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Posts by Christina Griffith

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Christina Griffith is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia. She specializes in covering education, science, and criminal justice, and has extensive experience in research and interviews, magazine content, and web content writing.
Published: March 27, 2024
Real Humans of General Mills: Taylor Valentine, Wharton MBA ’22, Sr. Associate Brand Manager
In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, Taylor Valentine tells us how The Wharton School MBA allowed her to explore a variety of industries, learn state-of-the-art analytics, and gain a strong entrepreneurial mindset to prepare for brand management at General Mills. Valentine found that she was no longer energized by her current career path and wanted to be in the “driver’s seat,” leading and being a changemaker. Though she had a great transferable skillset, she lacked enough industry-specific knowledge and needed a more powerful network to change industries. Read on to learn how the Wharton MBA Read more
Published: March 25, 2024
Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Amanda Tan, IMD MBA ’22, Consultant
In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we meet Amanda Tan whose IMD MBA experience led her to becoming a consultant at Bain & Co. IMD’s emphasis on personal growth and leadership development was exactly what she needed to succeed in the high-demand world of consulting. Read below for her story. Amanda Tan, IMD MBA ’22, Consultant at Bain & Company Age: 30 Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia  Undergraduate Institution and Major: Durham University, BA Combined Honours in Social Sciences Read more
Published: March 21, 2024
Real Humans of JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Joshua Paulus, The Ohio State Fisher MBA ’23, Senior Associate
In this edition of our Real Humans: Alumni series, Joshua Paulus explains why The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business was the natural choice for his MBA, and how Fisher’s focus on problem-solving and collaboration helped him leverage his career in finance at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Joshua Paulus OSU Fisher MBA ’23, Senior Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Age: 30 Hometown: Versailles, Ohio Undergraduate Institution and Major: The Ohio State University, Sports Industry Major Graduate Business Read more
Published: March 20, 2024
Real Humans of Hulu: Jess Keane, NYU Stern MBA ’22, Senior Content Acquisition Associate
Jess Keane’s passion for storytelling and film ultimately led her to Hulu, a career pivot enabled by an MBA from NYU Stern. In this edition of our Real Humans: Alumni series, Keane shares her story of how she found the perfect program to pursue her dreams–one with an entertainment specialization, emphasis on emotional intelligence and empathy, and industry opportunities that helped her galvanize the skills she needed to embark on her new career. From investment banking to entertainment, follow her path below. Jess Keane, NYU Stern MBA ’22, Senior Content Acquisition Associate at Read more
Published: March 19, 2024
Esade to Open New Madrid Campus in 2025
Esade, which has three campuses located in Barcelona, Sant Cugat, and Madrid, Spain, now plans to open an additional campus in Madrid in early 2025. The new campus facilities will be located in the northern Mirasierra district, which already includes several educational institutions, improving the area’s status as a hub for research, education, and talent development.  Xavier Mendoza, Esade’s director general, stated in the school’s announcement, “This new campus is in response to the increased demand for our Executive Education programs and we will bolster this campus as a meeting point Read more
Published: March 18, 2024
Real Humans of EY-Parthenon: Andrew Davey-Greaves, Yale SOM MBA/MEM ’18, Senior Director
This edition of Real Humans: Alumni takes us to Denver, where dual degree candidate Andrew Davey-Greaves strives to impact environmental sustainability and human rights out of EY-Parthenon. But first, in his pursuit of higher education, Andrew recognized that Yale School of Management (SOM) had positioned itself as the place to have the related forward-looking conversations on business and society. Read on to learn how Yale SOM’s MBA & MEM programs prepared Andrew to excel as a strategist.  Andrew Davey-Greaves, Yale SOM MBA/MEM ’18, Senior Director at EY-Parthenon Age: Read more
Published: March 18, 2024
Real Humans of Nike: Anton de Avila, Berkeley Haas MBA ’22, Senior Brand Marketing Associate
