Real Humans - Alumni

Published: May 27, 2026

Real Humans of BCG: Srinica Hampi, Cornell Johnson MBA ’25, Consultant

Srinica Hampi already had a successful career in consulting, but her ambitions eventually outpaced her skills. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Hampi shares how the Two-Year MBA at Cornell Johnson prepared her for a career at BCG, including their Emerging Markets Institute as well as Johnson’s encouragement of students to operate at the intersection of business, innovation, and impact. Read her story below. Srinica Hampi, Cornell Johnson MBA ’25, Consultant at BCG Age: 28 Hometown: Bangalore Undergraduate Institution and Read more

Published: May 25, 2026

Real Humans of PepsiCo: Farnosh Mojtabaee, Texas McCombs MBA ’25, Associate Finance Manager

In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we meet Farnosh Mojtabaee, a dentist who loved her work, but needed a different long-term path. The MBA program at Texas McCombs prepared her for finance and business strategy, and helped her swap dental tech for desktop tech. Read her story about how she pivoted from healthcare to consumer goods at PepsiCo below. Farnosh Mojtabaee, Texas McCombs MBA ’25, Associate Finance Manager at PepsiCo Age: 32 Hometown: Austin, TX Undergraduate Institution Read more

Published: May 20, 2026

Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Emilia Banks, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’23, Consultant

A large acquisition at her tax-focused firm inspired Emilia Banks to be part of the broader strategic conversation. To level up to her professional goals, she needed an MBA from Vanderbilt Owen. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Banks explains how the program taught her the skills she uses daily in her new career at Bain & Company and more. Emilia Banks, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’23, Consultant at Bain & Company Age: 33 Hometown: Franklin, TN Undergraduate Institution and Major: Washington & Lee Read more

Published: May 18, 2026

Real Humans of Accenture: Alexandrea Lim, IESE MBA ’25, Senior Strategy Consultant

In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, we meet Alexandrea Lim, who wanted to grow her career internationally and saw the MBA as a way to accelerate her personal and professional goals. At IESE, the MBA program prepared her to approach ambiguity and shape high-stakes leadership decisions across industries better by connecting her with people and opportunities. Follow her journey from MBA to senior strategy consultant at Accenture below. Alexandrea Lim, IESE MBA ’25, Senior Strategy Consultant at Accenture Age: 28 Hometown: Manila, Philippines Undergraduate Institution Read more

Published: May 13, 2026

Real Humans of OpenAI: Wenjia You, Wharton MBA ’24, Technical Program Manager

After three years in the consulting industry, Wenjia You decided she wanted to grow from being a strong operator into a broader leader. Drawn to the intersection of technology, media, and fandom, she saw business school as the natural next step, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania was where she was going to develop the global perspective she needed. In this Real Humans: Alumni, You shares how her MBA experience prepared her for a new career in AI. Wenjia You, Wharton MBA ’24, Technical Program Manager at OpenAI Hometown: Read more

Published: May 11, 2026

Real Humans of Microsoft: Bryan Stromer, HBS MBA ’25, Senior Product Marketing Manager

Going back to when he initiated a correspondence with the CEO of KB Toys as a child, Bryan Stromer knew he wanted a future in the business world. In this Real Humans: Alumni, he shares how the case method and more drew him to Harvard Business School, and how the MBA shaped how he thinks about his work today, launching AI products for Microsoft. Bryan Stromer, HBS MBA ’25, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft Age: 31 Hometown: New York City Undergraduate Institution and Major: Vanderbilt Read more

Published: May 7, 2026

Real Humans of Amazon: Carly Wolberg, Dartmouth Tuck MBA ’23, Senior Product Manager

Carly Wolberg interrupted her successful tenure at Amazon to invest in her personal and professional growth at business school. Her decision of where to attend came down to community, program structure, values, and traditions. Dartmouth Tuck delivered what she was looking for. In this Real Humans: Alumni, we learn how Wolberg gained the hard and soft skills to open doors, spark conversations, and propel her career. Carly Wolberg, Dartmouth Tuck MBA ’23, Senior Product Manager at Amazon Age: 32 Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC Undergraduate Read more

Published: May 6, 2026

Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Brigitta Jakob, Cambridge Judge MBA ’21, Manager

