We head to Athens, Georgia, to meet some new members of the MBA Class of 2028 at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students.
After 13 years as an Army Dietitian, Kim Gordon came to Terry seeking the financial and operational expertise needed to bridge the gap between clinical care and executive decision-making. A UGA alum returning to the Southeast, she was also drawn by Terry’s strong regional network and supportive culture. Gordon brings the perspectives of both a veteran and a parent to the classroom, along with years of experience leading under pressure. Then, Elsa George arrived at Terry after nearly three years as a software engineer at American Express. With an engineering background, she had become increasingly curious not simply about how technology is built, but about the strategic decisions determining what gets built, for whom and why. She sees the MBA as a bridge between her technical experience and the business side of innovation, with post-MBA interests in product management and consulting.
With more than eight years of Big Four accounting and audit experience, Oladapo Olaluwoye is using the MBA to move from evaluating businesses to helping shape their strategies. The Lagos, Nigeria, native most recently served as a Senior Audit Manager at KPMG and holds CPA, ACCA and ACA credentials. At Terry, he is building on that technical foundation with deeper expertise in corporate strategy, finance, analytics and cross-functional leadership. Next, Sam Newton brings seven years of experience in automation engineering and technical sales in the industrial automation industry. A mechanical engineering graduate of Clemson University, Newton enjoyed his previous work, but wanted to broaden his impact by developing stronger business and finance expertise. Terry offered the combination he sought: proximity to family in the Southeast and a strong alumni network in banking and strategy.
Finally, Susanna Gauldin comes to Terry with a clear destination in mind: brand management. After three years as a District Sales Leader with PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, Gauldin saw an MBA as a way to accelerate her move into marketing while continuing her personal and professional growth. Having already lived in Athens for three years, she found Terry’s location, ranking and financial support particularly compelling.
In the profiles that follow, these students share more about their paths to the MBA, their impressions of the Terry community and the advice they have for future applicants.
