Cory La Roe, Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2026
Age: 29
Hometown: Tampa, FL, USA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Maryland – Global Campus | BS in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity, Minor in Digital Media and Web Technologies
Pre-MBA Work Experience: United States Air Force – Non-Commissioned Officer / Technical Cyber Project Manager, 2014-2020; Microsoft – Software Engineering Intern, 2020-2020; BlackRock – Quantitative Equities Product Strategist, 2020-2022; World Surf League – Data Analyst, 2022-2023; World Surf League – Professional Surfer, 2021-Present
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
Attending business school has always been something that was on the back of my mind since having left the military. I think my interests grew further once I entered the corporate ranks and saw how beneficial attaining a top business school education could be. For myself, it was really the timing and willingness to commit to being out of the workforce for a couple years that led me to pursue business school now. I reached a point in my career where I felt like I needed a redirection/re-focusing on what my passions were and where I could thrive as a business leader.
Why did you choose Berkeley Haas? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I was very focused when I made the decision to apply to business schools this past year. I knew that I wanted to form my connections and pursue my career here in the Bay Area, where I have been residing for the last several years. I was focusing on attending a top program, and with the extensive Haas alumni network here in the Bay, the decision was made a lot easier. I have also always admired the type of individuals I have met and formed relationships with who graduated with their MBA from Berkeley Haas. Their intellect, coupled with authenticity and an unspoken way in which they hold themselves, was an attractive component that I am hopeful to be emblematic of during my years at Haas and into the future.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2026?
At first, I might say that my diversity of background and experiences across various industries and functions could be valuable, but then I realized that isn’t truly novel in this class. Then I might say my experiences as a military veteran, though I am 1 of 22 in this class, again nothing necessarily new – though I may be one of the only (definitely very few) Enlisted military veterans. However, I am quite confident in stating that I am the only professional surfer in this class. I think that is probably the most differentiating thing about me in the Class of 2026. Something that is unique to surfing as a professional sport, unlike most other mainstream sports or even something like skateboarding, is that I can never replicate or anticipate my competitive environment. It is always changing. I will never ride the same wave at the same moment within a contest, needing a certain score to improve over my competitor, nor can I will that into existence. Every season, surfing contest, heat, and even waves I choose to ride need a new and unique playbook to maximize my odds of being successful in those moments. The mindset I have to adopt in these cases, while at face value being different from sports to the business world, is entirely translatable and can help frame perspective and innovative thoughts when faced with unforeseen challenges and opportunities.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
Despite having grown up in Florida, the first time I ever surfed in the state was after I started competing professionally and had a professional event that was held in Cocoa Beach. I was 26 years old when I surfed that event.
Post-MBA career interests:
Sustainability/Renewable Energy, Management Consulting
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Choosing the individuals who wrote my letters of recommendation is absolutely something I would do again. I was fortunate to have, in the case of Haas, two recommenders who knew me quite extensively, and fortunately, both embody many of the same leadership traits that Haas holds so dearly. This is also one of the only true elements of the application that you have no say over, unlike how well you study for the GRE/GMAT, or what you choose to write in the contents of your application. Choosing individuals who can authentically speak to your character at length and whose opinion you value and can trust they will speak to your strengths and weaknesses in a thoughtful way is an amazing thing to have. I would gladly choose these individuals again if I had to repeat the application process.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
It is hard to say what I would have done differently, given that I was fortunate enough to end up with my idyllic outcome in this process. I would have to say spending more time on the GRE/GMAT prep in the lead-up to business school applications would not have hurt my cause. I performed well, though with more time devoted to studying, I believe that I could have performed even better, furthering my competitiveness as a candidate.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Something I wish I could have skipped was the time between clicking the submit button and waiting to hear back with the results of my application. I navigated the waiting process as best I could, but it wasn’t always the easiest. I found that the best way to pass the time until decisions came out was to envelop myself in social activities. Hanging out with family and friends, traveling, and continuing to surf gave me somewhere else to focus my nervous anticipation.
What is your initial impression of the Berkeley Haas students/culture/community?
I am still in awe of how impressive the backgrounds of my fellow classmates are and, more so, how genuinely nice, supportive, and inspiring they all are. Berkeley Haas also very much lives up to their Defining Leadership Principles. Unlike other institutions that may state some generic principles or not live them in reality, Haas very evidently spent time crafting their principles, and they show themselves across the campus and in the classroom. I also appreciate how tight-knit the community at Haas is. With an MBA class size under 300, I find the ability to form deep relationships amongst students and faculty to be far easier than I imagine it might be when a class size is double or triple that figure.
What is one thing you have learned about Berkeley Haas that has surprised you?
I just recently learned that, to date, UC Berkeley graduates found the highest number of venture-backed startups amongst all other universities, public and private. A pleasant surprise was uncovering just how extensive the academic environment is when it comes to offering an array of MBA-level courses in entrepreneurship and frontier industries, on and off-campus startup accelerators, and student-run Venture Capital funds.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I was/am most anxious about balancing the demanding social, career, and academic elements of business school. I heard that balancing these would be challenging when I first entered into the program, but am truly seeing how difficult it can be at times to strike that perfect balance (if such a thing exists).
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am most excited to broaden my network and make enduring friendships that will last far into the future.