In this edition of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we introduce Brigitta Jakob, once a telecom consultant who was looking for more strategy-related projects in the consumer space. She found the dynamic group assignments and diverse peers that would prepare her for a post-MBA profession in consulting at Cambridge Judge. Read her story and learn more about how Jakob pivoted to a strategy consulting career at Bain & Company. Brigitta Jakob, Cambridge Judge MBA ’21, Manager at Bain & Company Age: 31 Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia Undergraduate Institution and Major: Read more

Published: May 4, 2026

Real Humans of BCG: Samuel Paris, IMD MBA ’25, Consultant

In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we meet Samuel Paris, a recent IMD MBA graduate who chose business school to develop his soft skills and strategic mindset. Here, he shares how his internship during the program confirmed his desire to work in a project-based, dynamic environment with different stakeholders, and how IMD prepared him for the unique projects he has completed since beginning his consulting career at BCG. Samuel Paris, IMD MBA ’25, Consultant at BCG Age: 30 Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia Undergraduate Institution and Major: Read more

Published: April 30, 2026

Real Humans of Entrepreneurship: Dhruv Tandon, LBS MBA ’24, Co-Founder at Decisional AI

After nearly seven years building products across Indian banking and fintech, Dhruv Tandon wanted to experiment with different roles in the tech ecosystem. At London Business School, he found the entrepreneurial community, diverse cohort, and access to the European and global startup ecosystem made it the ideal fit. In this edition of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we follow Tandon’s journey to co-founding Decisional AI. Dhruv Tandon, London Business School MBA ’24, Co-Founder at Decisional AI Age: 33 Hometown: Pune, India Undergraduate Institution and Read more

Published: April 29, 2026

Real Humans of JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Max Petrosky, Notre Dame Mendoza MBA ’23, Vice President

Mentors shaped Max Petrosky’s interest in an MBA while his personal interests and relationships drew him to Notre Dame Mendoza. In fact, it became the only school where he could picture himself for his full-time MBA experience. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Petrosky shares his decision-making process, what stood out about the Mendoza MBA, why he chose JPMorgan Chase & Co. post-MBA and more. Max Petrosky, Notre Dame Mendoza MBA ’23, Vice President at JPMorgan Chase Age: 30 Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA Undergraduate Institution and Major: Read more

Published: April 28, 2026

Real Humans of Amazon: Rasal Kumar, Northwestern Kellogg MBA ’25, Senior Product Manager

Rasal Kumar was enjoying a career rooted in technical execution, but he needed a path to achieve his long-term goal of becoming a product leader who understands both business and technology. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Kumar shares how Northwestern Kellogg transformed him into a leader who could bridge the gap between complex engineering and business strategy. Read his story to learn how Kellogg’s people and pioneers provided the best path to honing his leadership skills. Rasal Kumar, Northwestern Kellogg MBA ’25, Senior Product Manager at Amazon Age: 31 Read more

Published: April 27, 2026

Real Humans of CarbonFarm: Aparna Raturi, HEC Paris MBA ’23, Chief of Staff

Although Aparna Raturi had found great success in some of the largest law firms in India, she found herself tired of her advisory role and desired a more operational and strategic role. In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we learn about Raturi’s journey from the HEC Paris MBA program to the hands-on experience in climate tech she was looking for. Aparna Raturi, HEC Paris MBA ’23, Chief of Staff at CarbonFarm Age: 34 Hometown: India Read more

Published: April 22, 2026

Real Humans of National Grid Ventures: Tatiana Sokolova, Duke Fuqua MBA/MEM ’24, Lead Analyst

Tatiana Sokolova was good at technical decision-making, possessing a robust analytical skillset. But, she was interested in the financial levers that affect decision-making. Pursuing an MBA and Master of Environmental Management was a great great opportunity to pivot into the more niche industry of sustainability in energy. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Tatiana explains how Duke Fuqua met the requirements she was looking for in a graduate business program: a rigorous curriculum in finance and clean energy sectors, with a significant alumni presence. Read her story here to find out how she forged a new career Read more

Published: April 21, 2026

Real Humans of Adobe: Kwamina Eyiah Arthur, Berkeley Haas MBA ’25, Product Manager

