Weekly Columns
Keep up with the latest school facts and news from your fellow MBA applicants.
Published: August 19, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: What the Laidlaw Scholarship Means to Me
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Paseka Khosa, Oxford MBA ’22, shares the significance of her Laidlaw Scholarship at Oxford Saïd Business School. What the Laidlaw Scholarship Means to Me Paseka Khosa is joining the Oxford MBA in September 2021 as an inaugural Laidlaw Scholar. In her first blog post, she shares her journey to the Oxford MBA and what receiving this scholarship means to her. August is Women’s month in South Africa, with the 9th being a public holiday in celebration of Women’s day. This holiday was declared in
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Fridays from the Frontline: NYU Stern Leadership Accelerator’s First Live Case
During NYU Stern’s Leadership Accelerator first live case, teams of first-year MBAs spent seven full hours acting out a real-life leadership experience. The brainchild of Stern MBA and veteran Natalie Ashbridge and the Leadership Accelerator team, the live case launched with help from more than 40 actors, including Stern alumni and administrators and more from NYU. Learn more about the first case here and read on below for Natalie’s experience in helping to design and implement this Stern first. NYU Stern Leadership Accelerator’s First Live Case By Natalie Ashbridge, Stern MBA ’21 In the Marine Corps, messing up
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Fridays from the Frontline: A Pride@Kellogg Student Leader Leans In
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, Northwestern Kellogg MBA student, Maddie Reese, shares her Kellogg experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and her reflections during Pride Month this year. A Pride@Kellogg Student Leader Leans In By Maddie Reese, Kellogg MBA 2Y 2022 Tell us a little about yourself and your journey to Kellogg. Maddie Reese, Kellogg 2Y MBA ’22 Hi everyone! I’m Maddie Reese. I’m a rising second year at Kellogg and am a VP of Engagement for Pride@Kellogg. For the past decade, I’ve been trying to find ways to blend my creative
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Fridays From the Frontline: My Journey From Japan to NYU Stern
In this week’s Fridays From the Frontline, recent graduate Kaori Yamaguchi takes a look back on her journey from Japan to NYU Stern and discusses her future goals. My Journey From Japan to NYU Stern By Kaori Yamaguchi, NYU Stern MBA ’21 I just graduated with my MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. I’m proud of my achievement – it was a long and tough journey for me, and I finally came to this point. I’d like to look back at what brought me to Stern,
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Fridays from the Frontline: John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition—More than Competing
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, Emory Goizueta MBA student, AJ Hobbs, sheds light on her meaningful first case competition. John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition: More than Competing By AJ Hobbs, Goizueta 1Y MBA ’21 This past winter, I teamed up with four Goizueta Business School classmates for the John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition (JLCC). If this is your first introduction to JLCC, its purpose is to bring corporations and students interested in business together to create innovative and actionable racial justice initiatives. Please, read more
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Fridays from the Frontline: The Value of the HBS Case Method – Lessons from an SVMP Participant
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, Harvard Business School 2+2 candidate, Austin Moore, shares his experience with the HBS case method and Summer Venture in Management Program. The Value of the HBS Case Method – Lessons from an SVMP Participant By Austin Moore, 2+2 HBS MBA Candidate Growing up as a Black male from South Los Angeles, I was raised in a vibrant community surrounded by a diverse group of individuals who gave me guidance and taught me core values –such as curiosity, community, and persistence. My childhood experiences and the values that
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Fridays from the Frontline: Navigating the Career Pivot in Tech with Anderson
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, UCLA Anderson MBA student, Tracie Liu, walks us through her journey to a career in tech and how the MBA program supported her career change. Student Perspectives: Navigating the Career Pivot in Tech with Anderson By Tracie Liu, UCLA Anderson MBA ’22 In February 2020, as a freshly admitted MBA candidate of 2022, I finished my first Parker advising session before school started in August. I walked out of the Marion Anderson Hall with more excitement than ever, envisioning career opportunities in tech,
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Fridays from the Frontline: 3 Ways Fuqua Prepared Me for a Career in Consulting
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, Duke Fuqua Daytime MBA student Austin Ray shares how the program prepared him for a career in consulting. 3 Ways Fuqua Prepared Me for a Career in Consulting By Austin Ray, Duke Fuqua Daytime MBA ’21 I came to business school with many goals for my personal and professional development, but my career goal was singular: I was going to get a job in consulting. I knew I wanted to solve tough problems for big companies, and I chose Duke because the numbers speak for themselves: the
