Yurany Hernandez Turca, NYU Stern MBA Class of 2023
Age: 36
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Economics, Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Master in economic and financial risk, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 9 years in the public sector in Colombia, including 7 years in the Central Bank of Colombia (CBC).
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
Growing in a low-income country and working in the public sector in Colombia made me aware of my social responsibility. My first professional experience was at Bogota´s Public Finance Office, where I learned about economic and fiscal policy, and I felt very satisfactory using quantitative analysis to support the fiscal decisions for the city. Later, I worked for the CBC for seven years, and this experience made me more conscious of the responsibility in our roles. Decisions in public and private companies with high social impact imply an enormous commitment and require, in addition to technical abilities, leadership skills to implement policy-making in the best possible way. That is why after seven years of experience providing economic estimations and analyzing public finance for supporting CBC decisions, I am eager to potentiate my abilities and being part of a group of new female leaders who proposes solutions and make fundamental changes. In this sense, I am convinced MBA integrates two goals: update my technical knowledge and develop leadership and managerial skills to step forward. I want to say thanks to the CBC who awarded me with a complete scholarship to start this program.
Why did you choose NYU Stern? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
What makes NYU-Stern school standout is the IQ+EQ approach. Indeed, you can feel it during the admission process. For instance, in the interview, your interviewer shows interest in different aspects of your life, not only in your professional goals. Although the process for getting admitted is very competitive, Admissions Team and second-year students are ready to assist you through all stages. I had the chance to talk one to one with another student, who cheered me up. I really felt NYU-Stern had space for me, and their genuine interest in how I am was determinant for me.
Moreover, NYU-Stern offers a considerable variety of specializations for all kinds of interests; then, you can find a place to develop your passion. For example, Sustainable Business Specialization and the Center for Sustainable Business integrate topics as climate change, finance, and corporate strategy. Nowadays, public and private companies show interest in incorporating this approach in their organizations; it is a promising field to explore.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2023?
My deep social commitment. I firmly believe that everyone can contribute to building a better society, no matter your profession or abilities, nationality, or gender. Being leaders, not only in the public sector but also in the private sector, gives us an extraordinary opportunity to put our abilities to serve our community. If you are in consulting or marketing, probably your work is solving a problem for people. If you are in tech, your ideas and job can improve the quality of life for a social sector. Our job can have a more profound impact if we think with empathy. I want to transmit this idea to my classmates and colleagues.
Being a mother and beginning this new personal project has been the most ambitious challenge in my life. Finding the balance between my different roles is sometimes overwhelming. However, my goals have been clear since the beginning. Pursuing our dreams is the best lesson for our kids and, develop our potential also opens new doors to our families. That is why I would like to inspire other women, especially mothers, to take the risk.
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application:
I love dancing salsa and I played Juliet in a Romeo and Juliet play at high school.
Post-MBA career interests:
Finance and Sustainability.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
Take your time, work with discipline and breath. The application for top universities is a long project, and the process may be stressful. First, take your time to prepare for exams and essays. There is not only one round, I applied in the last one, and was admitted. Second, the most valuable things in life require discipline and some sacrifices, set up routines for preparing exams and essays. And third, breathe to manage the anxiety and stress. Meditation was an extraordinary tool for me.
– What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Talking one-to-one to NYU Stern´s current students is an excellent opportunity to determine if Stern is ideal for your purposes. NYU offers the chance to speak with an MBA student who can give you advice for the interview and guides you about what you can expect from NYU´s experience. They were once on your shoes and have good tips to share. In this part, I would like to thank Gustavo Risco (Stern-MBA2), who has been very supportive.
– What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I am convinced things happen for a reason and things were quite positive for me. However, sending my application in the last day in the last round was very stressful. Thus, I would have preferred to submit it during previous rounds to have more time to organize my trip to New York. Moving to an enormous city as NY the day before classes started was overwhelming.
– What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Exams like GRE and IELTS was stressful. Preparing these exams when you are a mom with your kids at home, working full time because there is a pandemic and nobody can get out, was challenging. I had to implement new habits, like getting up at 4 a.m. to study. Besides, I had extra help thanks a great coach ad friend who helped me to polish my English and guide me through meditation. This was a powerful tool for reducing the stress that exams and admission process can produce. Undoubtedly, discipline was the key.
What is your initial impression of the NYU Stern students/culture/community?
Since the beginning of the admission process, I felt a very supportive community. All stuff and students are ready to help you if you ask for it. They made an extraordinary effort to guide you through all the amazing resources that NYU-Stern offers (courses, workshops, clubs, specialized centers, internship, experiential learning). On the opposite to my initial expectations, the atmosphere is not extreme competitive, people around want to support you to make your goals.
What is one thing you have learned about NYU Stern that has surprised you?
Many things have surprised me in Stern. I have never been so conscious on the importance of how you communicate and relate with others. Good leaders, besides other abilities, transmit their ideas and inspire people around. You can have the best idea and can lose your chance because of your communication skills. Launch sessions and courses focused on communication have broaden my knowledge in this field. Being aware of unconscious bias, active listening and understanding techniques to communicate efficiently are boosting my personal and professional skills. Stern provides many resources to improve your communication and interaction with your peers.
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?Honestly, I was about to not send my application this year because of the pandemic. Many centers for taking international exams were closed in countries like Colombia for a while. For example, my appointment for taking the IELTS was rescheduled four times in 2020. The lockdowns also affected my daily routine. My kids had virtual classes while my husband and I worked from home. It was hard to find time and space to study and prepare my application. This explains why I finally submit my documentation the last day in the last round. Funny story to remember, I had to make corrections for my essays in my home´s bathroom a couple of times, because it was the only empty place in the apartment. Apparently, essays were good.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Having time for all the activities and opportunities that NYU-Stern offers has been a challenge. It´s hard to find the right balance between classes, clubs, and workshops. Moreover, I am mother of Juanita and Tomas (7 and 9), and my family deserves time as well. I would like to have more hours to participate, learn and interact with my peers.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Studying abroad is an exciting experience, studying in a city as New York is unique. One of the advantages of being in NY is that is near many interesting projects and opportunities. Actually, I would like to participate in the Stern Solutions program which it is a hands-on learning opportunity that the school offers. I consider this will be a good chance to examine real problems, put theory in practice and even, put my own stamp in NYC, why not?
