Home to 13.2 miles of bike lanes, over 95 restaurants and bars, 250 acres of parks, 12 theaters and live music venues all with a population of under 60,000, Chapel Hill is routinely ranked one of the nation’s top college towns. And within that landscape, the collaborative and supportive culture at UNC Kenan-Flagler left a strong impression on each of the MBA candidates featured in this edition of Real Humans. Whether during the application process or kicking off the new school year, students and staff dedicated their time to each other to ensure a positive and fruitful experience. And that’s just part of the “Carolina Way.”
Students also laud the excellence of the professors and learning opportunities. Kenan-Flagler maintains notable corporate research partnerships with Procter & Gamble, Ripple, SunTrust, and Dixon Hughes Goodman, which enable students to work with faculty on cutting edge research and build leadership skills with their Executive Development program.
The tight-knit full-time MBA class at UNC comprises 252 students, who arrived on campus with an average GMAT score of 697 and an average undergrad GPA of 3.4. Nearly 30 percent of the new class are women and 17 percent are international. Another 12 percent identify as U.S. underrepresented minorities and 8 percent came from the military. Kenan-Flagler states diversity is an “ongoing journey.” Opportunities for women at Kenan-Flagler include the Women’s Workshop, Carolina Women in Business, MBA Partners Association, and a partnership with the Forte Foundation. Clubs for underrepresented minorities include the Alliance for Minority Business Owners, MBA Partners Association, National Black MBA Association and Prospanica, and MBA JumpStart. Kenan-Flagler has a Pride Club and an LGBTQ Center. Active and military veterans can access support through the UNC Kenan-Flagler Veterans Association, or Carolina Veterans Resource Center.
UNC graduates also meet with impressive success. Ninety-four percent of the recent Class of 2018 received job offers within months of graduation, with median base salaries at $120,000 and bonus signings at $25,000. High percentages of graduates from the 2018 class entered the technology, financial services, consulting, real estate, health care, or energy industries. A third remained in the Southern U.S. for work.
Without further ado, let’s meet six Kenan-Flagler MBA students to get the inside scoop on life at UNC and what led them to business school.
