David Conwell, UCI Merage’s MBA Class of 2023
Age: 32
Hometown: Portland, Or
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Colorado College, Geology & UT Austin, MS Geoscience
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): Five years, Oil and Gas/ Energy
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
It was an easy transition to oil and gas after graduating from UT Austin with a Masters Degree in Geology. However, after a few years in the industry I realized it just wasn’t for me. I struggled to align with the company’s culture and agenda, and while my wife and I enjoyed our time in Houston, it ultimately wasn’t a city that we saw ourselves living in forever. I’ve always been interested in the business side of things, and I noticed that the direction of my organization was dictated almost exclusively by those with MBAs. Eventually, it clicked that if I wanted to effect change on an organizational level, and if I wanted to create an opportunity to leave the oil and gas industry, an MBA would be needed.
During the start of the pandemic, my wife and I had long discussions about our values and goals and realized that we wanted to make a life change and, if not now, when? After those discussions, I applied to MBA programs on the west coast, where we’re both from, to align better with our values of being outside and spending more time near our families.
Why did you choose UCI Merage? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
There were two main factors that contributed to my decision to choose Merage: a digitally driven curriculum and small class sizes.
It was easy to see the companies in the energy sector that had embraced the digital revolution. These companies outperformed their peers both operationally and in their stock price. I knew firsthand the frustration of being with a company that did not embrace this transition and suffered for it. I wanted to make sure I gained the skills that will make me fluent in the digital landscape and help me become a capable leader in the years to come. Merage is ahead of its time in retooling its curriculum to be digitally focused, and quickly became the obvious choice.
I’ve also had the privilege of taking courses both in small classroom settings at Colorado College and in huge lecture hall settings at UT Austin. I learn more material and have more meaningful relationships with professors in the small classroom setting. Merage was the right choice for me because it offers the same high-quality education of its UC peers, but with the distinct advantage of smaller classrooms.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2023?
My experience coming from the energy industry has already added value to the class of ‘23. This experience familiarized me with project financing, cross-functional leadership, and project management of nine-figure projects. I’ve already tapped these reservoirs of knowledge to help groups with infrastructure-related case studies and have been a resource for classmates that are preparing for internship interviews in the energy industry. My goals of entering the renewable energy space will help Merage make connections in a developing industry and adds some professional diversity to my class.
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application:
My 52lb 13” tall Pitbull-Bulldog followed me home off the street in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey while walking home from my carpool. I think my wife might love him more than me.
Post-MBA career interests:
I would love to utilize my skills building utility-scale infrastructure projects in combination with skills I gain in my MBA to develop renewable energy assets. Solar and wind farms would be awesome, but in a perfect world I would work on large scale battery systems!
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
– What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would be sure to speak to recent alum who are working in the field or function that you’re interested in. Merage graciously put me in touch with some recent alumni and I tapped my network to speak with alumni at other schools I was interested in. Not that current students aren’t a great resource, but I have found alumni to be more straightforward about their experiences and transitions into the industry.
– What is one thing you would change or do differently?
If you have the opportunity and resources, visit in person! The campuses I visited were empty and the classes were online. I think seeing these settings in person are valuable for you to get a true idea of the student and academic culture.
– What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The GMAT! It has been so many years since my last standardized test and doing math by hand that I felt handicapped. My wife was super supportive getting me through this process, lean on your loved ones!
What is your initial impression of the UCI Merage students/culture/community?
Merage has a great energy! It could be that everyone is super excited to be back on campus after such a long hiatus, but whatever it is, the feeling is infectious. Students and professors bring a ton of excitement, passion, and expertise to each class, study session, and gathering. It has a supportive culture, and I love that my class is small enough that I know everyone in it by first name. The second years have been welcoming and super generous with their time, and are a big resource for our whole class.
What is one thing you have learned about UCI Merage that has surprised you?
I was surprised by the size of Merage’s Career Services! During my last masters, we had two folks in the career center office dedicated to things like resumes, internships, employer relations, recruiting, etc. I think Merage has eight employees doing these functions! They are responsive, transparent, accessible, and their experience is invaluable. The school obviously puts a ton of resources into Career Services, and it shows.
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?
I think that in normal times I would have visited more campuses, met more current students, and attended more classes in person. During the application process I visited a few campuses and attended some digital classes, but it was difficult at times to gauge the culture of a school from my living room in Texas. Visiting in person would have brought me a lot of value. Luckily Merage made every effort to replicate these visits as best they could, and I’m thrilled with my choice.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
My biggest point of anxiety in my first year is deciding what internship to pursue! Career Services does such a good job getting you ready to recruit and putting you in touch with recruiters that, depending on a company’s timeline for accepting interns, you may be faced with more than one offer. Having to make a decision to turn down an internship in anticipation of the dream offer coming along later has definitely added some anxiety. And, of course, getting used to being back in a classroom has had its challenges!
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m super excited to get to know my classmates even better. I’ve already found separate people who share my loves of Korean BBQ, cycling, infrastructure (nerdy, I know), and I’m only a few weeks in!
