Maggie Fedorocsko
Kellogg to Expand Real Estate Curriculum to Undergrads
Following a generous alumnus donation, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management will widen the reach of its real estate program to include Northwestern undergraduate students for the first time starting in fall 2022. In collaboration with Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the business programs will leverage a $2 million gift from Ian Sanders ‘91 to create new courses and professional development opportunities to strengthen this core focus at the University. “I am eager to see Northwestern incorporate real estate into its undergraduate curriculum,” Sanders, Founder & Principal of Fifteen Group, a real estate-focused private investment firm that he... Read more »
Wharton Welcomes MBA Class with a Milestone Majority of Women
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania reaches a pivotal milestone this fall: For the first time in its 140-year history, a majority of incoming MBA candidates will be women. The incoming class of 2023 MBA students will be comprised of nearly 52 percent women, representing a 10 percent increase over last year’s first-year students. “This landmark achievement demonstrates Wharton’s commitment to providing a diverse and representative community for our students,” Dean Erika James said in a statement. “As a female leader, I understand firsthand the significant impact that experiencing meaningful gender representation can have on women as they chart... Read more »
Real Humans of General Mills: Steve Cheng, Cornell Johnson ‘18, Associate Brand Manager
For many MBA students, participating in an internship can be an eye-opening experience that can help pinpoint likes and dislikes, develop professional aptitude, increase marketability, and more. Beyond internships, the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University takes this one step further with its unique immersion program for performance learning. This learning model includes an intense, hands-on semester of integrated course and fieldwork in a specific industry or career interest, giving students applied knowledge in a chosen field, premier networking opportunities, and even preferred status with summer recruiters and long-term employers. The program, which is available across eight... Read more »
Real Humans of Nike: Katie Ross, Kellogg ‘20, Corporate Strategy Manager
Nike is the world’s largest supplier and manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel and other sports equipment. This American multinational company, headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, is driven by its vision statement to “bring inspiration to every athlete in the world and to make sport a daily habit.” For Katie Ross, an avid runner and adventurer, this message resonates deeply. Leveraging her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Katie Ross gets to make an impact every day as a corporate strategy manager for this champion brand builder. After deciding to get an MBA to gain the confidence, skills, and credibility to grow... Read more »
Real Humans of Mondelēz International: Maria Pia Iriarte, MIT Sloan ’18, Sr. Manager Commercial Finance, Alternative Channels
Maria Pia Iriarte, MIT Sloan MBA ‘18, is passionate about two things: global experiences and food sustainability, making global snacking giant Mondelēz International the ideal company for her. Mondelēz (formerly Kraft), which puts sustainable ingredients at the forefront of its mission, is one of the world’s largest snacks companies. With popular brands like Chips Ahoy!, Oreo, Ritz, Sour Patch Kids, Milka, Nabisco and Cadbury, the Mondelēz brands are as diverse and rich as their consumer base. Operating in approximately 160 countries, it is truly an international company. Maria, a Lima-native, first started working for the company at their Lima location.... Read more »
Real Humans of AmBev: Marcelo Goncalez, Cornell ‘18, Plant General Manager
Brazilian brewing company, AmBev, currently operates in 14 countries in the Americas and is the largest company of Brazil by market capitalization and the third largest in the Southern hemisphere. With notable products including beers such as Bogotá Beer Company, Brahma, Bohemia, Skol and Stella Artois, it is also the largest PepsiCo bottler outside United States. AmBev’s parent company — AB InBev — is the world’s largest brewer with over 200 different trademarks. Formed following the acquisition of American brewer Anheuser-Busch by Belgian-Brazilian brewer InBev, which is a merger of AmBev and Interbrew, AB InBev today owns renowned beer brands... Read more »
