Akua Achampong, NYU Stern MBA Class of 2025
Akua Achampong, NYU Stern MBA Class of 2025Age: 27
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Princeton University, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience (role, company, years): Community Development Corporation, Special Projects Analyst, 2017-2018, Bloomberg Market Data Analyst from 2019-2021, Customer Success Manager at a SaaS start-up
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I made the decision to attend business school because I wanted more formal training on best practices in the business environment. I thought now would be the best time because I have a lot of experience in operational roles and am confident in my abilities to execute there. I wanted to expand out of my comfort zone and take the leap in being strategic at a higher level.
Why did you choose NYU Stern? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
It was very important for me to attend a school that was in a big city, for better networking opportunities and to be able to visit relevant industry players in person. There is no better city than New York for this. I chose NYU in particular because I appreciate its smaller class size and I knew it would be better for me personally to be in a smaller community.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2025?
I have worked across a few different industries, in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. I think this perspective allows me to understand the needs of multiple stakeholders. Personally, I think this is great because I can provide perspective for classmates debating different workplace environments.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I once climbed an active volcano in Guatemala!
Post-MBA career interests:
There are two primary career interests that I am exploring for my post-MBA career. One is a role in Product for a financial institution. I am open to Product Management, Product Strategy and Product Innovation roles. I am also really interested in pursuing a Sustainability or ESG-related role for a bank. These are of great interest to me as I want to learn more about FinTech as a mechanism for financial inclusion for marginalized groups.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I applied through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. It really streamlined the process for me and my recommenders. Through the program, I met some of my classmates and other school’s MBA students before the school year even began. This gave me a solid foundation before starting school.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I waffled for a bit about whether or not to apply and ended up applying during the second round. I wish I had committed earlier to the application process so I could have been admitted earlier and spent the summer exploring more career options without feeling rushed.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I think I would have skipped the anxiety of waiting to hear back from schools. It was such a nerve-wracking time but worth the wait. I got through it by reminding myself that they would get back to me and worrying about it would not speed up the process.
What is your initial impression of the NYU Stern students/culture/community?
So far, so good. I think the MBA2s are especially helpful and eager to help and be very engaged. My fellow first years are also very inclusive and inviting to all.
What is one thing you have learned about NYU Stern that has surprised you?
I was not aware of the Center for Sustainable Business when I was applying to Stern but I have learned a lot about it since starting. There are a lot of resources available for students interested in Sustainability so that is surprising and exciting!
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I think I am most anxious about finding a balance between attending a fair amount of social events without feeling overwhelmed. There’s something that you can do everyday and I don’t want to miss out.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am really excited to learn about all the different avenues to execute my career goals. I have a final destination in mind but I am sure there’s a multitude of ways to get there and I am excited to learn about them all.
