatable for veterans.
What did you enjoy most about business school? The ride. B-school is fast paced and hectic, but always exciting.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? How many opportunities there are. Towards the tail end of my first semester, I realized I now had access to virtually endless opportunities and that was a thrilling realization.
What was the hardest part of business school? Figuring out an environment I knew almost nothing about. For me, the military was the family business (grandpa, dad, uncles, and brothers all served). Therefore, when it came to business, there was little familial knowledge on which to draw, but GT filled the gap.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Just be yourself.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I knew I wanted to take control of my life and re-connect with family.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…in the Air Force, but not with family. Family is what makes me happiest in life.”
Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Steve Jobs. He was a deeply flawed, but truly unique visionary who left the business world a better place
What are your long-term professional goals? To successfully strike the balance between a fulfilling professional career and an involved family life.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? My wife. Throughout all of the deployments, moves/relocations, career changes, and everything else life threw at us, she’s always made it work.
Fun fact about yourself: I’ve lived in 10 states and 4 countries.
Favorite book: Atlas Shrugged
Favorite movie: Me, Myself, and Irene
Favorite musical performer: AC/DC
Favorite television show: Game of Thrones
Favorite vacation spot: The couch
Hobbies? Photography and exercise
What made Cory such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“I have greatly enjoyed being Cory’s career advisor for the past 2 years, and I will always remember that first time I met Cory. He came in for our initial career in-take meeting a few weeks prior to starting classes. I immediately liked him; he was very high energy, personable and well-prepared for our meeting, asking me a list of well-thought out questions about the MBA job search, culminating in a pause before he asked what he said was the question weighing heaviest on his mind: what he should wear as a new MBA! After being in the a Flight Commander in the US Air Force in Kyrgyzstan for the past year, his wardrobe consisted of military clothing and he was concerned about making the right impressions on employers, professors and his classmates. I had to laugh at how seriously he asked the question. He truly wanted to cover all of his bases to be prepared to be as successful as possible here at Scheller and in the business world.
As I met with Cory throughout his first semester, I continued to see a diligent, professional, thorough approach to the job search which led to multiple internship offers, including the offer he ultimately accepted with ScottMadden. But I also began to notice other elements of his personality – how after interning for ScottMadden, he became a passionate advocate for them, meeting with his classmates who were considering ScottMadden over lunch or coffee to share how great his experience had been. Our team also quickly learned that Cory is a talented – and generous –photographer. He has made himself and his heavy, fancy camera, available to us as well as his classmates and other departments here at Scheller too many times for me to count to assist with taking photos for events, projects and LinkedIn profiles. He also quickly became an unofficial ambassador for all things Scheller helping us figure out how we can recruit more veterans into the program as well as assisting with interviews for prospective students and personal outreach to those students who have been accepted to the program.
If there’s one thing I will always remember about Cory, it will be his endless, can-do energy. Whether he is bouncing his baby boy while working with one of his MBA teams on a project (since his wife has returned to work full-time, he’s a full-time Dad this semester to his son who was born this past October) or coaching undergrads as part of the Georgia Tech Leadership Fellows Program or sending a survey to his classmates to find out which photos best represent their classes’ spirit to hang in the MBA Lounge, he’s doing it with a smile and giving it 110% – just like he approached the question of what to wear to start his MBA, taking notes as I guided him through an appropriate MBA wardrobe! His impact is wide and will last long after he graduates this May. The mark he has made here at Scheller through his leadership, creativity, enthusiasm and constant desire to innovate will benefit many going forward.” — Ann M. Blasick, Corporate Relations Manager, Jones MBA Career Center, Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Cory O’Brien, Georgia Tech appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be under the mistaken belief that B2B was a band.”
Age: 32
Hometown: Roswell, GA
Undergraduate School and Degree: Wake Forest University – Psychology
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Lovatt & Rushing, Inc., Associate Peanut Broker
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Goldman Sachs – Atlanta, GA
Where will you be working after graduation? Goldman Sachs – Private Wealth Advisor
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School?
Alumni Chair – Finding ways to engage with our Scheller alumni Atlanta Technology Angels (ATA), Lead Analyst – I participate in the TI:GER (The Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results) program at the Scheller College of Business. It’s a program that prepares students for the challenges of commercializing new technologies and delivering innovative products to the marketplace. Three other TI:GER students and I were selected to work with ATA, a member-led organization of angel investors that select, fund, and mentor high quality growth technology-based companies in the Southeast early stage investment ecosystem. I took the lead role in organizing all the analysts (TI:GER students and others) for ATA to cover screening meetings, member meetings and educational meetings. In ATA, I conduct the initial screening for approximately 50 startup ideas each month and then participate in the LifeScience screening to screen the top candidates. Those who make it through the LifeScience screening progress to the member meeting. I also have conducted extensive weeks-long due diligence on the companies in which ATA plans to invest. Georgia Tech Ultimate Frisbee CaptainWhich academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of being part of a great team that worked incredibly hard to win first place and the Edison Prize at the 2015 Georgia Tech Startup Competition. Our win qualified us for ACC Startup Madness in which we were awarded third place. Our startup idea is an implantable medical device that treats diabetes without using insulin. We spent months analyzing market opportunities, interviewing potential customers and understanding the patent landscape. For most of my first semester, we attended weekly 7 a.m. meetings and mentoring sessions at Georgia Tech’s VentureLab, the #2 startup incubator in North America, which is across the street from the Scheller College of Business. During these weekly meetings, we learned about the Business Model Canvas, a tool used for creating business models. These opportunities were available to my classmates and me because we are part of the two-year TI:GER program at the Scheller College of Business, which helps students learn how to commercialize new technologies and bring innovative products to the marketplace. Our team consists of a biomedical engineering PhD candidate at Georgia Tech (who devised the product), two students from Emory Law School (who created our patent strategy), and two MBA students. The other MBA student and I took the lead in conducting over 120 live customer discovery interviews. I’m thankful to be part of a business school that has such strong connections to the Georgia Tech engineering program and the Atlanta technology ecosystem.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? What I am most proud of in my professional career is getting my first job. I graduated with a degree in psychology and a love for finance so I moved to New York City and tried to break into the Wall Street job market. Not surprisingly, given my background, I didn’t have much success. For four months I couch-surfed at my sister’s tiny studio apartment while doing odd jobs. I finally got my foot in the door when a sales assistant role opened up in SunTrust’s New York office. My less than glamorous role was to schedule meetings, prepare expense reports, and sometimes even water the plants. I sat at a desk with our sales team listening to their client calls. I had no idea what they were talking about. Words like profit margin and price-to-earnings multiples sounded like a foreign language. As I realized I needed to learn more, the research department across the hall lost their assistant. I offered to bind their books and copy their materials in exchange for them helping me understand what all these crazy finance terms meant. They said yes, so I worked 7am to 5pm as a sales assistant and then 5pm to 8pm helping the research department and learning how to analyze equities. Seven months later, when a junior role became available in the research department, I was hired and became a full-time salaried employee for the first time. I know it’s just one example and maybe I’m naive, but my experience landing my first job has made me a firm believer that hard work is rewarded over the long-term.