Real Humans of Novartis: Chris Fan, NYU Stern ‘20, Finance Development Program (FDP) Associate
Based in the heart of bustling New York City, NYU offers students an invigorating atmosphere to learn and grow — and its business school, the Stern School of Business, is no exception. Unlike many other universities where students are confined to a particular campus, at NYU, students can call Manhattan, the area around Washington Square Park and Downtown Brooklyn their classrooms. This urban location, which offers extended opportunities, is also reflected in NYU Stern’s curriculum. Packed with experiential learning courses, this business school attracts many hands-on learners every year. For those looking for a unique — and busy — business... Read more »
Real Humans of 3M: Bridget Nyland, Harvard ‘19, Strategist
As a trained chemical engineer, Bridget Nyland always had a passion for science — and changing the world with it. Following a rotational program at a Fortune 500 chemical company, which transitioned into a technical sales position with customers in the biopharma, refining, and chemical industries, Bridget Nyland realized she wanted to become a leader in the science business world and inspire companies to see ESG as a core business imperative. To find her way into leading cutting edge science companies, she embarked on her MBA from Harvard Business School. With HBS’ unparalleled reputation for unlocking leadership opportunities in the... Read more »
Real Humans of Merck: Drew Soloski, Wharton ’16, Project Manager, Global Project and Alliance Management – Oncology & Vaccines (Late Stage)
The Wharton MBA encourages students to develop an international mindset. From required global-focused core classes, international dual-degree programs, and global consulting opportunities, Wharton’s MBA students gain global perspectives. That’s what attracted Drew Soloski, Wharton MBA ‘16, to Wharton, where he pursued a joint degree program with the Lauder Institute that allowed him to study the Chinese language and travel the world — all while earning his business degree. Beyond allowing him to explore his international interests, earning his MBA helped fill in the necessary gaps for him to pivot into a career in business and management. After an unbelievable experience... Read more »
University of Pennsylvania Receives $5M Bitcoin Donation to Support Financial Innovation at Wharton
The University of Pennsylvania has received an anonymous $5 million bitcoin donation — the largest cryptocurrency gift the University has ever received — which will be used to support the intersection of finance and technology at The Wharton School. According to a University announcement, the bitcoin donation will support the growth of programs at Wharton’s Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance, which champions research, collaboration, and global impact in fintech. “This investment marks a new era and mode of giving to the University and lifts up opportunities for students to become tomorrow’s leaders in finance,” Wharton Dean Erika James said... Read more »
Real Humans of PepsiCo: Tiffaine Stephens, NYU Stern ‘20, Associate Marketing Manager
NYU Stern calls their curriculum “customizable to the core.” Students can choose from over 200 electives taught by top researchers and industry leaders and also have the option to select up to three specializations from more than 20 options. Many students choose to pursue their MBA at the Stern School of Business due to the program’s flexibility, which is further amplified by its unique city location that offers additional opportunities to its students. As someone who wanted to work on solving real-world problems with other students, this hands-on setting was ideal for Tiffaine Stephens, NYU Stern MBA ‘20. After a career... Read more »
Real Humans of Amgen: Katherine Shen, Harvard ‘20, Sr. Oncology Specialist
There is a deep interest in the healthcare sector at Harvard Business School, and the program offers many resources to support this critical field. Most notably, the Healthcare Initiative at HBS creates an interconnected health care community at the school by promoting faculty research, supporting the development high-impact educational programs, and educating leaders and innovators who aspire to improve value across the health care industry. There is also the opportunity to join the student-run Health Care Club — one of the largest at HBS — which organizes everything from the large annual health care conference, to small coffee chats with... Read more »
What is the Best Business School Laptop for You?