Kwamina Eyiah Arthur had led digital transformation initiatives across Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. This experience was not the culmination of his work — it was just the beginning. He wanted to build the systems behind digital ecosystems, and to be at that level globally, he needed exposure to broader technology and skillsets. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Kwamina shares how the MBA at Berkeley Haas provided the technological and leadership experience to become a product manager at Adobe. Kwamina Eyiah Arthur, Berkeley Haas MBA ’25, Product Manager at Adobe Age: 32 Hometown: Read more

Published: April 20, 2026

Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Carlos Gomez, Cornell Johnson MBA ’25, Consultant

After working in client-facing and sales-driven roles across diverse industries, Carlos Gómez wanted to pivot to analysis and problem-solving while still engaging in multiple industries. In this edition of Real Humans – Alumni, we follow his journey through Cornell Johnson, where the STEM-designated MBA program, the sense of community, and breadth of coursework available offered the right environment for him to develop the skills he needed and opportunity to work at Bain & Co. Carlos Gómez, Cornell Johnson MBA ’25, Consultant at Bain & Company Age: 33 Hometown: Read more

Published: April 16, 2026

Real Humans of Microsoft: Dave Gold, NYU Stern MBA ’23, Senior Business Development Manager

For his pre-MBA career, Dave Gold boasted a solid sales background, but wanted to develop his skills further and possibly land his “dream job.” His path to Microsoft entailed the NYU Stern MBA program. In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, Dave sheds light on how Stern’s illustrious alumni network and emphasis on IQ+EQ prepared him for development management. Dave Gold, NYU Stern MBA ’23, Senior Business Development Manager at Microsoft Age: 32 Hometown: Manhasset, New York Undergraduate Institution and Major: Colgate, Geography Read more

Published: April 15, 2026

Real Humans of Barclays: Kyle Zarosky, Rice Business MBA ’25, Investment Banking Associate

In this Real Humans: Alumni, we meet Kyle Zarosky, who chose Rice Business as his next step after serving in the United States Marine Corps. After consulting with other recently separated veterans, he understood that an MBA would enable him to pivot into and succeed in the civilian world. Here he shares his valuable insights into pursuing a career in business as a veteran. Kyle Zarosky, Rice Business MBA ’25, Investment Banking Associate at Barclays Age: 30 Hometown: Houston, Texas Undergraduate Institution and Major: Southwestern University, B.S. Read more

Published: April 13, 2026

Real Humans of Merck: John Dick, Tepper MBA ’24, MBA Finance Rotational Program Member

In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, we meet John Dick, a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Online Hybrid MBA Class of 2024. He opted for the Online Hybrid MBA program for its flexible format, which allowed him to take advantage of in-person networking while still working full-time. His journey took him from a controls engineer in the transportation industry to a finance rotational team at Merck. Keep reading for his take on how the Tepper program prepared him for a new function in a new industry, and how he found Read more

Published: April 9, 2026

Real Humans of JPMorgan Chase: Kip Mountjoy, Rochester Simon MBA ’23, Financial Analysis

Like many around the world, Kip Mountjoy found himself furloughed in the spring of 2020. As he networked and searched for new opportunities, he saw that many of the positions he was most interested in required an MBA. His program research drew him to the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School‘s analytical focus, strong return on investment, and location. In this Real Humans: Alumni, read about Mountjoy’s journey to a new career in finance at JPMorgan Chase. Kip Mountjoy, Rochester Simon MBA ’23, Financial Analysis at JPMorgan Chase Age: 36 Read more

Published: April 8, 2026

Real Humans of BCG: A.J. Roy, Yale SOM MBA/MFA ’24, Management Consultant

In this edition of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we meet A.J. Roy, a recent MBA graduate from the Yale School of Management (SOM). The advice Roy received that convinced him to pursue graduate school came from a good friend, who told him it’s “where you go when you want to be the best version of yourself for the thing you care about.” For Roy, the joint MBA/MFA degree with the David Geffen School of Drama was the reason he only looked to Yale, as building deep arts leadership experience at a world-class drama school while studying in Read more

Published: April 6, 2026

Real Humans of Tesla: Lakshya Agrawal, Wharton MBA ’23, Finance & Business Operations Manager