Favorite MBA Courses? My favorite MBA course is the Information Technology Practicum. Even with a decidedly non-technology background, Scheller has prepared me and given me the confidence to tackle information technology problems. I enrolled in the course on the recommendation of my professor who is adamant that students at Scheller have the technology expertise and business acumen to help solve complex IT issues. I’m so glad I followed his advice! My team is working with the CIO at Nike to help the company better understand what the “workplace of the future” might look like. Our IT practicum team flew to Oregon to tour the Nike campus (it was as cool as you’d expect!) and understand what technology solutions they currently use. During the visit, Nike asked us to research what other big companies are thinking about the “workplace of the future.” Thankfully, our professors at Scheller have an extensive network and we’ve been able to leverage their contacts to visit different firms. We’ve conducted 23 interviews to date and still have a lot of work left, but so far I absolutely love working on this project.
Why did you choose this business school? I chose the Scheller College of Business because of its connections to the tech community in Atlanta. I also wanted to attend a school at which there would be many analytical engineer-type students because I know that is not my strong suit. The first time I worked with an engineer on a group project, it was like we were speaking completely past each other. But I believe the future is in cross-functional teams that can speak in both technical and business terms about a problem. I have continued to seek out the unique opportunities you can only get at Scheller. This semester, I’m working with a group at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) that has created piezoelectric sensors. The sensors can be layered under carpet and used to track foot patterns and sense disturbances. My role is to help GTRI understand the right product-market fit for this “smart carpet.” As part of this project, I met with casino operators who want to understand foot traffic so they can more strategically place slot machines. Their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive about this product. I find this type of experience so exciting; I work with incredibly smart engineers who have a real product and look to me to help bring a business perspective to their research.
What did you enjoy most about business school? I have most enjoyed the chance to form great friendships with classmates and professors in business school. These are people who I will absolutely keep in touch with for the rest of my life. I know the folks at Scheller have my back and want me to succeed, and I feel the same about my peers. This collaborative supportive community lets you relax and be yourself because you know even though there’s intense competition outside these walls, inside we root for each other. I knew I had made lasting friendships when at the end of our first year in business school, a group of MBA students and I competed in a “Tough Mudder” competition, running 10 miles, conquering obstacles like the mud mile, and relying on each other to get through the race. It has cemented a level of camaraderie and friendship that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? The biggest lesson I gained from business school was how to communicate effectively and specifically how to communicate in a multidisciplinary team. My Scheller TI:GER team consists of one PhD student, two law students and two MBA students. Learning how to more clearly communicate and more closely listen within my TI:GER team has taught me about the pitfalls of assumptions and filtering out essential details. The TI:GER program also gave me the chance to practice honing a message. We spent many hours learning the details about our PhD student’s technology, but we were required to produce a final deliverable of a one minute “elevator pitch.” I think learning how to tell a concise but persuasive story in just one minute is a skill that will benefit me in the future.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? I have been surprised and thrilled with the outside opportunities afforded to Scheller MBA students. I didn’t realize that I might have the opportunity to work with local angel investors. But through the TI:GER program, I have become the lead analyst for the Atlanta Technology Angels group. I help screen early stage companies (about 50 each month) to determine if they are an interesting opportunity or a dead end. I also attend the monthly member meetings and different educational events. It is such an amazing opportunity to be part of the Atlanta community and exposed to some of the best and brightest minds in the technology scene.
What was the hardest part of business school? The hardest part of business school is learning how to balance all the competing interests. During my first semester, I enrolled in extra classes and signed up for many clubs and all the intramural sports possible. I competed in case competitions and had a full time (14-hour) graduate research assistant position. It was crazy. But I learned that time is my most valuable commodity and I needed to intentionally allocate it based on my priorities. It was difficult picking and choosing because I wanted to do it all!
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? My best advice to an applicant to Scheller is to get involved. You are at a school that offers numerous options to work with people within the school and within the Atlanta community. You just have to seize the opportunities. I would tell applicants to apply for the TI:GER program; ask to help with GTRI projects; seek out alumni in the Atlanta Technology Angels group; and take the practicum courses during which you work with companies like Delta and Nike. I would also tell them to participate in case competitions. I had the chance to travel to Vancouver as a finalist in the Investment Banking competition, travel to Boulder, Colorado as a finalist in the Net Impact case competition in where we placed third overall, and work on a Zurich Insurance Risk Analysis Project. I would advise applicants to disregard any advice from people saying to “take it easy.” Get out of the building and try new things!
