Olga Chumanskaya, Stanford GSB MBA Class of 2023
Olga Chumanskaya, Stanford GSB MBA Class of 2023Age: 28
Hometown: Perm, Russia
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Higher School of Economics, Moscow. Economics major
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): I have spent 7 years working for Mercedes-Benz in different roles: operations, strategy, product management. I started in Russia and then joined the team at the headquarters in Germany.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I want to use this opportunity to pivot my career – to leave the corporate world and head into the venture/start-up space. I enjoy being out in the field, talking to customers, solving problems, and feeling the heartbeat of innovation. This is why I find start-ups so cool because it gives you a chance to be responsible for literally everything and you are never constrained by a specific job description.
I want to use the time at business school to reflect upon my priorities, areas of interest, and enhance my expertise in marketing & business development. I am very curious to learn about my classmates’ careers and maybe I will discover something I have never thought of! It is time to experiment!
Why did you choose Stanford GSB? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
As an international student, I had a hard time deciding between US business schools. I have never spent much time in the US before, and I struggled to make an informed decision. I went through the entire application process online, and Stanford found a way into my heart by demonstrating how much flexibility I could have when setting up my schedule (we got to choose electives as early as the winter quarter!), and how truly diverse a Stanford MBA class can be. For me, Stanford is not an American school, but it is an international school. Looking at our class profile, I am happy to say that this MBA program delivers what it promises: a true diversity of backgrounds!
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2023?
Every year there are only a few classmates from Eastern Europe, so I enjoy bringing a unique perspective sharing my experience of growing up in a post-Soviet country that is going through a massive transformation. I have developed strong views about the notions of liberty and freedom, and my classmates totally enjoy my contributions in and outside the classroom.
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application:
When recording a video for one of the applications, I decided to put a guitar behind my back to signal that in addition to my professional interests, I am a very creative person. However, about 20 seconds into the recording, that guitar fell right on me! I appreciate the fact that I was able to re-do that video. 🙂
Post-MBA career interests:
Over the summer, I am going to work for a fintech start-up called Stokker – it’s a smartphone app that enables users to link several brokerage accounts in one place, monitor their aggregated investment portfolio, and see other traders’ real stocks and crypto transactions. Everyone is tired of fake success stories and market manipulation in trading, and we are very determined to heal the investment market by making it more transparent! I am super excited to help the start-up grow and I plan to continue working in the venture space post-MBA.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
An interview with an alum! I learned so much about the school during the interview. When the conversation was over, I was so inspired that I immediately decided – okay, Stanford is my first choice!
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would stress out less (if it was even possible).
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Haha, it wasn’t the b-school application that I wanted to skip…it was the student visa application process that was so tedious. I hope that once the pandemic phases out, it will become easier for everyone to get appointments at US embassies worldwide! Good luck to us, international students! We are in this together!
What is your initial impression of the Stanford GSB students/culture/community?
Everyone looks happy and chilled out – I soon learned what the “Stanford duck” phenomenon is: students do look relaxed, but underwater they just paddle, paddle, paddle – all working really hard.
What is one thing you have learned about Stanford GSB that has surprised you?
I was surprised how many amazing classes I could take at other Stanford schools or “across the street“ as we call it. I am taking language classes, design school classes, and will definitely take the world-famous computer science class CS106. Stanford is a heaven for curious generalists like me!
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?
I actually enjoyed that the entire process took place online. It saved me quite some time and money that I did not need to travel anywhere for an interview or the Admitted Students weekend!
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Getting back into the world of strict deadlines is hard!! I am always afraid that I forgot to submit some kind of homework assignment, haha.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I really can’t wait to start working and apply all the knowledge I gathered and identify new knowledge gaps to cover during the second year at school!