Lakshya Agrawal originally pursued engineering, but took a position in consulting to explore multiple industries and functions in an effort to find a career path. He learned from his mentors how valuable business school would be in strengthening and expanding his skills and providing new opportunities. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Agrawal explains how the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s culture of team-based learning, the meaningful connections he made there, and other opportunities enabled him to pursue his passion for the automotive industry at Tesla. Lakshya Agrawal, Wharton MBA ’23, Finance Read more

Published: April 2, 2026

Real Humans of Amazon: Adaobi Okeke, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’24, Senior Vendor Manager

Adaobi Okeke did not stumble into or discover the MBA along her journey–it was a deliberate step along her professional path. But, amidst her set intentions, she maintained her curiosity, which she credits as a necessity for good decision-making. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Okeke shares how Vanderbilt Owen‘s attentiveness and individual engagement in recruiting cemented her choice of business school, and how the MBA program equipped her with the skills necessary to succeed at Amazon. Adaobi Okeke, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’24, Senior Vendor Manager at Amazon Age: 31 years Read more

Published: April 1, 2026

Real Humans of Kearney: Mercedes Sevilla Monrós, IESE MBA ’25, Associate

Mercedes Sevilla Monrós wanted to pursue an MBA to gain a broader, more strategic perspective. She chose IESE after experiencing the genuine, human quality the school displayed during the admissions process. “At IESE, the most important value of a company is the person,” she explains. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Sevilla Monrós tells the story of her transformative journey through the MBA program and to a career at Kearney. Mercedes Sevilla Monrós, IESE MBA ’25, Associate at Kearney Age: 29 Hometown: Valencia, Spain Undergraduate Institution and Read more

Published: March 31, 2026

Real Humans of Entrepreneurship: Samuel Stein, Texas McCombs MBA ’25, Founder at Cold Cycle Coffee

Samuel Stein, Founder of Cold Cycle Coffee, always loved making things. But to learn the language of business – finance, marketing, and accounting – he would need to pursue an MBA. Texas McCombs granted Stein the tool to work with banks, venture capitalists, and lenders and enabled him to make his ideas a reality. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Stein shares his story of entrepreneurship, risk, and success. Samuel Stein, Texas McCombs MBA ’25, Founder at Cold Cycle Coffee Age: 35 Hometown: Austin, TX Undergraduate Institution and Major: Rice University, Read more

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MBA Applywire

May 27, 2026 12:04pm ET

Applying: American / Kogod, Arizona State / W.P. Carey, Babson / Olin, Boston College / Carroll, Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Cornell / Johnson, Duke / Fuqua, Georgetown / McDonough, Georgia / Terry, Georgia Tech / Scheller, Rice / Jones, Temple / Fox, U. Illinois Urbana, UC Irvine Merage, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UVA / Darden, Vanderbilt / Owen, Washington U / Olin, Willam & Mary / Mason, Wisconsin

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Business Development, Operations and Leadership

Post MBA Career: Asset Management, Management Consulting, Evercore Partners, Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas, Bank of America Securities, Investment Banking, Fidelity, Credit Agricole, Blackrock, Bank of New York Mellon, Finance, Exxon Mobil, Constellation, Chevron Corp, Energy, KPMG, Kearney, EY Parthenon, Ernst & Young, Consulting

GPA: 3.26

Years of Work Experience: 11

Location: Nigeria

Post MBA Location: Atlanta

Notes:

I have worked for over 10 years in sales and business development and I am currently completing a PostGraduate Diploma in Banking and Finance and I need an a good MBA to enable me pivot into financial services.

May 27, 2026 4:47am ET

Applying: Columbia Business School, Cornell / Johnson, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Indian School of Business, INSEAD, London Business School, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, Penn / Wharton, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Consulting

Post MBA Career: Consulting

GPA: 8.65

Years of Work Experience: 2

Location: India

Post MBA Location: Wherever I pursue my MBA

Notes:

Currently working in consulting with a major FMCG/alcobev client, mainly across analytics, supply, and business problem-solving work. Over time, I’ve realized I enjoy understanding why problems exist within organizations and how teams, systems, and decisions can work better together, which is what’s pushing me towards strategy consulting and an MBA.

