Lee Hamburger, USC Marshall MBA Class of 2021
Age: 30
Hometown: Queens, NY
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry)
I spent the last eight years working in various roles in real estate development and construction in New York City and Miami. I started in construction project management, wearing a hard hat and boots every day.
I eventually moved to the development side overseeing a portfolio of mixed assets in Miami and then managing active construction projects for a real estate private equity firm.
Most recently, I worked for a high-profile mechanical contractor helping the owners restructure and streamline their underwriting process for future projects.
Why business school? Why now?
I reached a point in my career where I had developed team building skills and the confidence and intuition to make good business decisions at a middle management level. However, as I moved up and away from day-to-day management of construction, I realized that my heart was not in real estate development anymore, so growth in this trajectory would be limited.
I realized that I wanted to both pivot industries and change my impact but wasn’t sure where or how to do that. Business school was a way for me to reset and figure out my priorities going forward. In addition, I knew that I needed to learn both soft and technical business skills.
Money is still the primary decision tool for senior management and business school will position me to clearly articulate the financial case for my projects and influence the ultimate decision makers.
Why USC Marshall? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
People and community were huge factors for where to attend. While schools have different styles and emphases, when you graduate from a top business school, you will leave with roughly the same core skill set and aptitude level.
I was looking for a reset, so school specialty was not as important to me as the community and location. As a native New Yorker, there were local schools that were high on my list, but I was also looking for a bit of an adventure—Marshall checked that box.
The size of the school was also appealing. With just over 200 students, I knew that I would be able to know everyone in the class and create the community that I was looking for.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2021?
Everyone at Marshall has a unique story about what inspired them to pause their career and pursue school. My professional experience in construction gives me a different perspective I hope to share with my peers. On the surface, construction is about architecture and engineering, but it is all about the people. You have to bring people from different backgrounds and with different interests together to achieve a common goal, something important for business school and beyond.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I love to barbecue. A friend and I cut a beer keg in half during our senior year of college and made it into a charcoal grill. I still have it.
Post-MBA career interests?
Consulting. I love problem-solving and look forward to transitioning to consulting where I can help companies solve problems they otherwise cannot solve themselves.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Take the time to both choose your schools and decide whether business school is the right decision for you. You might know that you want to go to business school, but make sure your list of schools matches what you are looking for.
Similarly, you might have some target or dream schools, but you need to evaluate whether business school is the right choice. Remember that while you are looking to start business school soon and it’s only a two-year degree, you are playing the long game. Business school is a long-term investment and when you look back, you want to be proud of your decision.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
Limit the number of people that help you with your application. If you ask enough people for feedback, you will get every opinion under the sun. Instead, focus on getting feedback from one or two trusted people, preferably those who have been through the application process.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Stress. It sounds cheesy and it is a hard thing to do in practice, but make sure that you keep everything in perspective. When I started the process, business school was a do-or-die proposition for me. I actually applied for the class of 2020 in the last round for each school and did not get in anywhere.
I took the time to reset and re-calibrate. I applied to business school for a reason, and just because I didn’t get in, didn’t mean it wasn’t in the cards for me. I buckled down and strengthened my application and was successful the second time around.
No matter your background, you have a unique story and a clear purpose for business school. Understand that failure is part of the journey and don’t let rejection stop you.
What is your initial impression of USC Marshall’s students/culture/community?
Aside from a friend who had graduated from USC, my first interaction with the students and culture was at Admit weekend. Coming into the weekend, I would have guessed that there was a 50% chance that I might attend USC. I knew to expect a strong showing from USC; my undergrad alma mater similarly has a lot of school spirit and a strong alumni network.
However, when I met the group of ambassadors, they did not convince me to come here by telling me how great USC was. Instead, they showed me how incredible the people and the network are. One even offered to stay connected even if I decided not to attend USC. School pride and enthusiasm are given at the top programs, but it takes a special community to prove it in one short weekend.
Since arriving on campus, everything I learned that weekend was 100% accurate. The and community is amazing, and I am excited for the next two years with these people.
One thing you have learned about USC Marshall that has surprised you?
Competition or lack thereof. Don’t get me wrong, the people in my class are the most driven people I’ve ever been around. But there is an element of collective success that’s both contagious and intoxicating. For example, the program office reserves a classroom for each of our Cores (A for life!) a few times each week for “Core Study.”
Once classes started to pick up, some classmates who had mastery in subjects like Data Science and Corporate Finance volunteered their time (sometimes at 8am) to lead regular review sessions. By the second or third session, 75% of the class attended. That type of pay-it-forward attitude is pretty amazing.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Recruiting. At the end of the day, business school is an investment in myself. I would be crazy not to be nervous about recruiting for my next job, especially because I came into business school trying to figure that out. However, USC Marshall is not a top ranked business school by accident. The support so far has been amazing from both second-year leaders and Graduate Career Services.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Like I’ve said a few times, I chose Marshall because of the people. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to embark on the same journey with so many unique and motivated people. Most never get a chance like this. I was so excited to come to campus and make 214 new friends.
