Giovanna Soto Zegarra, Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2028
Age: 28
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: UC Berkeley, Political Science
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Community Manager, Education Non-Profit, SF Parents, 3 years; New Business, Fintech, Plaid, 2 years
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
After five years of working across both the private and public sectors, I felt like it was the right time to go back to school and build my business skills beyond sales and community management. I wanted to learn more about strategy, finance, and product so I could return to tech with more opportunities open to me. I also liked that an MBA is a flexible degree that will help me become a stronger leader whether I’m working in corporate or social impact.
Why did you choose Berkeley Haas? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Haas offered the exact combination I was looking for: proximity to the tech industry, a genuine commitment to social impact, and close-knit student body. I also knew I wanted to build my career in the Bay Area long term, so being able to deepen my professional network here was especially important. I graduated from Berkeley in 2020 and didn’t have an in-person graduation, so I figured I had to come back and finally walk the stage.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I’m a local, so I’m very excited to host a trek to Mission Dolores Park in San Francisco! But seriously, I bring years of direct community service experience in the Bay Area, particularly working with low-income and monolingual families. I understand the communities and public systems that surround our school, and I hope to bring that perspective into the conversations and work we do at Haas.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I love performing! Growing up, I was a huge musical theater and choir kid. A couple years ago I performed at the Carnaval Parade in San Francisco covering 20 blocks in the Mission District.
Post-MBA career interests:
I’m interested in transitioning from educating parents through live workshops to educating customers about new products they can use! I’m hoping to move into product marketing in tech, where I can combine my experience understanding people and communicating complex ideas with the business skills I’m developing at Haas. Long term, I’d love to return to social impact, whether professionally or through board service.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Find community early. No one in my personal life was also applying to business school, so programs like MLT MBA Prep and the UC Berkeley Haas Thrive Fellows introduced me to other applicants who I could relate to and grow with. That support made my application stronger, helped me feel much more prepared for business school, and meant I came into Haas already having connections.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Start GRE prep earlier! GRE scores are valid for five years, so if you’re even considering grad school, I say take the test and get it out of the way. I found it difficult to focus on getting my story on paper when I still wasn’t happy with my score. Studying for the GRE, working full-time, and applying to business school all at once was a lot. Pick your battles and give yourself time.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Cramming applications over the holidays. Even though I had been working on my applications for months, so much came together at the very end and it was hard to fully enjoy the holidays with my family. I was lucky to have a really understanding family and a supportive community who knew how important this was to me and helped me get through it.
What is your initial impression of the Haas students/culture/community?
Inviting, passionate, and full of doers! I’ve also been struck by how much people actually love spending time with one another. Everyone has so much going on, but people still make time to hang out, support each other, and build real friendships.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I’m a member of the Consortium, and I’m interested in joining the Haas Tech Club and Haas Music Collective. I’m excited to stay connected to my community through the Consortium and continue advancing inclusion in business. I’m excited about Haas Tech Club because I’ll get exposure to all the tech opportunities in the Bay Area and find support for interview prep. And I want to join Haas Music Collective to nurture my passion for live music and events, and maybe develop my DJ skills!
What is one thing you have learned about Haas that has surprised you?
I’ve been surprised by how quickly you go from participating to actually helping shape the Haas experience. Undergrad at Berkeley felt a lot more dispersed, and everyone had different levels of involvement. At Haas, people really want to be involved and contribute! It makes me excited to plan events and bring people together.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Connecting with people from super different backgrounds from me! There are students from all over the world with different cultures and life experiences so I’m excited to spend quality time together through trips, visit their home countries, and get to show them around my own hometown.
