Shriya Prabhakar, UCLA Anderson MBA Class of 2025
Age: 29
Hometown: London
Undergraduate Institution and Major: St. George’s Medical School, University of London. BSc Honours Degree in Biomedical Science.
Pre-MBA Work Experience (role, company, years): 8 years, in Financial Services (Equiniti Group) and then Management Consulting (Bip UK) in Project Management and Agile Delivery.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I had gotten to a point in my career where I was satisfied with what I had learnt from my industry and domain and was ready for a new challenge. I had spent a lot of time trying to solve problems for my clients and wanted to pivot into something more entrepreneurial and start-up-focused where I could work on solving the problems I care about and feel like I was having a greater impact.
Why did you choose UCLA Anderson? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
After admission, I spent a few days on campus at each of the three schools I was admitted to and Anderson stood out above the rest. I found the people here to be incredibly down to earth while equally ambitious with their career goals; the kind of individuals I would love to have in my community. I was inspired by hearing Elaine Hagan (Executive Director at the Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation) talk about the plethora of opportunities available to get involved in the entrepreneurship space at Anderson, and of course being set in the gorgeous city of LA didn’t hurt!
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2025?
As the incoming president for the Entrepreneur Association, I am excited to be able to serve this thriving community and help build entrepreneurial spirit at Anderson. I’m looking forward to working with my board next year to deliver our vision to make entrepreneurship more accessible and collaborative and create a safe space for people to innovate on campus.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I once rappelled down one of the tallest skyscrapers in London to raise £1k+ for a palliative care hospice. The worst part is stepping off the building because it’s so counterintuitive to your survival instincts, but in the middle of all my begging and pleading to not have to go through with it, I still managed to smile for this picture.
Post-MBA career interests:
I would like to work for a start-up where I feel aligned with the company’s mission and leadership’s vision for its future. Sectors I am particularly interested in are CPG (I will be working on a vegetarian food business idea for my Business Creation Capstone Project in second year) and Health-Tech, where I can use my undergraduate and consulting experience from London.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
Keep going! The application journey can be tough and unforgiving at times, but it is so worth it in the end. Do your due diligence, think about what you want to get from the programme, the city and these 2 years of your life and ask exacting questions that help you figure out what makes the most sense for your individual situation.
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Visit the schools I was interested in or admitted to. I understand that this is not possible for everyone, especially international students, but this was the single factor that most greatly influenced my decision of which school to attend. There is no better way to get a real understanding of the ethos of a school and how your next few years will be spent, and I also think location is one of the most underrated factors when people are selecting schools.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Nothing! I strongly believe everything happens for a reason. However, I do think I would have benefitted from spending more time at the start of the year planning and thinking about exactly what I wanted to get out of this experience.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Taking the entrance tests! A truly onerous and tedious experience, but unfortunately something that is still a necessity. I got through it with a lot of support from loved ones and I recommend everyone going through this phase to lean in to their network and give themselves plenty of grace during this time.
What is your initial impression of the UCLA Anderson students/culture/community?
Our motto at Anderson is ‘Share Success’ and as cheesy as it sounds, I think that perfectly encapsulates my first impression of the school. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lack of the traditional, cut-throat competitiveness that B-School tends to be known for, and instead find a network of people genuinely willing to support one another and learn from each other.
What is one thing you have learned about UCLA Anderson that has surprised you?
I was surprised by how student-led a lot of Anderson’s campus life is; from recruiting events to professional clubs and their boards, students are empowered to shape their own experience and help guide others. I am also shocked by how quickly the first year has flown by, we are almost at the halfway point of the degree and in some ways, it feels like we’ve only just started. Lastly, in terms of the wider UCLA campus, I’m constantly surprised by the number of films and TV shows that it appears in, including one of my favourites – Gilmore Girls!
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I was most anxious about moving to the States by myself while also juggling a demanding course, but the friends I made here at Anderson helped make that process as seamless as possible. My advice to all international students would be to ensure they arrive in the country at least a few days, if not a week, before the course starts so they have enough time to settle in.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I was most excited for the travel opportunities that the programme and location offered and some of my favourite memories from the year have been on our Spring Break trek to Japan or on my first ski trip to Big Bear Mountain in California.
