Patrycja Kepa, Emory Goizueta Business School MBA Class of 2026
Age: 25
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Emory University
Pre-MBA Work Experience: McKinsey & Co – 1 year, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner of Anchored Lens Productions, LLC – 3 years, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Dreamscape International Film Festival – 1 year.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
As an evolving entrepreneur, an MBA program was the next best step for expanding my foundational business knowledge, building a strong network, gaining mentorship, and developing stronger leadership skills. With my company just recently wrapping production on our second feature, it was the perfect opportunity for me to pursue my education while maintaining a low touch involvement with the film to ensure a successful release.
Why did you choose Emory Goizueta? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? As a double Eagle, I was aware of Emory and Gozuieta’s unique value in its location, faculty and staff, as well as intimate classroom setting. Being in the film industry, I didn’t want to leave Atlanta since it’s the perfect place to grow with the continued expansion of media in the Southeast. Additionally, Goizueta has an amazing faculty with a breadth of academic and business experience, and I was excited to learn from such educators and leaders. Lastly, I felt that a smaller class size allowed me to learn the content more intimately and develop stronger relationships with my peers and professors.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2026?
Having experience as an entrepreneur I believe I offer a unique perspective on class topics and have the ability to directly apply my learnings in my business, which is incredibly exciting. Furthermore, being in the film and media space, I want to push harder for more courses and opportunities around that industry specifically, especially since Emory has such a strong presence in the city of Atlanta, which has become the Hollywood of the South in recent years.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I love to paint and draw. Not sure if that’s super fun, but another cool thing about my family Moreso is that all my siblings and I were born in different countries. Myself in Greece, my sister in Poland, and my brother in the US.
Post-MBA career interests:
In the long term, I want to continue writing, directing and producing films for as long as I can. However, my direct post-MBA career interests are focused on consulting since I believe it’s a great career to continue growing as a strategist and leader, while learning from industry experts.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Something that really helped me during my application process was talking with different mentors, family, and friends to thoroughly reflect and clarify my goals for the MBA. Doing this at the very beginning of my app helped me identify personal motivations for pursuing the MBA and helped me stay committed and optimistic during the grueling months of studying for standardized testing and then waiting for decisions.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I wish I started prepping for everything a lot sooner. Running my own business, I kept putting off prep and writing essays because of my other obligations, but I should have been a lot more intentional about setting aside time dedicated for the application.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I wish I could skip the waiting process. The couple of months when you’re waiting to hear back from schools can be very anxiety-provoking, and during that time, I did my best to stay busy and focus on work. I also actively spoke with students from the different schools I was applying to so I could get better perspective and insight on the programs.
What is your initial impression of the Emory Goizueta students/culture/community?
I am really happy I chose Emory for my MBA. My interactions with the students, community and faculty have been amazing and I think the culture is very supportive of both academic and career goals.
What is one thing you have learned about Emory Goizueta that has surprised you?
I knew Emory Goizeuta was great about career preparation, but I’ve been very happily surprised to see how active they were in helping prep students and how many organizations on campus offered resources. Additionally, all the students and faculty are always so open to sharing their experiences and getting that sort of insight has been an invaluable aspect of my MBA.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
The most anxious part of my first year is the CORE. The first semester classes, although incredibly insightful and serve as a great foundation, are very demanding. In addition to outside-of-school commitments, I’m really most anxious to get through every class successfully.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m really excited about being a fellow for the Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. I think it’s a great fellowship program with wonderful staff and students and I can’t wait to more actively partake in different events and continue pushing the innovation and entrepreneurial envelope at Emory!