A lot of my interest in business also comes from seeing how everyday products and operations work behind the scenes. Outside work, I co-founded and ran a digital literacy initiative (1yr 2mo) during COVID where we helped elderly individuals and women from underserved communities learn basic digital tools to stay connected and manage daily activities during lockdown.

I’m currently preparing for the GMAT and exploring schools such as LBS, Fuqua, Ross, Tuck, and a few reach schools depending on how the score progresses.

May 26, 2026 9:40am ET

Applying: Bath, Boston / Questrom, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Florida / Warrington, George Washington, IE Business School, Illinois / Gies, Indian School of Business, Indiana / Kelley, INSEAD, Johns Hopkins / Carey, Lauder Institute, London Business School, Manchester / AMBS, Miami / Herbert, Michigan / Ross, Michigan State / Broad, Minnesota / Carlson, MIT Sloan, Nanyang, Northwestern / Kellogg, Notre Dame / Mendoza, NYU Stern, Oxford / Saïd, Penn / Wharton, Penn State / Smeal, Rice / Jones, Rochester / Simon, St. Gallen, Stanford GSB, Temple / Fox, Toronto / Rotman, U. Illinois Urbana, UC Davis GSM, UC Irvine Merage, UC San Diego / Rady, UCLA Anderson, UMD / Smith, USC / Marshall, UT Austin / McCombs, UT Dallas / Jindal, UVA / Darden, Willam & Mary / Mason, Wisconsin

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: BBA

Post MBA Career: Transportation, Consumer Goods

GPA: 3.8

Years of Work Experience: 6

May 26, 2026 9:22am ET

Applying: Chicago Booth, Harvard Business School, Northwestern / Kellogg, Penn / Wharton, UVA / Darden

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Naval Aviation

Post MBA Career: Consulting, Manufacturing/Automotive/Aerospace

GMAT: 715

GPA: 3.76

Years of Work Experience: 7

Notes:

Veteran. Ivy League undergrad. Planning to pivot into consulting or LDP.

May 26, 2026 9:18am ET

Applying: Chicago Booth, Dartmouth / Tuck, Harvard Business School, Michigan / Ross, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, Stanford GSB

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: I have worked with the top 5 insurance companies in India as a part of the general management rotational program as a product manager. This is after my mba from India(top ten institute with 92 percentile in CAT).

Post MBA Career: Venture Capital, Legend Capital, Kleiner Perkins, First Round Capital, Draper Fisher, Charles River, Bessemer Venture Partners, Battery Ventures, Andressen Horowitz, Accel Partners, Bain Capital, Private Equity, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Barclays, Bank of America Securities, Investment Banking, Finance, Lightspeed Venture Partners

GPA: 8.71

Years of Work Experience: 6

Location: India

Post MBA Location: USA

Notes:

I was in the top 5 of my class in mba from India and was a beta gamma sigma. This would be my second mba. I was also in the top 5 of my class in engineering. In my general management product management role I have worked with engineering team of 131 members building solutions for the insurance company (max New York life insurance). I want to shift from product management to investment banking or private equity.

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MBA LiveWire

May 28, 2026 7:12pm ET

Accepted from Waitlist to Columbia Business School

Round: Round 2

Received via email May 28, 2026

Standardized Test: Executive Assessment (EA)

GPA: 8.14/10

EA: 164

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Target Career: Finance

Application Location: Argentina, Buenos Aires

Juno Member: Not yet

May 28, 2026 5:00pm ET

Rejected at Stanford GSB

Round: Round 3

Received via portal May 28, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 3.8

GRE: 315

Program Type: Deferred Enrollment

Application Location: Europe

Juno Member: Not yet

May 28, 2026 4:52pm ET

Accepted from Waitlist to Dartmouth / Tuck

Round: Round 2

Received via phone May 28, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 3.5

GRE: 310

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Juno Member: Not yet

May 28, 2026 12:46pm ET

Waitlisted at Stanford GSB

Round: Round 3

Received via portal May 28, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 3.76

GRE: 327

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Finance, Venture Capital

Application Location: SEA

Juno Member: Not yet

May 28, 2026 12:22pm ET

Waitlisted at Stanford GSB

Round: Round 3

Received via portal May 28, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 3.7

GRE: 322

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Other Industries

Juno Member: Not yet

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