Jisu Moon, Cambridge Judge MBA Class of 2022
Age: 32
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Undergraduate Institution and Major: I majored in Advertising and PR at Ewha Womans University in South Korea.
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): I worked for 7 years in the arts and luxury industry.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I made the decision to attend business school at this time because I’ve recently founded my own business. I realized that I lacked a certain amount of technical business management knowledge, which is mainly due to the fact that my previous education was not completely related to my current industry. Therefore, I came to the conclusion that in order to propel my business forward it was absolutely necessary for me to acquire the leadership skills, which could only be obtained from an MBA program.
Why did you choose Cambridge Judge? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Judge Business School is my first choice for an MBA program because it offers a unique combination of technology and arts. The factors that I took into consideration were: the overall style of MBA program, courses offered, the potential to participate in innovation, and the campus culture and environment.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2022?
My expertise in the art and luxury industry is my most valuable and differentiating contribution to the class of 2022.
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application:
A fun fact about myself that I didn’t include on my application is that I’m a surfer! I’ve been surfing for over 6 years and am looking forward to surfing again somewhere in Europe after the COVID-19 situation improves!
Post-MBA career interests:
At present, I am open to many industries for my future career. However, I’ve always been particularly interested in the consulting, e-commerce, and the art and luxury industries.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would love to participate in the interview portion of the application again because I enjoyed the discussion I had with the interviewer, who is a professor in the MBA program. I found it to be very beneficial since I’m not only answering his questions, but also I could ask my own and discover if the program is truly compatible with my learning needs.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would’ve applied earlier to the program! If I had done so, I would’ve had more opportunities to secure scholarships!
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I wouldn’t skip any part since I believe that the application is pretty comprehensive. Although it may be difficult for some candidates, I hope they’ll see the advantages of participating in the application process.
What is your initial impression of the Cambridge Judge students/culture/community?
My initial impression of the Cambridge Judge community is very positive! It is a very warm, welcoming, and friendly group! Moreover, it is very diverse with students from around the globe who have unique backgrounds. I also feel that the classroom environment is very encouraging and classmates are open to exchanging ideas with one another.
What is one thing you have learned about Cambridge Judge that has surprised you?
Coming from Seoul, which is a megacity, I was surprised by how beautiful and cozy the city of Cambridge is. If you get into the program, I’d recommend you to try the latte at the Judge cafeteria since it is honestly quite tasty for the price!
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?
No, it didn’t affect my personal application or admissions process.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Since I come from a different background than most of my classmates, I am anxious about keeping up with some particular topics, which I’m not familiar with. However, I feel lucky to have already developed a good network of peers who I can collaborate with to overcome any issues I may experience during the program.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m most excited to network and exchange ideas with my peers who have diverse backgrounds and distinctive perspectives. I believe through conversation, my worldview will be challenged and enlarged, which’ll allow me to see a more colorful view of the world.