In this installment of Real Humans: Alumni, we head to Nike to meet Anton de Avila, who knew that to round out his business acumen, broaden his network, and gain great life experience, he would need an MBA. The small class size, humble community, and move from the Midwest to the West Coast enticed him to enroll at Berkeley Haas. Read his story below to learn how Haas helped de Avila pivot to consumer goods brand marketing at Nike, where he was selected as one of five associates for Nike’s post-MBA marketing Read more
Published: March 14, 2024
Real Humans of Uber: Reuben Shorser, Stanford GSB MBA ’22, Product Manager
Reuben Shorser has had quite a “ride” from building a restaurant chain in NYC to product management at Uber in San Francisco–with the Stanford GSB MBA being a vehicle for such a dynamic change. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Shorser explains how the MBA program at Stanford GSB helped him step back, reflect, and accelerate in a new direction. Read below for Shorser’s story of change and growth into a new career. Reuben Shorser, Stanford GSB MBA ’22, Product Manager at Uber Age: 32 Hometown: Pound Read more
Published: March 13, 2024
Real Humans of PepsiCo: Darrin Rahn, HBS MBA ’19, Strategy Director
In today’s Real Humans: Alumni feature, we meet Darrin Rahn, HBS MBA ’19 & PepsiCo Strategy Director, whose career involves revolutionizing the future of food. To begin his journey toward his aspirations, Rahn wanted to expand his leadership abilities, gain a deeper understanding of global and emerging markets, and expand his professional network. He would find all he needed to accomplish those goals at Harvard Business School. Keep reading to learn how the MBA at HBS gave Rahn the skills necessary to tackle industry challenges like health and wellness, food sustainability, and consumer Read more
Published: March 11, 2024
Real Humans of Johnson & Johnson: Sophia Fischer, UCI Merage MBA ’22, MLDP Marketing Manager
In this installment of Real Humans: Alumni, Sophia Fischer shares her story of how and why University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business became the right place for her MBA and how the program prepared her to be an MLDP marketing manager at Johnson & Johnson. For Fischer, pursuing an MBA was an investment in personal growth, one that required choosing a school that would make that same investment in her as a student and also ensure she would find a company to continue that growth. Sophia Fischer, UCI Merage MBA ’22, MLDP Marketing Manager Read more
Published: March 11, 2024
Real Humans of Amazon: Tanique Philogene, Notre Dame Mendoza MBA ’23, Senior Program Manager
In this Real Humans: Alumni, Tanique Philogene reveals how the Notre Dame Mendoza MBA program’s hands-on experiential learning gave her exactly the skills she needed for her pivot from finance to the tech industry. Some individuals know for sure where their path leads, and are just looking for the right opportunity at the right time. For Philogene, who knew before graduating high school she wanted an MBA, that opportunity was during the pandemic, when she had the time to prepare for the next stage of her career and personal development. Tanique Philogene Notre Dame Read more
Published: March 10, 2024
INSEAD’s Limitless Women’s Campaign 2024: Ambition Has No Gender
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8th, INSEAD’s Limitless 2024 campaign set the spotlight on women determined to advance gender equity and succeed economically, politically, and personally. The annual Limitless campaign shares the stories of women who serve as role models for the next generation. This year’s theme is Ambition Has No Gender. INSEAD stands behind the promise of education to empower individuals, shape lives, and spark change. These extraordinary women embody that promise, positively impacting their communities and the world.  Meet the six women Read more
Published: March 7, 2024
Real Humans of Goldman Sachs: Ken Jackson, Rice Business MBA ’23, Private Wealth Advisor
Army veteran Ken Jackson went from piloting Black Hawks to private wealth management at Goldman Sachs–the bridge being the Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business MBA program. In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, see how Jackson’s MBA put him in the entrepreneurial mindset, his secret weapon that has allowed him to thrive confidently in the wealth management landscape. Ken Jackson, Rice Business MBA ’23, Private Wealth Advisor at Goldman Sachs Age: 33 Hometown: Peachtree City, GA Undergraduate Institution and Major: United States Military Read more
Published: March 6, 2024
Emory Goizueta Business School Announces Winners of 2024 John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition
The winners of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School’s fourth annual John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition, held on February 23, have been announced. The competition gives students from universities nationwide the opportunity to present innovative and, most importantly, actionable ideas to companies about addressing racial injustice in their organizations and industries.  Lynne Segall, associate dean for management practice initiatives and the competition’s faculty advisor noted, “The conversation around racial justice has shifted significantly since 2020 and yet the structural issues persist, making the John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition Read more
Published: March 6, 2024
Real Humans of Kearney: Caroline Queen, Duke Fuqua MBA ’21, Manager
In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, former Olympian Caroline Queen shares how her unconventional career path led her to Duke Fuqua for her MBA and on to consulting at Kearney. While the “Team Fuqua” culture forged the foundation of her b-school experience, the skills honed in the program and the interview prep ensured she could take the next step in her career. Learn more about Caroline’s journey below. Caroline Queen, Duke Fuqua MBA ’21, Manager at Kearney Age: 32 Hometown: Darnestown, MD Undergraduate Institution and Major: Davidson Read more
Published: March 4, 2024
Real Humans of Google: George Muchira, Rochester Simon MBA ’23, Financial Analyst
In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, recent MBA graduate George Muchira shares his journey from the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School to becoming a financial analyst at Google. Rochester Simon’s culture of diversity and community drew George to the business school, and the critical thinking-based curriculum prepared him for an industry change from finance to tech. Read on for his story. George Muchira, Rochester Simon MBA ’23, Financial Analyst at Google Age: 33 Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya Undergraduate Institution and Major: Jomo Kenyatta Read more
Published: February 29, 2024
Real Humans of Bain & Co.: Drew Ness, Texas McCombs MBA ’22, Consultant
Translating military skills and experience into the corporate world is difficult, but the core curriculum and leadership development opportunities at Texas McCombs helped Drew Ness realize his full potential as a consultant at Bain after a decade in Army Intelligence. In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, Ness tells his story of falling in love with Austin, Texas, finding himself and his family at home in the McCombs community, and channeling his military instincts into success in the MBA program and beyond. Drew Ness, Texas McCombs MBA ’22, Consultant at Bain & Company Read more
Published: February 28, 2024
Real Humans of Microsoft: Orry Young, Emory Goizueta MBA ’22, Industry Marketing Manager
In this installment of Real Humans: Alumni, we have Orry Young, a veteran whose MBA experience helped him in the transition from the military to the tech industry at Microsoft. Emory Goizueta‘s small class size and instructor-to-student ratio were the driving force behind his choice of school, and the professors and leadership program underscored his success. Keep reading to learn how the program helped him hone his military skills for the business world. Orry Young, Emory Goizueta MBA ’22, Industry Marketing Manager at Microsoft Age: 32 Hometown: Read more
Published: February 26, 2024
Real Humans of Allianz: Anant Gupta, IESE MBA ’22, Senior Consultant
In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, meet Anant Gupta, whose desire for new challenges took him from banking in India to IESE in Spain and then management consulting in Germany. IESE hit all the marks in Gupta’s search for his “dream school:” the case-based curriculum, opportunities in the program to earn experience, and its prime European location. Read his story and find out how the MBA program’s structure and diversity helped him transform from a banker to a management consultant at Allianz. Anant Gupta, IESE MBA ’22, Senior Consultant at Read more
Published: February 21, 2024
Real Humans of Citi: Diana Pacer, Chicago Booth MBA ’23, Investment Banking Associate
We kick off our Real Humans: Alumni series, which invites MBA graduates to discuss their paths to post-MBA employment, with Diana Pacer, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2023. Having settled in Chicago with her family and experiencing the data-based, intellectual approach to teaching at the University of Chicago, Pacer knew it was where she wanted to be to achieve her career goal of working in investment banking. Read on to learn how the Booth network, students, and clubs prepared her for recruitment into the finance industry and her role as an investment banking associate Read more