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I met the MBA career advisors at Scheller.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…under the mistaken belief that B2B was a band.”
Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? I most admire my dad. He is a self-employed peanut broker. I remember when I was younger how stressed my parents were as my dad tried to get his business up and running. But my dad stuck with it and has now been in the business for over 30 years. He always taught us that if you do the right thing, over the long-run you’ll be rewarded. I am convinced, from seeing his example, that he is right.
What are your long-term professional goals? I will be working at Goldman Sachs when I graduate and plan to be a fantastically successful private wealth advisor (You’ve got to shoot for the stars, right?). Success will mean devoting myself to learning all the ins and outs of investing. This kind of knowledge is most impactful for people at the bottom end of the economic ladder who have an uncertain financial future. My long-term goals is to create a way to better help the economically disadvantaged experience the long-term benefits of saving and investing. Goldman Sachs encourages its employees to give back to the community by serving on boards of non-profit organizations and I hope to do just that!
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I have the unique opportunity to attend the Scheller MBA Program with someone I completely trust and who amplifies my strengths and complements my weaknesses, my younger sister Sarah. Due to this, I would most want to thank my sister Sarah for my success in business school. Sarah and I are in the same cohort and will both graduate in May 2016. Knowing there is someone in my class who unconditionally believes in me has had a huge impact on my self-confidence. Even something as simple as feeling comfortable raising my hand in class to admit “I don’t understand” has been impacted by knowing Sarah is there. My instinct is to jump into school life and put personal relationships on the back burner. Sarah wouldn’t let me do that. She forced me to attend socials, travel to places outside my comfort zone, and spend time nurturing new friendships. I owe Sarah for pushing me to be a better, more balanced, person. Sarah and I both love sports and in our first semester we were really excited to play flag football. But, it turned out spots on the team were only offered to the men in our class. I’m not sure I would have taken action if it had just been me, but together Sarah and I spoke with the MBA class president and we, along with several other women in our class, have been involved in flag football, ultimate frisbee, soccer, dodgeball, bowling, volleyball, and kickball intramurals ever since. Business schools are, by the numbers, male-dominated. I like to think Sarah and I have made the presence of the women in our class a dominant force. She is the Social Chair; I’m the Alumni Chair. She is the captain of the kickball team; I’m the captain of the flag football team. She is the VP of Women’s Club; I’m one of the few women in our finance club. She has a 4.0; I’m….close.
Fun fact about yourself: I love scuba diving with sharks!
Favorite book: I mostly read non-fiction so as boring as it sounds, I really like Calvin Coolidge’s autobiography.
Favorite movie: Guy Ritchie’s Snatch
Favorite musical performer: That’s got to be Jimmy Buffett which was the first concert I ever attended and seeing the Parrot Heads dance was fantastic.
Favorite television show: Survivor (I tried out to be on the show)
Favorite vacation spot: Galapagos Island and swimming with the baby sea lions!
Hobbies? I play on a tennis, ultimate frisbee, and soccer team in Atlanta. I am also an avid shark’s tooth hunter and board game aficionado.
What made Maggia such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“I have the pleasure of supporting Maggie Lovatt’s career aspirations as her MBA Career Advisor at the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.
Maggie entered the MBA program at Georgia Tech in order to build her business leadership skills and acumen in technology. She has successfully accomplished that by first being selected into the highly selective TI:GER program, which provides students with the unique opportunity to learn how to commercialize a new technology product. In addition, she is not only maintaining a high GPA, but is actively engaged in and leading several activities outside of the classroom. Maggie is the Alumni Chair for our Graduate Business Council. She was instrumental in helping her MBA student team win 1st place in the Georgia Tech Startup Company Competition and place highly in several other case competitions outside of Georgia Tech. Maggie was selected as a lead analyst for the Atlanta Technology Angels Group, which invests in technology startups. She was also one of the first women to join the intramural flag football team and was later named team captain.
As her career advisor, I think one of Maggie’s most admirable traits is her humility. Throughout her preparation for securing an internship and full time job after graduation she has always been willing to accept constructive feedback, implement the advice she was given and invest the time in practicing her interviewing skills in order to position herself as a strong candidate. As they say, “the proof is in the pudding” since she was able to secure an internship with Goldman Sachs and once again proved herself to be a high potential contributor. As a result of her exceptional work with Goldman Sachs as an intern, she received an offer to join them for a full-time position after graduation.” — Kevin Stacia, Corporate Relations Manager, Jones MBA Career Center, Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Maggie Lovatt, Georgia Tech appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
“Personal change is a daily habit. Every day, we risk falling back into the same comfort zones. Business school is designed to be challenging and there are definitely days where we are tempted to go the easy route. However, I have found that I learn more and evolve faster when I keep change and challenge top of mind and resist doing what I always do.”
Age: 28
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Education:
New York University
Bachelor of Science, Media, Culture and Communication
Minor: Producing
Minor: Metropolitan Studies
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Before business school, I was an account supervisor at Berlin Cameron United in New York City and was brought on to lead the brand strategy and marketing efforts behind the merger/acquisition of ING Direct and Capital One. I specialized in strategic integration, multicultural marketing, new business development and new brand launches.
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? I interned in consumer marketing at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan as a member of their Marketing Leadership Program.
