Gabriela Pacheco, Simon MBA Class of 2021
Age: 27
Hometown: El Salvador, Central America
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Escuela Superior de Economía y Negocios, Business and Economics
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): Over 6 years of work experience for top brands such as Millicom and Starbucks across Central American markets. Responsible for the analysis and execution of plans aimed at upgrading the profitability of brands under a customer experience scope.
Why business school? Why now?
I aim to land a higher position in my professional career. I see Simon Business school as a means to fulfill that ambition. I visualize my MBA as the bridge to conquer my professional dreams and as a milestone that will impact my whole life forever. I am convinced the holistic approach of the program will give me a new set of unabashedly analytical skills and would allow me to reinforce my leadership skills as well.
Upon completion of the program, my short-term goal is to represent a global brand by leading a regional marketing division. Besides this professional objective, I also want to inspire and help young women complete their education and pursue their dreams by supporting scholarship programs in my home country. Then, in the long run, I expect to have my own enterprise based on a high sense of social responsibility and self-sustainability model.
Why Simon? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Three main factors inspired me to attend Simon Business School:
- First is Simon’s STEM MBA certification. This was a key factor for me since I am an international student. Besides allowing me to have a data-driven marketing specialization, it would give me access to better job opportunities here in the U.S.
- The second factor is Simon’s focus on gender equality of the program. We are one of the top MBA programs for women in the USA (No.13, Financial Times) and we are proud to have 42% representation of female students in 2021 class. Simon is also a partner of Forté, an organization that empowers women in business. I am truly grateful for this partnership because I was able to get a scholarship to support my MBA.
- Last but not least, the sense of community and kindness of the school. I experienced this since my first encounter with the admissions team. I am now experiencing it with all my classmates, alumni network, and everyone at Simon.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2021?
Due to my diverse background in international marketing, I bring a creative perspective and outside-the-box thinking to every task. I also enjoy sharing my experience with my classmates.
Fun fact: one of the advantages of my previous work in Starbuck Central America is that I can recommend the perfect coffee (or tea) for everyone according to their preference and mood of the day!
Also, I enjoy creating meaningful and genuine connections with people. This may be through extending a helping hand, brightening up one’s day, or making my classmates smile.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I appeared in my first magazine & newspaper advertisement at 11 years old. Since then, I love looking at all kinds of ads – I even have a collection of them.
Post-MBA career interests?
Brand Management/Marketing Strategy focused in Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) or Food and Beverage sector.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would recommend participating in campus visits and connecting with both alumni and current students from the program. My campus visits helped me a lot in making my decision because I was able to get a preview of the experience I was going to have. Furthermore, all the networking I did with current students was very helpful in understanding their perspective and getting great advice before starting the program.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I think every part of the process was necessary to achieve my final goal. If I could change one thing, I would network with more people from different schools before the application process. As I mentioned before, having several conversations with current Simon Alumni helped me tremendously to learn more about the school and its culture.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I would skip all the weekends I spent preparing for GRE and TOEFL, since I had so little time during the week after my work. However, studying for both exams was an experience that allowed me to showcase my resilience and self-commitment.
In the end, you will feel so proud of yourself after taking those tests and you will realize that every hour you dedicated paid off! I would describe this part of the process as a marathon instead of a sprint; every “workout” day counts and the most important is consistency.
What is your initial impression of Simon’s students/culture/community?
Everyone at Simon makes you feel like home from the first moment. It is a tight-knit community where the people are so kind and warm that they motivate us to be the same way with others.
It is also impressive how supportive our classmates are; from finding a ride when you need it or having some help moving into your apartment, to preparation sessions for your next interview or one-on-one coaching for MBA conferences. Every interaction reflects how strong the Simon core values are within each and every student.
One thing you have learned about Simon that has surprised you?
I am surprised about how the program is so well-structured and balanced. Besides our challenging classes, every week we have several activities and workshops geared towards career preparation, community service projects, networking events, and more.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
One of my biggest challenges will be finding the proper balance among academics, networking, and career preparation. I will be also adapting to a new culture. I am sure it will be an amazing time, but I will have to learn how to prioritize and manage my time strategically.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am beyond excited to embrace the Simon Experience with my classmates and the rest of the community. Through this journey, I am looking forward to discovering new professional and personal facts about myself.