Published: February 12, 2024
Real Humans of the HEC Paris MBA Class of 2025
This edition of Real Humans: MBA Students takes us to France to meet some new members of the MBA Class of 2025 at HEC Paris. The Class of 2025 is comprised of 235 students, who may matriculate in September or January. Forty percent are women and 95 percent are international, representing 49 nationalities. During their undergraduate years, 24 percent of HEC Paris MBAs earned degrees in engineering. Seventeen percent had majored in business & commerce followed by 11 percent in economics. Nine percent had studied management and five percent had studied law. Before arriving on campus, Read more
Published: February 8, 2024
Real Humans of the Columbia Business School MBA Class of 2025
We head to New York City to greet some new members of the Columbia Business School (CBS) MBA Class of 2025 in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. The CBS MBA Class of 2025 is comprised of 900 students, with 681 starting in August and 219 starting in January. Women make up 44 percent of the Class of 2025, and 43 percent of students identify as U.S. minorities. Forty-seven percent of students are international citizens. During their undergraduate years, they earned an average GPA of 3.5. A third had majored in business, while Read more
Published: January 29, 2024
Real Humans of the ESCP Business School MBA Class of 2024
We continue with our Real Humans: MBA Students series by meeting some new members of the ESCP Business School MBA Class of 2024. ESCP spans campuses in Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Turin and Warsaw, and students are required to study on two campuses during their MBA. The MBA can be completed in 10, 22 or 34 months, in-person, online or a combination of the two. Eighty-three students comprise the ESCP MBA Class of 2024. Fifty-five percent are women and the cohort is entirely international. ESCP Business School requires a two to three years of work experience to join Read more
Published: January 24, 2024
Real Humans of the UMD Robert H. Smith School of Business MBA Class of 2025
In this edition of our ongoing series, Real Humans: MBA Students, get to know some new members of the MBA Class of 2025 at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Fifty-five students matriculated to the Maryland-based business school program. Roughly 25 percent are women and 58 percent are international. Fourteen percent identify as U.S. minorities or underrepresented U.S. minorities. During their undergraduate years, Smith MBAs averaged a GPA of 3.5. Before matriculation, the new class accumulated an average of six years of work experience. Nearly 42 percent of candidates opted to Read more
Published: January 22, 2024
Real Humans of the Harvard Business School MBA Class of 2025
Find out what it’s like to be a member of the Harvard Business School (HBS) MBA student community in this edition of our Real Humans: MBA Students series. The Harvard MBA Class of 2025 is comprised of 938 students. Women make up 45 percent of the class and 39 percent are international. Out of domestic students and permanent U.S. residents, when counted according to Federal guidelines, 22 percent are Asian American, 10 percent are Black or African American, 11 percent are Hispanic or Latino, and six percent identify as multiracial. Multi-dimensional reporting indicates that 27 Read more

MBA Livewire

December 19, 2024 10:03pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via portal December 19, 2024
EA: 165
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Finance
Application Location: Brazil
December 19, 2024 7:32pm ET
Interview Invite to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email December 19, 2024
GMAT: 645
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: Texas
Note:

Invited for virtual interview. Applied as part of round 1 Consortium. Had sort of written it off as a rejection after hearing nothing from them since submitting on Oct 15th
December 19, 2024 6:11pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 1
Received via email December 19, 2024
GPA: 3.8
GRE: 329
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Marketing
Application Location: Italy
Note:

Interviewed 11/24 and got the email today. Reapplicant after being waitlisted last year. Yay!
December 19, 2024 3:42pm ET
Accepted to Yale SOM
Round: Round 1
Received via phone on December 04, 2024
GPA: 3.83
GRE: 326
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: CA
December 19, 2024 3:25pm ET
Accepted to NYU Stern
Round: Round 2
Received via email December 19, 2024
GPA: 3.8
GRE: 319
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Marketing
Note:

Received application status update email with link to updated portal
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