Where will you be working after graduation? Ford Motor Company, Marketing Leadership Program
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School
President – Smith Association of Women MBAs
VP of Marketing – Smith Net Impact
VP of Marketing – Smith Energy Association
Smith Forte Ambassador and Forte Fellow
Women’s Initiatives Graduate Assistant – Office of Admissions
Change The World Student Consultant
Firm strategy and expansion planning for Water Resources Action Project Economic Impact Analysis for Montgomery County Partners for Animal Well-BeingWhich academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am extremely proud of the change I have been able to affect in my local community, both at Smith and beyond the classroom. Last year, the Montgomery County Partners for Animal Well-Being (MCPAW) designed a Spay-It-Forward initiative for pet owners in Montgomery County, Maryland, to participate in a high-visibility, national demonstration project. I had the opportunity to serve as a student consultant for MCPAW to develop a landmark economic impact analysis, measuring the cost effect and feasibility of offering free spay/neuter services and micro chipping. Through comprehensive data collection, analysis and modeling, my team and I issued a deep-dive analysis that was presented to the Board of Directors and the county. My work served as the basis for the campaign launch, received local press coverage and resulted in real, ongoing change for Montgomery County.
At Smith, I am most proud of the significant visibility and elevation that I have brought to the female MBA population through my efforts as President of the Smith Association of Women MBAs (SAWMBA), a Forte Ambassador, and a Women’s Initiatives Graduate Assistant in the Office of Admissions. When I started at Smith, we were a newly minted Forte school and just moving into the 50/50 by 2020 Initiative (Smith’s pledge to achieve gender parity in our MBA programs within the next five years). As a student leader, my goal was to be at the forefront of that momentum, proactive in programming and more aligned with the school’s efforts to develop our female representation. It was imperative for our evolution that we not only meet expectations in our women’s initiatives, but that we benchmark and exceed expectations as well. To do so, I launched the first-ever SAWMBA bi-weekly newsletter to increase transparency and visibility between students and staff, installed a new benchmarking system to capture SAWMBA membership expectations, aggressively overhauled and expanded student programming to usher in critical topics, and targeted engagement from male counterparts. Overall, these accomplishments resulted in a more elevated and streamlined experience for our women MBAs and received coverage by The Baltimore Sun.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? While working at McCann Erickson, the firm’s Verizon FiOS account came under agency review. The team was pressured to retain this multi-million dollar business, especially since it was 2009 and we were in the heart of the recession. After six months of competitive pitching, we successfully retained the account. However, the team faced a mass exodus with significant turnover. Three levels of supervision above me had vacated. This was my first professional challenge but I identified it as an opportunity. Because I was one of a few remaining veterans of the account and able to produce high-quality results, I proactively took over relationships with our senior client and fulfilled the duties of my managers in their sudden absence. As a result of my assertive performance and focus on continual business development, I was promoted within only 10 months of joining the account and was exclusively selected by the senior Verizon client and McCann Erickson senior management to work on high-profile projects. I became the youngest person on the team to handle the strategic alignment and project integrations of 10-plus partner agencies, to independently oversee $25 million worth of campaign rollouts, and to manage and train a team of five junior staff.
Favorite MBA Courses? My favorite MBA courses have been Game Theory, Operations Management and Competitive & Collaborative Negotiations. I have really appreciated that these classes have reframed for me the way to formulaically and systematically approach decisions by efficient goal setting. I believe these three courses in particular have molded me into a more effective decision maker.
Why did you choose this business school? I ultimately chose Smith because of the community and the curriculum. Smith was already my top choice, but I was impressed during my application period with the level of care that the admissions staff and students placed in every interaction. Two years is a large investment in terms of time and money, and I wanted to be in a supportive environment where I could be both challenged and cultivated. As an undecided student at the time, it was also important to me that I could be in an environment where I could be flexible and build my own education. Smith’s curriculum allowed me to design my focus while incorporating the experiential learning that I thrive on.
What did you enjoy most about business school? I most enjoy having access to more networking options that would not otherwise be available to me. In my time here at Smith I have had dinners with the Dean, met CEOs of both Fortune 100 companies and startups, and made connections with not only U.S. business school students but students in China, Australia and the Netherlands. I also appreciate global initiatives such as an international business plan competition in China that I competed in last year. I was able to go abroad to develop and pitch a business plan to potential investors and not only won first place and seed funding, but came away with a richer network. None of these opportunities would have been available to me without the Smith MBA program.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? The most surprising thing to me was how early things start and how much mental and personal preparation is required. The education started well before school started, with pre-skill courses in the summer before our first year, and recruiting for internships and jobs start before we even have a chance to get into one full term. I knew that I would be drinking from a fire hose, but I was very surprised by the extreme proactiveness required to be successful.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Embrace the community and put in what you want to get out of the program. To me, Smith is 10 percent institutional establishment and 90 percent community and student creation. Neither of those parts is really set in stone, so you should understand that you ARE Smith. You are the community, and the program is what you literally make it to be. Come and get your two years of education, but making an impact in the world after that point starts with you embracing the community and making your mark at Smith first.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I reached a point in my career where I wanted to shift from execution roles to more managerial, business development and strategic roles. I knew that I would not be able to make that jump as easily without an MBA.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…either continuing to climb the corporate ladder without the value-add of an MBA and better business training, or exploring non-profit job opportunities. Before business school, I briefly volunteered in the Himalayas as a field reporter and program developer with an NGO – if I didn’t go to business school and didn’t go back to the corporate world, I would have pursued a more philanthropic nonprofit route full-time.”
Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? I most admire John Wood, founder of Room to Read, a global nonprofit organization focused on literacy and gender equality in education in developing countries. John’s story is remarkable – he used to work for Microsoft as a high-performing, high-earning executive and traded it all for the nonprofit life. Using his own money, savings and network, he launched Room to Read, which provides books to children in Nepal. That mission has since expanded into more countries, evolved into commissioning local artists and writers to create locally relevant books, creating a publishing arm, library and school construction and so much more. John was hugely successful because he ran his nonprofit like a for-profit organization, yet critically tied to grassroots efforts. It’s innovative and organic. I’m happy I can call John a friend after working closely with him when I served as Program Chair of the New York Chapter. It just goes to show that no matter how big, how national, how global your effort may be, a great entrepreneurs and leaders will take the time to forge a solid networks and stay true to their values.
What are your long-term professional goals? I usually like to think in 4-5-year plans instead of year-by-year. Five years from now I want to be the head of marketing at my firm, as a subject matter expert. Ten years from now, I want to have launched a lifestyle brand or product that is tied to education, literacy and gender parity on a global level. These issues are currently still widely successful only among proactive, socially responsible audiences. My hope is to create something in the future that generates serious positive, sustainable externalities that serve everyone, even consumers.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? Myself. If I was being cheeky I would say, ‘my legs for always supporting me, my arms by always being by my side, and my fingers because I can always count on them.’ But seriously, holistically, I always thank myself first because ambition is a hard thing to develop and I am grateful for my drive. We don’t thank ourselves enough for dedicating and committing ourselves to our demanding days. Beyond that, I want to thank my parents for giving me all the opportunities they could, and for happily pushing me to deviate from a traditional Chinese American first-generation expectation of being a doctor, lawyer or accountant to really follow my dreams. I would also have to thank my former SAT professor who passed onto me what is now my life motto – “If it is to be, it is up to me!”
Fun fact about yourself: Right before business school I had an ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ moment where I quit my job, broke my lease, and really followed my heart across the world. I went off the grid with no phone or Internet, only $200 in my pocket and one duffel bag, and lived in the Himalayan mountains. I taught at an all-girls hostel in a remote village where girls’ education was not only lacking but grossly undervalued. It was life-changing.
Favorite book: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Favorite movie: Alice in Wonderland
Favorite musical performer: Carrie Underwood…although usually I prefer to listen to instrumental film scores, not singers
Favorite television show: The Walking Dead
Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere you can’t easily get to with a map – my favorite places so far have been the Humla district in Simikot, Nepal, and the black sand beaches of New Zealand.
Hobbies? Aerial arts/dance, yoga, cooking, scrapbooking, creating amateur travel documentaries, reading obscure books that people throw away
What made Tiffany such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“Tiffany is one of those rare MBAs who stands out as soon as you meet her. Based on her poise and professionalism, you just know she will have an impact once she enters the program. And she certainly has had an enormous, positive impact at Smith. I feel fortunate to have known Tiffany for the past two years as an MBA student and as the President of the Smith Women’s MBA Association (SAWMBA). In addition to being the Senior Associate Dean of the Business School, I am also the faculty advisor to SAWMBA and work closely with the officers of this organization, particularly the President. I am also leading the School’s women’s, diversity, and military initiatives, Thus, I have had numerous opportunities to work with Tiffany and get to know her.
Tiffany is one of those students that faculty dream of having in a program – she’s ambitious, conscientious, dependable, organized, and at the same time, caring, collaborative and a positive force for change. She’s a change agent and builder and in all of her roles as the President of SAWMBA, Graduate Assistant, Brand Ambassador, she has been an architect in initiating some of the most progressive programming for not just women, but also men, in order to really change the conversation about diversity and women in business. This has been critical as we seek to fulfill our 50/50 (gender parity across our MBA programs) by 2020 campaign. As an ambassador to our Forte Foundation students, Tiffany has been a strong advocate in recruiting and supporting women at Smith. She has also enabled women to make connections across our various MBA programs (full-time, part-time, online and executive) to build even stronger networks. But, her impact is not just among women at Smith. She is a role model for all of our students and has helped with our military programming and in recruiting MBAs with families. And she didn’t just participate in all of these activities, she partnered with students, faculty and staff to develop them and then successfully lead them.
Her unique background illustrates both the Poet side (her involvement with the nonprofit world, net impact, artistic talents, holistic perspective) and the Quant side (how she continually embraces challenges in difficult, rigorous courses to push herself). She’s not just an MBA who will move further up the ladder (which she will), but more importantly she is an MBA who will make a positive, ethical difference in the world today. And we certainly can use more leaders like that!“ — Joyce E. A. Russell, Ph.D., Senior Associate Dean, Robert H. Smith School of Business, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Tiffany Chang, University of Maryland appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Robert Smith School of Business, University of Maryland
“I didn’t realize how valuable soft skills and emotional intelligence are until business school. They truly differentiate candidates and leaders, and can impact whether someone is successful in a role. Many hard skills can be taught in a classroom or on the job, but it’s the soft skills that are far more difficult to develop.”
Age: 29
Hometown: Reno, Nevada
Undergraduate School and Degree: B.A. Political Science and B.A. Journalism, University of Nevada
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? I was an account supervisor at Ogilvy Public Relations in Washington, D.C. I specialized in account management, crisis communications, project management and strategic communications. My multi-million dollar account portfolio included non-profit, Fortune 100, trade association, and Federal government clients.
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? During the summer of 2015, I interned at Vanguard, one of the world’s largest investment groups, in Malvern, Pennsylvania. I was a member of Vanguard’s MBA general management leadership development program.
Where will you be working after graduation? I have accepted a role as a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, Inc. in Seattle, Washington.