While preparing for business school means connecting with future classmates, figuring out coursework, and brushing up on your writing and quant skills, other necessities—like what kind of computer you’ll need — can be overlooked. A powerful device is necessary to tackle the strenuous MBA curriculum and that’s why we’ve rounded up recommendations from leading MBA programs and highlighted which options you should consider. For busy students that are on-the-go, portable devices — laptops — are the best alternatives. Yet, these days, laptops come in all flavors, making it overwhelming to determine what mobile work companion is best-suited for your needs. With... Read more »
Real Humans of Nike North America: Cheryl Davenport, Stanford GSB ‘15, Head of Strategy
The MBA program at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford GSB, places a clear focus on fostering positive change, as evidenced by its motto: “Change lives. Change organizations. Change the world.” One MBA graduate, Cheryl Davenport, has lived by this motto. Wanting to work for a larger scale organization that takes social and environmental impact seriously, Cheryl ended up at Nike, a company that prioritizes investing in the planet. As a strategy head at Nike North America, Cheryl Davenport has the opportunity to leverage its full suite of business assets to drive social change, but it is her MBA from... Read more »
Real Humans of Novartis: Fernanda Carranza, Cornell Johnson ‘19, Finance Development Program Associate
Novartis, a global healthcare company that provides solutions to address the evolving needs of patients worldwide, has increasingly been in the spotlight as healthcare companies come together to combat Covid-19. As the company collaborates with key players involved in vaccine production — including Pfizer — Finance Development Program Associate Fernanda Carranza, Cornell Johnson MBA ‘19, has had to think fast on her feet and make strategic decisions, which has been easier thanks to her time at Cornell Johnson and her experience completing the Corporate Finance Immersion program. Going beyond basic theory classes to offer hands-on experiences, The Corporate Finance Immersion... Read more »
Real Humans of Daily Harvest: Bianca Deslouches, Kellogg ‘19, Innovation Strategy
The unprecedented speed of innovation across all industries has redefined the skill set needed to compete in today’s MBA world. This thesis is what galvanized the creation of the MMM program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Unlike traditional MBA programs, the MMM program is an immersive dual-degree program that gives students a rigorous business education integrated with a strong foundation in design innovation. MMM graduates receive an MBA from Kellogg and an M.S. in Design Innovation from the Segal Design Institute at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, positioning students to drive innovation across all industries.... Read more »
Real Humans of Johnson & Johnson: Heather Dyer, Harvard ‘17, Senior Product Manager, Robotics & Digital Solutions
After several years of supporting medical devices in the operating room, Heather Dyer learned first-hand the imperative role that technology plays in healthcare. More importantly, she learned how meticulously the business of healthcare must be managed. Though her engineering background enabled her to understand the technology side, she decided to attend business school to learn the business and finance fundamentals. Not surprising, like many engineers, she ended up at Harvard Business School — one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. Based on the class of 2022 profile, 26% of HBS students came from engineering backgrounds. The case... Read more »
Real Humans of Amgen: Angelinda Chen, Wharton ‘18, Global Marketing Manager, Oncology Pipeline
After walking away from Wharton’s prospective student presentation, Angelinda Chen immediately knew that the University of Pennsylvania’s business school could help translate her dreams into reality. From that day on, embarking on her MBA at Wharton enabled her to own her career in a meaningful way. Beyond Wharton’s interdisciplinary healthcare program, which provided Angelinda the perfect combination of strategy and healthcare-specific classes, she also had the opportunity to participate in an internship at Amgen. A biotechnology innovator since 1980, Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering... Read more »
Real Humans of Gatorade: Ryan O’Byrne, Northwestern Kellogg ‘19, Associate Marketing Manager
When a person exercises, they lose not only water but also electrolytes through their sweat. Gatorade, which is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, contains the necessary electrolytes and carbohydrates that athletes need to refuel and rehydrate. Their optimal mixture, which is distributed in over 80 countries, provides energy to working muscles and enhances athletic performance. Former NHL hockey player Ryan O’Byrne, who spent a decade playing professionally, knows all about peak sport performance and it’s no surprise he ended up working for this iconic sports brand. But how did Ryan O’Byrne transition from being an athlete who drank sports drinks like... Read more »
Real Humans of Novartis: Gauri Korday, LBS ‘20, Associate, Finance Development Program
London Business School, the graduate business school of the University of London, is widely recognized for its international student body. Wanting to pivot both geographically and functionally, Mumbai-born Gauri Korday was drawn to the strong international cohort at LBS and decided to pursue her MBA there. Growing up in a family of medical practitioners and pharmaceutical business entrepreneurs and with several years of experience in a pharmaceutical manufacturing business herself, Gauri Korday had always been passionate about science and innovation, but her time at LBS helped her test out different roles, locations and companies to make the most informed decision. ... Read more »
