Zainab Mahmud, Cornell Johnson MILR/MBA Class of 2026
Age: 26
Hometown: London, UK
Undergraduate Institution and Major: McGill University, political science
Pre-MBA Work Experience: High school learning support services instructional assistant at the American School of Dubai (2019-20); account recruiting manager in marketing and creative at Aston Carter in Toronto (2020-23).
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
Starting my career in a recruiting agency ignited a curiosity about the inner workings of businesses. To succeed as a recruiter, I needed to deeply understand the strategic direction of our clients across various industries — financial services, tech, manufacturing and more. These insights were crucial not just for finding the right candidates, but for placing them in roles where they could truly excel. As my interest in strategic thinking grew, I transitioned from an enabler to a strategic business partner upon my promotion to account recruiting manager in the marketing and creative territory. I began delivering human resources diagnostics that went beyond surface-level service, offering deeper insights that drove client success and fostered long-lasting partnerships.
This passion for strategic impact drives me. Pursuing the Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (MILR) program has helped to deepen my HR expertise, and the MBA program will sharpen my business acumen. This dual degree will equip me to provide clients with holistic, strategic solutions that fuel growth and innovation.
Why did you choose Cornell Johnson? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
As a dual MILR-MBA candidate, I had the chance to take courses at Johnson last year, and I was impressed by the students’ engagement and the diverse perspectives they bring to the classroom. The professors excel at facilitating complex topics, seamlessly integrating various viewpoints into case-based discussions, making the learning experience truly invaluable.
Johnson’s emphasis on leadership, teamed with a strong core business curriculum and the professional opportunities it offers, made my decision very easy.
I’ve lived in big, bustling cities — Hong Kong, London, Montreal, Dubai and Toronto — but I’ve always wanted to experience life in a small town, especially for graduate school. Ithaca, with its beauty and serenity, has been the perfect place for that, and I’m grateful to be here.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2026?
As part of our pre-term courses, each student completed leadership assessments, including Gallup’s Clifton Strengths. During orientation, we reviewed our strengths, and I discovered that my top strength, “connectedness,” was shared by only four others in our 300-person class. This insight highlighted how rare and valuable this skill is. Connectedness enables me to see how everything is interconnected, which shapes my value system and helps foster a growth mindset. It also allows me to bridge diverse perspectives, a crucial asset in leadership.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I love film photography — especially taking portrait shots of people I love in their natural element. It’s hard to be subtle with a big camera with a flash, but I try to be stealthy.
Post-MBA career interests:
Post-MBA, I am looking to pivot into management consulting. I am interested in consumer-packaged goods (CPG) and retail industries as well as strategy and marketing capabilities; however, I am focused on entering as a generalist to gain the most breadth of experience. I look forward to taking the management consulting immersion (MCI), led by Chris Bordoni, next semester. This is an unmatched resource that will help build our consulting mindsets and will prepare us to hit the ground running in any summer internship and post-MBA position.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Connect with current students and faculty and have honest conversations about what you hope to get out of business school and beyond. There is “networking” and there is “connecting”; err on the side of “connecting.” Remember that everyone you speak with is a person with a diverse background, who has faced hurdles. Keep this perspective. Show up as your authentic self and embrace your unique leadership style. Own your strengths and be open to exploring your areas of growth.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Ask trusted sources to highlight your strengths as well as growth opportunities. These people have seen you through all kinds of scenarios and will have observed things you may not have picked up on. We can miss opportunities to realize our impact if we aren’t proactive in seeking feedback. Our orientation and pre-term courses at Johnson involve receiving results from comprehensive leadership and strengths-based assessments, and I have been heartened by many of the results. Looking back, these words of encouragement could have guided my application process.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I believe that everything in the process was for a reason. In preparation for my application, I took a pre-MBA math course from University of California Berkeley while managing my MILR courseload, settling into Ithaca and recruiting. The course primed me for some of our first-year MBA core courses.
What is your initial impression of the Cornell Johnson students/culture/community?
The community is equally ambitious and supportive. Students, faculty and staff are driven to make an impact, hold themselves to high standards and help each other succeed. The “pay-it-forward” culture here means that people are not only intelligent, inquisitive and motivated, but they also genuinely care about lifting each other up.
What is one thing you have learned about Cornell Johnson that has surprised you?
This does not surprise me per se, but I have already noticed an array of diverse perspectives and experiences within my class. By challenging each other, we are already growing. I can’t wait to see us continue to grow as a class over the next two years.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
We will be managing a lot during the first semester, and I am actively working on prioritization and time management. We have a lot of things to simultaneously manage, which comes with the territory of pursuing this degree. This is intentionally designed, and I look forward to leaning on one another to get through it.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Forming connections with my peers and seeing everyone find their place in the community. I’m looking forward to learning, collaborating, laughing and bonding with each other.