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School
MBAA Vice President of Student Affairs. I was elected by my peers in December 2014 to serve as Smith’s next MBAA VP of Student Affairs. The role consists of advocating on behalf of MBA students’ interests to the Smith administration and faculty, conducting and analyzing our annual MBA Student Satisfaction Survey, and importantly, planning and executing the two week orientation for the next full-time MBA class (an effort that involves committee recruitment and nearly nine months of planning).During my tenure, I successfully advocated to add global learning objectives to Smith’s accreditation learning goals, pushed for significant changes to Smith’s marketing and supply chain elective courses, executed new programming to increase participation and communication between domestic and international students, and (lastly) executed a successful orientation for the MBA Class of 2017 that included a first-ever orientation case competition with client Northrop Grumman.
Vice President of Finance, Smith Association of Women MBAs. I also serve as the VP of Finance for the Smith Association of Women MBAs (SAWMBA). In this role, I’m responsible for managing the club’s budget and advocating for additional funding and resources. But I wanted to have a bigger impact, so I co-developed a first-ever series of events designed to educate women on activities and topics that are typically dominated by men – golf, sports, gambling and spirits. Named the “Get Confident Series,” these fun, engaging events helped introduce a number of my classmates to common topics of discussion among men in the workplace.In addition, I believe it is critical to involve men in conversations surrounding women in business if we hope to fundamentally change the U.S. workplace. To do so, I developed and executed an event called “Unconscious Bias in the Workplace” featuring a notable guest speaker and an interactive workshop. The event exceeded capacity with attendance by both male and female MBAs. This event kicked off an important conversation that will continue at Smith next year.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of the significant changes I made to the Smith MBA Class of 2017 Orientation. My goal for orientation was clear from the beginning: to elevate the program, challenge students, and live up to the top-25 ranking the Smith program had worked so hard to achieve. Therefore, I eliminated a beloved event and replaced it with a three-day corporate-sponsored case competition because I believed it provided greater value to students. Planning and executing a case competition in addition to two weeks of orientation activities was an ambitious undertaking, but I had confidence that my team and I could pull it off. The Class of 2017 confirmed that I made the right decision by not only impressing our sponsor, Northup Grumman, during the case competition, but giving it one of the highest ratings of all orientation activities. Overall, this change elevated the experience for new students and provided them a forecast of what was to come.
Subsequently, the Smith Class of 2017 has gone on to win first place in almost every case competition entered this year. I believe this is a direct result of the practice and experience derived from the orientation case competition. It makes me so proud to see the impact my efforts have had and will have for many years to come.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? While at Ogilvy, there was a high-profile, multi-million dollar government account that was failing. Concerned that in six months the client would not be renewing its contract, my boss asked me to step in and take over the management of the account. It was a huge professional risk with responsibilities far above my current title. If I failed, Ogilvy would lose the account, and although I wasn’t initially on the account team, I knew the blame would fall on me. But I ultimately saw it as an opportunity to build my brand and reputation. So I took the challenge on.
I immediately instituted weekly in-person meetings with the client and practically lived in their offices so I could start building strong relationships and have a better understanding of their business needs and where we were failing to meet expectations. I then restructured the account team, put in place processes to better service the client, and ensured that every deliverable didn’t reach the client until I reviewed it for consistency, quality and impact. These changes resulted in the rebuilding of trust between my account team and the client, and eventually lead to the renewing of our contract for two additional years.
I continued to lead that team until I left for business school, and I consider it one of my proudest professional accomplishments because I took a high-profile account that was near failure, rebuilt it into a thriving, growing account, and developed a strong professional reputation as an exceptional client manager and “fixer.”
Who is your favorite professor? Charlie Olsen is my favorite professor. To be honest, I was very nervous the first day I stepped into his Global Economic Environment course because he had such a strong reputation at Smith. But I love how he challenged students and engaged the entire class to share information about their home countries. His class provided exactly what I expected to learn in business school, and even though I disagreed with him at times, he was always respectful of all opinions. And because of him, I’m hooked on reading the Wall Street Journal every morning!
Favorite MBA Courses? My favorite MBA courses have been Data Mining and Decision Analytics. Because I do not come from a quantitative background, I took every single quantitative course I could in business school in order to round out my skill set. I was intimidated by data before taking Data Mining and Decision Analytics, and now I feel that I have a stronger understanding and a skill set that I can build upon in my post-MBA career. Those courses have given me a much needed boost of quant-confidence!
Why did you choose this business school? I chose Smith because of the warm and collaborative nature of the school. I’m naturally competitive, but I didn’t want to compete against my fellow classmates. Smith was so welcoming and had so much personality, and I knew that I would learn a lot from the faculty and my fellow students. Smith lived up to my expectations, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
What did you enjoy most about business school? My experience at Smith has been profoundly impacted by my classmates. They are the best part of business school. I have learned so much from each of them, and I have been exposed to new cultures and ideas that have changed the way I look at and interact with the world. I strongly believe I have built a lifelong network of future business partners, colleagues and friends. I am so grateful to have met each and every one of them.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? I didn’t realize how valuable soft skills and emotional intelligence are until business school. They truly differentiate candidates and leaders, and can impact whether someone is successful in a role. Many hard skills can be taught in a classroom or on the job, but it’s the soft skills that are far more difficult to develop.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? Recruiting. I found it so surprising that companies would come to recruit as early as September of my first year when I hadn’t yet completed a course or received a grade! Although I felt that I hadn’t changed, I guess simply being admitted to a good MBA program was enough to start the recruitment process. I had no idea it would be like this when I decided to go to business school.
What was the hardest part of business school? The hardest part was managing all of the competing priorities: class, group work, recruiting, social activities, and spending time with family and friends. It took me a full semester to finally figure out a way to invest enough in both school and in my personal life.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Be yourself. I think Smith looks for people that fit the unique culture. Collaboration, enthusiasm and personality are all important, so being true to yourself and honest in your responses are critical to the admissions process.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I reached a point in my career that I knew if I wanted to get to the next level, I needed to have a stronger business background and acumen. For the rest of my career, I wanted to eliminate from any future promotion conversations any questions regarding my ability to understand the “business of our business.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…I likely would have started my own PR consulting company, working with clients on my own terms and occasionally pairing up with other women-led PR shops to jointly service larger clients.”
