Zora Ponder-Jones, Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2028
Age: 26
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Georgia Institute of Technology; BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in German
Pre-MBA Work Experience: 4 years at Accenture working in Marketing Consulting across industry
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I reached a point in my career where I knew I could contribute more, but I wasn’t consistently getting opportunities to do the work I was most passionate about. I found myself making career decisions based on what I thought would lead to a promotion rather than on work I genuinely wanted to do and knew I could excel at. My experience at Accenture gave me a strong foundation in marketing strategy and transformation, but it also clarified that I want to be closer to the brands, audiences, and cultural moments I care about. I wanted to build the skills and network that would allow me to make that transition intentionally, rather than waiting for the right project to come along. Business school felt like the right opportunity to reset, explore, and invest in myself. I want to leave Ross able to clearly articulate the value I bring and to use those skills in an industry I genuinely care about, whether that is in sports, media, entertainment, or another space where marketing brings people together. Just as importantly, I wanted to put myself in an environment where growth and opportunity are tied to the quality of the work I do and the impact I can have.
Why did you choose Michigan Ross? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Ross gave me community before I even started school. Throughout the admissions process, I met students and alumni who were genuinely excited to help me think through what I wanted from an MBA and how I could make the most of it. I was drawn to action-based learning because I learn best by doing, but the people ultimately made the decision for me. I wanted to be around ambitious people who were also generous with their time, curious about one another, and willing to support one another. Ross made me feel like I could become the kind of leader I aspire to be while still having room to grow and figure things out along the way. I also loved that I could see so many different versions of myself at Ross. I could deepen my marketing experience, explore sports and entertainment, learn about entrepreneurship and investing, take on leadership opportunities, and still experience college football Saturdays as a part of a campus community.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I bring a combination of marketing strategy, storytelling, and community-building. I have spent the last four years working across industries and helping stakeholders turn complex problems into something people can understand and act on. I love connecting the dots between people,
ideas, and opportunities. I also deeply care about the experience people have around me. Some of my most meaningful experiences before Ross came from creating communities, whether through employee groups, mentoring high school students, or bringing people together around shared interests. At Ross, I hope to keep doing that while learning from people who may see the world completely differently than I do.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I am a Green Bay Packers fan, and my love for football actually started because of a family rivalry. I grew up with a Bears fan in the family, decided I was going to root for the Packers instead, and somehow that decision stuck with me for life. I wouldn’t claim to know everything there is to know about football, but I am fascinated by why people care so deeply about sports and hold such strong allegiances to different franchises. That curiosity is a big part of what drew me to sports marketing. Sports can create community in a way very few other things can, and I love the combination of competition, culture, storytelling, and very real human emotion that comes with it. I’m especially interested in how women’s sports are growing and changing the conversation around who gets to be at the center of those stories.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Visit the schools and talk to as many current students and alumni as possible. Those conversations were probably the most valuable part of the application process for me because they helped me more deeply understand what I actually needed from an MBA. Once I could imagine myself on a campus, I could ask much better questions. What would I want to do in my free time? Which clubs would I want to contribute to? How would I engage with the city? Where could I see myself growing? Those conversations also gave me a much more realistic view of the MBA experience, including the resources students were using and the challenges they were navigating. You are choosing where to spend two very important years of your life, so it is worth doing the work to figure out where you will be happiest and most fulfilled.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would rely on my community earlier. I eventually found a really strong group of people going through the process with me, but I wish I had made an effort to build that community sooner. The MBA application process is very specific, and your friends and family may care about you without fully understanding what it means to balance testing, essays, webinars, school research, and the financial realities of applying to business school. Having someone to study with, compare notes after a webinar, or have an honest conversation about how you are paying for the process can make a huge difference. That community doesn’t have to come from a formal pre-MBA program. Reach out to the person in a Zoom session who asks a question that piques your interest. Connect with someone after a mock class. If you find someone with a shared interest, stay in touch. The application process can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be!
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The summer. Specifically, the version of summer where I was trying to prepare for the GRE while pretending my life was still business as usual. I spent too long trying to squeeze studying into my existing schedule because I didn’t want to give up the things that made my normal life feel normal. It took me a while to accept that I was making a significant life change and my calendar needed to reflect that. If I could do it again, I would commit to a dedicated period of heads-down studying much earlier. The occasional study session between everything else was not helping me and only created more stress. Once I finally gave myself permission to temporarily say no to some things and shift my focus, the process became much more manageable.
What is your initial impression of the Michigan Ross students/culture/community?
I love it here! I have only just finished day one of orientation, so I know I might still be in the honeymoon phase, but the community has already lived up to everything I heard during the admissions process. What has stood out most is how easy it has been to find a point of connection with people. I have met people with completely different professional and personal backgrounds, and somehow, at every Ross event I have attended, I have found something we have in common. Sometimes, the differences are what make the connection more interesting because you immediately start thinking about what you could learn from each other or how you could help one another. That has been one of the biggest reasons I am so happy I chose Ross. People genuinely seem interested in getting to know each other.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I am still figuring out exactly where I want to invest my time, but I know I want my Ross experience to sit at the intersection of community, marketing, and sports, media, and entertainment. I am especially interested in getting involved with the Michigan Ross Entertainment, Media & Sport Association, Michigan Marketing Club, and the Black Business Student Association, both as a participant and, eventually, in a leadership capacity. I would also love to contribute to The Bus and explore ways to make the experience even better for students. I also plan to take advantage of what makes Michigan feel like Michigan. I am very excited for football Saturdays, treks, and the traditions and experiences I could never have planned for before arriving.
What is one thing you have learned about Michigan Ross that has surprised you?
I am probably too early to give a definitive answer to this one. I have only just finished day one of orientation, and I want to give myself enough time to experience Ross before deciding what genuinely surprises me. If anything, the early surprise has been how quickly the community has started to feel real. I expected a collaborative culture because everyone told me that was one of Ross’s defining characteristics. I did not expect to feel it so immediately, even before classes started.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am excited to learn, grow, and have fun doing it. I am looking forward to Ross’s action-based learning and can’t wait to take what I learn in the classroom and put it into practice with MAP. I am excited to grow as a leader through Sanger and the student organizations I participate in. I am excited to explore sports, media, and entertainment more deeply and see where that interest takes me. And last, but absolutely not least, I am very excited for football season.
