Brennan Hawkins, Chicago Booth’s MBA Class of 2022
Age: 30
Hometown: Adelphi, MD
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Morehouse College, Economics
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): Three years at Deloitte Consulting in the Commercial Strategy & Operations practice; followed by five years at Delta Air Lines in the Domestic Revenue Management Department (yes, I was part of the reason your airline tickets were so high…sorry?).
Why business school? Why now?
I am attending business school to develop formally-trained expertise in finance and to refine, practice, and codify my leadership profile. I built a strong business acumen and structured problem-solving approach as a Consultant in Deloitte’s Commercial Strategy & Operations practice, working with five clients in four industries to address executive-level strategic priorities. As a Revenue Management Team Lead at Delta, I developed technical data analysis and strategic leadership skills that helped me deliver tangible revenue results at a global organization. Through these experiences, I learned that the language of business is finance and that the oil that differentiates a well-humming business machine from one that’s broken down and needs to be taken to the shop is leadership. With this perspective, and at this juncture in my career – wherein I am eager to apply my professional experience toward my envisioned career of impact in Real Estate transformation – business school makes the most sense for me to develop the requisite skills.
Why Chicago Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
There are too many reasons to attend Chicago Booth, sincerely. The top three reasons for me are 1) academic excellence 2) the people (Boothies as we’re called), and 3) Chicago, the city.
Booth’s academic preeminence requires no explanation. The school boasts nine Nobel Laureates – some of whom still teach today – and the broader faculty base is extremely well-published and credentialed in the academic and professional arenas. Booth is especially well-renowned for finance & economics, and given my goal of strengthening my core finance competency, Booth was an extremely attractive option.
What is particularly unique about Booth is that given the school’s intellectual prowess, the people are super down-to-earth and amicable. I had the privilege of visiting Booth several times during the admissions cycle, and during each visit, I was made to feel at home. Booth programs like Random Walk – a set of Summer trips to exciting destinations across the globe before the start of your first year, and LEAD – Booth’s proprietary Leadership & Development curriculum is taken in your first quarter of school – facilitate early and deep connections between students. Moreover, at Booth and beyond, ‘paying it forward’ is a real virtue that has benefitted me as I engage alumni in my academic and professional pursuits, and is one that I have embodied as I’ve worked with current applicants to Booth.
With regard to the city, it should suffice for me to say Giordano’s, or perhaps Lou Malnati’s. But seriously, Chicago is an amazing city: the food, the walkability, the lakeshore, the nightlife, Second City, etc. From a professional standpoint, Chicago is home to many industrial giants, especially in my area of interest that is Real Estate, so the region is fertile for aspirant business school graduates.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2022?
I am most excited to share with my classmates my unique professional experiences and my love for international adventure.
As a professional, I had the privilege to work on cool projects in exciting industries. At Deloitte, I helped a global wine manufacturer integrate a newly acquired beer brewery in Mexico. I researched direct material categories, cold-called suppliers, toured malted barley processing plants in Calgary, and visited hop farms in Yakima. At Delta, I helped rationalize pricing to make air travel accessible for customers across the demand curve as the popularity of flying continued to climb. I am excited to contribute a perspective from these experiences to the classroom, enriching discussion, and contextualizing learnings for me and my classmates.
I am also excited to exchange cultural perspectives with my classmates. My love for international adventure has led me to climb the Great Wall, make the 4-hour trek from Delhi to see the Taj Mahal, sail Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, and fly over Marrakesh in a hot air balloon. I am excited to use my global perspective to relate to my classmates and am eager to create new, shared memories on international trips.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I have been on nearly 1,000 flights as a consultant and a Delta employee over the past eight years!
Post-MBA career interests?
My long-term vision is to create, own, and manage a nationwide real estate company with an operating arm – and venture capital function – dedicated to empowering current residents of under-appreciated neighborhoods to realize and participate in the full potential of their communities.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Attend in-person events – whether near you or on campus. My first interaction with Boothies was at an informational in Manhattan, New York. During this event, I was able to speak with Booth students and admissions staff, glean the core value proposition of the school – as articulated by the school – and build a first-hand perspective on the culture of the Booth community.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
Start my application earlier! N.B. – EVERY business school application has SEVERAL smaller questions about academic and professional history, salaries, roles & responsibilities, etc. These questions require some thought/research and can take ~50% of the total time needed to complete your application. At least look at the full application early on so you’re prepared for what’s required.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I’m not one for skipping experiences, good or bad – I appreciate every experience as part of who I am today. That being said, if I were to go through the process again, I would not worry as much about where I would apply and might be admitted. Through your search, you’ll find a place that feels like home, and that’s where you’re supposed to be. Booth was home for me, and I am immensely grateful to be a Boothie!
What is your initial impression of Chicago Booth’s students/culture/community?
The notion that The University of Chicago is where fun comes to die is not novel; and while I can’t speak to the Undergraduate or other Graduate schools, I can say that at Booth, fun is alive and well! Booth is an increasingly diverse place and the students are intelligent, yet unassuming, and are eager to help and learn from one another. 2nd Years are super supportive, providing insight into the class enrollment process and guidance for navigating the day-to-day and recruiting processes at Booth. Moreover, the Faculty are very engaging in the classroom and exhibit genuine concern for the academic growth and success of their students.
One thing you have learned about Chicago Booth that has surprised you?
I am surprised by the international diversity at Booth. You read the demographic statistics and have an understanding of the class profile, but the feeling is different when you are in class and see first-hand the rich diversity about you. I am super appreciative of the global perspective that sits in my classrooms and am excited to learn from my peers about business in their parts of the world.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I am most anxious about my career pivot to Real Estate. Given the esoteric nature of the industry, Real Estate recruiting follows a more independent, ‘Specialized Search’ process, wherein students work with Career Services to craft their own recruiting process and independently engage industry participants (as opposed to a ‘Structured’ process wherein firms come to campus and host scheduled coffee chats and interviews). That being said, Booth has a developing yet robust Real Estate program and Chicago is rich in Real Estate expertise, which resources I am already accessing to facilitate my transition. Moreover, Booth’s Career Services team is personal, experienced, and diligent in helping students position for and achieve their target roles.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am most excited simply to begin this next chapter of life. Business school is an opportunity for me to step away from work, to synthesize my professional experiences into a well-defined leadership profile and professional thesis, and to begin charting my path to professional and financial independence and the creation of generational wealth. I feel like the world is my oyster, and Booth is my pearl!