What are your long-term professional goals? My dream is to run my own venture capital firm where I invest exclusively in startups founded by women and/or persons of color. Currently, there is a significant lack of capital available (or being allocated) to startups founded by underrepresented persons and I would love to spend every day making a positive impact on this issue.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? My husband is my biggest supporter and advocate. He has worked tirelessly to support me, both emotionally and financially, through school. He has been so patient and supportive of the long study nights, the travel and the internship. He didn’t think twice about giving up his successful career in Washington, D.C. to move to Seattle so I can take on my new role at Amazon, even though it means that he will have to make a radical career change. He is simply the best and I’m so thankful.
Fun fact about yourself: I once saw Patti LaBelle perform a private show at The White House for President Obama and several U.S. governors.
Favorite book: The Catcher in the Rye
Favorite movie: A League of Their Own
Favorite musical performer: Taylor Swift because she is a brilliant business woman! But for listening pleasure, I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan.
Favorite television show: Parks and Recreation. Leslie Knope is my hero.
Favorite vacation spot: Any place that I haven’t visited before! I love seeing the world and visiting new places that impact my world view. Next on my to-do list is either a tour of Italy or Japan.
Hobbies? I love to golf, play and watch sports, cook, and travel.
What made Allison such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“Allison Davern entered the Smith School and immediately starting enhancing our program. While many students serve in leadership roles in their MBA programs, how strong of an impact do they really have? I can say with utmost certainty, that few would equal the impact Allison has had on a program. From the time of her first few weeks in orientation camp, she started designing improvements and positive changes in our program. Every course she took or competition she participated in, she came up with new ways to make it more challenging and difficult for herself, her peers, and future MBAs. Why? She simply knew that if she and her fellow students were to be superstars in their careers and really make a difference that all of them (including herself) were going to need to be pushed as hard as possible to excel. They were going to need to be uncomfortable, and embrace change in order to do things differently.
As you can see from her application, Allison has been a leader in numerous MBA activities and clubs. In all of those activities and in her work as my graduate assistant, she has been instrumental in changing the culture at Smith to being more rigorous yet at the same time, maintaining the collaborative spirit that is so famous among Smith students. Allison has consistently pushed all of us – faculty, students, alumni, and administrators to do more and be more, so that the MBA experience is the best it can possibly be. In her first year, second year, and I am sure as an alumni (she has already agreed to come back to help with activities), Allison focuses on the greater community (not just her own career goals and plans). Ask any student across our various programs, and they can tell you how much they respect Allison and value the contributions she has made for the entire school.
She is a true servant leader with an ambitious agenda for us all! For example, she overhauled a successful orientation week to make it even more demanding, yet beneficial for our students. She designed a new “get confident series” for our women MBAs to make them career-ready as soon as possible. She prepared an extensive MBA survey to scrutinize every aspect of the MBA experience in order to make more improvements. And, she did all of this by partnering with fellow students, faculty and school leaders. — Joyce E. A. Russell, Ph.D., Senior Associate Dean, Robert H. Smith School of Business
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Allison Davern, University of Maryland appeared first on Poets and Quants.
University of Florida, Warrington College of Business
“No word better describes Will Cannon than “leader.” He has the innate ability to motivate others to accomplish things they never believed they could do.”
Age: 29
Hometown: Orange Park, FL
Education: University of Florida, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? United States Navy: I served as the Main Propulsion Officer and Officer of the Deck onboard a Guided Missile Destroyer during two Middle East deployments, as a Boat Officer and Special Warfare Trainee in Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, as an Action Officer preparing long term strategic initiatives at Naval Surface Forces, and finally an Officer Recruiter.
Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Eaton in Beltsville, MD
Where will you be working after graduation? Anheuser-Busch InBev, Strategic Sourcing Manager
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Career Counselor to peer group and entering Graduate Business students; President of the UF MBA Fitness Club (GatorFit); Founder and Host of the first two Annual “Murph” Charity Workout Events to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and the Navy SEAL Foundation; Volunteer “Buddy” at the Tim Tebow Foundation “Night to Shine” event.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I’m currently a Platoon Officer in a Naval Coastal Riverine Reserve Squadron, and last year I pitched, organized, and ran the largest BootCamp and Comprehensive Gunshoot in our Unit’s history. As a Lieutenant, I filled the role usually reserved for a seasoned Lieutenant Commander or Commander and was tasked with preparing sailors from across several Platoons for forward deployment as Expeditionary Security Detachments.
