Eric Shepherd Estey, Yale SOM MBA Class of 2020
Name: Eric Shepherd Estey
Age: 30
Hometown: New York City
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Cornell University, B.S. Civil Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience: 8 years, consulting; 5 years, military
Why business school? Why now? Having built experience and expertise consulting on strategic business challenges, I now feel ready to transition into industry. An MBA offers me the opportunity to study different areas of business (marketing, sales, product development) than those I worked with in consulting. Specifically, it will help me re-orient my career towards new product development within the aerospace field, for which I have a strong passion.
Why Yale? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? Yale SOM connects me with an incredible breadth of knowledge and experience through my fellow classmates, a significant portion of whom are international students. Yale SOM also gives me an unparalleled opportunity to consider non-traditional career paths while allowing me to continue satisfying my part-time military service obligations.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020? I hope that my most differentiating contribution to SOM will be the concurrent application of both my military background as an Air National Guard helicopter pilot and my eight years of civilian consulting experience. This dual military/civilian path has given me a rare perspective on what each sector does well (and not so well) and what strategies can be carried over.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I am an absolutely terrible ice hockey player, and I look forward to making a fool of myself in the intramural league at SOM.
Post-MBA career interests? My goal is to shift my career from consulting to more direct ownership of products and outcomes. I am currently pursuing a career in research and development and/or new product development within the aerospace industry.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? Visit every institution you can and do so while class is in session. Also, strive to meet with students that share some of your interests (club members, for example) as they might be best able to communicate their experiences with you.
–One thing you would change or do differently? Start applications earlier!!! I did feel rushed as deadlines neared, while working to accurately convey my message in school essays. I even found myself refining applications while riding back on a C-17 from Hurricane Harvey.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? While I was writing essays, I really wished for a common application. However, I came to recognize the significant cultural differences across the various programs, and (begrudgingly) accepted the value of individualized applications.
What is your initial impression of Yale’s students/culture/community? Every day I am surprised and impressed by my classmates’ stories. They come from all walks of life and regions of the world and seem equally driven to make the best of their time at Yale. I look forward to meeting the rest of the SOM community in the coming weeks.
One thing you have learned about Yale SOM that has surprised you? Yale mandates that each student perform studies outside the United States but also funds a large majority of the costs towards that requirement to ensure all students are able to enjoy the experience.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year? I know that time management will be a challenge for me, given the competing requirements of coursework and extracurricular activities.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year? I can’t wait to travel to exciting overseas destinations with my fellow classmates next spring. Israel is high on my list.
