Mohammad Sohrawardy, Vanderbilt Owen MBA Class of 2024
Age: 27
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka ;
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 3, Consulting
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I think I developed an admiration for business when I was a child. My father is a banker, and I loved to listen to his experiences, and the stories of his clients- those people with grit who created impactful businesses that were larger than themselves. To this day, the complexities and power of the impact of the business world fascinate me- this fascination for business led me to study business administration during my undergraduate years in Bangladesh, human-centered service design in Finland, and finally here at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management.
After my undergraduate studies, I joined PwC as an Analyst. I was the first team member of the Deals Strategy team in Bangladesh and had the opportunity to work under the direct supervision of PwC India’s Deals Strategy team. This unique position taught me the reality of market nuances as I interacted with marginal consumers through primary research and with the top executives of the clients as I represented my team in Bangladesh. I worked on about 27 projects in 8 different industries with the guidance of PwC leadership in Bangladesh and India. Eventually, I became a Senior Associate and started taking on more complex responsibilities, but I wanted to grow further and aspired to work in a global business environment. That drive led me to pursue my MBA in the United States, and it took tremendous support from my family, my colleagues, and my partners at PwC to make this possible.
Why did you choose Vanderbilt Owen? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
While choosing business schools, I was looking for schools that can cater to the individual goals and needs of the diverse cohort while providing enough opportunities to have a closely-knit community. Vanderbilt Owen stood out for this reason as I read through the websites and I was intrigued by the first value-“competitive, not cutthroat”- which to me, meant a new type of business community where people can grow together. At the same time, I learned that Owen operates at the personal scale-intensely personalizing the MBA experience to help the students become the leader they are meant to be. At the same time, rankings and scholarships were also in my mind, and I received a Dean’s Scholarship award at Owen ( the signature scholarship at Owen with a 100% tuition waiver). To top it off, I was amazed by the warmth of the students and staff from Owen whenever I reached out to them, and I so wanted to be a part of them.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Vanderbilt Owen MBA Class of 2024?
As a strategy consultant from Bangladesh, I closely studied the marginal and less affluent consumers from emerging markets. I have personally been to markets to interview people with less than $2 dollars of disposable income who aspire to use branded daily commodities of multinational companies. I represent the voice of that emergence.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I like to experience local cultures, especially if that is unfamiliar to me. So when I was in Finland for my internship, I went to have the ice bath experience in the freezing temperature of about 15 degrees Fahrenheit, because the average temperature in my home country is more than 80 degrees.
Post-MBA career interests:
Consulting and technology.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? Speaking to my recommenders and colleagues to understand myself better
–What is one thing you would change or do differently? 
I would be less shy to put my authentic self in the application responses
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The video response part made me nervous. I thought a lot about myself and decided to be confident and authentic even if it would ask an embarrassing question.
What is your initial impression of the Vanderbilt Owen students/culture/community?
Warmer than sunny southern temperature. The community knows and cares for its members, and they pay it forward. I am the only Bangladeshi student from my class, and I have always felt I can just walk up to someone and ask for help.
What is one thing you have learned about Vanderbilt Owen that has surprised you? There is a high level of coordination among different courses. What was introduced in the Finance lecture in the morning was again brought up from a different aspect in the Managerial Statistics class at noon and it is all delicately coordinated.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Fear of missing out; so many opportunities to experience and learn from, but I only have 24 hours a day.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Knowing the stories of all the people from around the globe that I have around me.