To streamline our staff’s efforts, give my sailor’s the best possible training, and save the Navy money, I pitched to my Chain of Command a much larger version of our previous BootCamps and Gunshoots that would integrate sailors from several Platoons and Missions. By working with my Chain of Command, horizontal assets (Army Ranges, Patrol Missions in Mayport, Logistical Commands, etc.), and my sailors, I was able to ensure successful completion of the BootCamp for 50 sailors and of the Gunshoot for 107 sailors. By ensuring the highest quality in training, I was able to preserve the effectiveness of the missions our nation hands down and protect my sailors in the safe execution of their duties.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I believe one of my biggest impacts was during my second deployment to the Horn of Africa. I was on a Guided Missile Destroyer, and we had intelligence a mid-sized cargo ship had been pirated by four Somalis. We found the ship and over the course of seven days shadowed the vessel, as well as do some high speed passes trying to visually verify crew health and pirate numbers. The seas were too rough for our small boats, so we couldn’t send over our boarding parties to apprehend the pirates and free the crew. On the early morning of the seventh day as the seas subsided, I was on watch as the Officer of the Deck when the orders came down to take the vessel. I plotted out the course and speed of the pirated ship and recognized it would be crossing into Omani territorial waters by the time we would be boarding, which would be against International Law. I recommended that we report up to our landside Chain of Command to coordinate with Oman so we could together take the ship. My Executive Officer agreed with my assessment and we reached out to Oman for assistance. As soon as the sun rose, the Omani’s approached the ship with a medium sized yet heavily armed Coast Guard vessel. As soon as they approached, a barrage of gunfire came from the vessel as there were 18 pirates onboard, armed with AK-47s with no intent of surrendering without a fight. The Omani’s opened fire with their larger caliber weapons until the gunfire stopped and the ship started to sink. The ship was then escorted to Oman by four of their ships where they prosecuted the Pirates and returned home the Indian crew. I wholeheartedly believe if I sent my team over, some of my sailors would have been seriously hurt or killed. Our ship’s organic boarding teams use small Rubber Boats, whose low profile would have made them easy targets. Our teams also consist of only 14 Boarding Party members, meaning they would have been outnumbered and outgunned. The effect I had on keeping my sailors safe while also accomplishing our mission is my proudest moment in the workplace.
Who is your favorite professor? Dr. Virginia Maurer, she is an amazing Professor who during my Ethics course always started the most interesting conversations, getting even the most reserved and shy students to participate.
Favorite MBA Courses? Ethics for the amazing material and conversations, and Game Theory for the practical application of common approaches to solve what would be tough problems.
Why did you choose this business school? The small cohort sizes and individualized attention by the professors and career services were above and beyond what I had envisioned.
What did you enjoy most about business school? I enjoyed the camaraderie between all the students in my cohort and in other cohorts. It’s easy to see how Hough alumni are so willing to give back once they move on.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? I learned the importance of networking; the benefits of keeping close relationships with the people you work with or meet so that you can both mutually benefit from each other’s experiences and contacts.
What was the most surprising thing about business school? I was unaware how much time we would be devoting to networking and job hunting. I was surprised how every week for our first two modules we were attending some activity related to recruiting. I’m very thankful for how we were held to the fire early as I would not be walking away with my dream job.
What was the hardest part of business school? For me, the hardest part was quickly picking up material some of the others had as business undergraduates. Accounting and Finance were foreign to me and at first very difficult, but eventually through working with the other students and hitting the books hard I was able to catch up and complete the coursework.
What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Do your research into the companies and industries you’re interested in. This program will get you in touch with the decision makers at these companies and give you the opportunity to land your dream job, it’s on you to make sure you know where that is.
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…my Father told me about his MBA experience and how it helped in his transition out of the Navy and into corporate America.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…a Special Agent in the FBI. I had an application in when the Sequester first took place and all hiring was frozen. I reapplied at the same time I applied to the MBA Program and found out I had been recommended for Final Round Interviews a few days after I was accepted to UF MBA. After some heavy decision-making, I chose to attend the Hough Business School, and I’m extremely happy I did.”
Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Navy SEAL Captain Norm Olson (Ret). After accomplishing more than any man I’ve ever met in his time of service, he continued to serve his country and support his brothers by becoming the Founding Director of the Navy SEAL-UDT Museum in Fort Pierce, as well as helping start the Navy SEAL Foundation to help support the families of fallen Special Warfare Operators. More than that, he is a humble man who is respected by every man and woman who has ever had the pleasure of working with him.
What are your long-term professional goals? To continue to lead motivated men and women at Anheuser-Busch InBev as well as in the Navy Reserves. I want to show transitioning Naval Officers it’s possible to excel in both realms at the same time.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I wouldn’t be en route to the fantastic job I have if it wasn’t for the dedication and consistent effort the Associate Director of Career Services, Jason Rife. He challenged me to push my brand worked with me when I was deciding between different opportunities. Jason has to be the hardest working Career Services Representative in the country, as my experience was shared by every student who attends Hough.
Fun fact about yourself: I participated in a Naval Olympics in Oman, earning Silver in the 50 and 100m Freestyle against France, Britain, and Oman.
Favorite book: Lone Survivor
Favorite movie: Top Gun
Favorite musical performer: Sublime
Favorite television show: The Unit
Favorite vacation spot: Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Hobbies? Swimming, Ultra Distance Obstacle Races, Guitar
What made Will such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?
“No word better describes Will Cannon than “leader.” He has the innate ability to motivate others to accomplish things they never believed they could do. As the President of GatorFit, Will grew the club and created a series of training events including an intense cross-fit-style, military -themed race in which the participants wear simulated body armor and compete as a team. Not only did the event build participants’ physical stamina, but it provided valuable insight into planning and executing a strategy to overcome obstacles as a team.
Will also serves as an example and mentor to other students in his work as an MBA Career Coach, providing additional interview training to first-year students. Always leading by example, Will was voted the first-place winner in UF MBA’s annual Iron Gator interview competition for delivering the best video answer to a series of mock interview questions. His direct but patient demeanor in guiding his fellow students builds their confidence when preparing for interviews. Will seldom misses an opportunity to give back to the UF MBA program and has certainly made it a better place.” — Jason Rife, Associate Director of MBA Career Services, University of Florida, Warrington College of Business
DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS
The post 2016 Best MBAs: Will Cannon, Florida Warrington appeared first on Poets and Quants.
Congratulations to the Undergraduate Business and Economics students who are participating in their diploma ceremony this afternoon! We can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish next. #CMUGrad #TepperLife
Comments
Post a Comment