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Fridays from the Frontline: London Business School – Out in Business, EUROUT, and Being Gay
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, current LBS MBA student, Aaron Cho, delves into the school’s Out in Business (OiB) club, related events and more. Out in Business, EUROUT, and Being Gay By Aaron Cho, MBA2022, Incoming Co-President of OiB My name is Aaron Cho, I’m a current MBA candidate at LBS and I’m set to graduate in May 2022. I identify as a cis-gendered, gay Asian male. Whilst my sexuality doesn’t define me, it’s an important part of who I am. It’s very important
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Fridays from the Frontline: Developing Second-Generation Family Business Leaders at INSEAD
Get a closer look at how INSEAD supports family business professionals in this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, featuring an account from Cecily Liu, INSEAD Class of ‘J21. Developing Second-Generation Family Business Leaders at INSEAD By Cecily Liu, INSEAD ‘J21 Businesses come in all shape and forms, but family businesses have always lit a magical spark in my heart. Perhaps my fascination traces back to my experiences growing up in an entrepreneurial family, watching my parents build their business over the years, and joining them on this journey as a daughter and ‘consultant’. My
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Fridays from the Frontline: How I Navigated Virtual Recruiting and Secured My Summer Internship
Current Wharton MBA student, Nancy Zhang MBA ’22, shares her journey through virtual recruiting to a summer internship in this week’s Fridays from the Frontline. How I Navigated Virtual Recruiting and Secured My Summer Internship Nancy Zhang, Wharton MBA ’22© Matt Greenslade Nancy Zhang, WG’22, is interviewed by Sugirtha Stathis, Director of Student Programs and Communication, MBA Career Management Sugirtha Stathis: What did you do before coming to Wharton? What did you want to explore during your time in the MBA Program? Nancy Zhang: Prior to coming to Wharton, I spent five
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Fridays from the Frontline: Making Kellogg History by Winning the Venture Capital Investment Competition
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, get a behind-the-scenes view of Northwestern Kellogg MBA students’ prep for the annual Venture Capital Investment Competition. Making Kellogg History by Winning the Venture Capital Investment Competition By Hayley Bohart (2Y 2022) “The best way to break into Venture Capital: do the job before you get the job.” This advice should sound familiar to anyone looking to land a role in VC after business school. I heard it myself when I started my Kellogg MBA journey this past fall, and I wondered how someone might crack this
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Published: April 29, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: How Covid Led Us to Build an Online Networking Platform for MBAs
Two NYU Stern MBA students, Kidae Hong and Claire Park, share their entrepreneurial and tech experience in bringing a new sense of community to life during the COVID-19 pandemic. How Covid Led Us to Build an Online Networking Platform for MBAs By Kidae Hong and Claire Park, NYU Stern School of Business (MBA ’21) Stumbling on a Problem Kidae Hong and Claire Park, NYU Stern School of Business (MBA ’21) In December of 2019, fresh from completing our first semester in NYU Stern’s full-time MBA program, Kidae held his birthday party in our small studio apartment
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Published: April 22, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: My Takeaways from the First Half of Business School
This week in Fridays from the Frontline, current UCLA Anderson MBA student, Lorie Xi, shares her key lessons from the first year in business school. Student Perspectives: My Takeaways from the First Half of Business School By Lorie Xi, UCLA Anderson MBA ’22 This year is definitely special. Regarding what happened around the world, we started the school fully virtual. Even though I haven’t physically been at school, I think I have had a very fruitful six months. During winter break, I spent some time thinking of the most important
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Published: April 15, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: How Learning to Lean on My Fuqua Community Made Me A Better Leader
Duke Fuqua Daytime MBA student, Nwaka Isamah, shares her transformative journey through business school, amid personal and global challenges in this week’s Fridays from the Frontline. How Learning to Lean on My Fuqua Community Made Me A Better Leader By Nwaka Isamah, Daytime MBA ’21 The most challenging aspect of my leadership experience was last summer when I felt like I could barely balance life personally and professionally. The first wave of COVID-19 hit, classes were now virtual, my internship had been shortened, and I was grappling with how to build an
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Fridays from the Frontline: The Art of Perseverance and Resilience – Reapplying to HBS
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, we bring you a story of hope, perseverance and resilience from a current Harvard Business School student. Omar Aboulezz, HBS MBA ’21, shares his journey of applying to the program three times before finally finding success. The Art of Perseverance and Resilience – Reapplying to HBS By Omar Aboulezz, HBS MBA ’21 My name is Omar Aboulezz, and I’d like to share with you a bit about my journey to HBS and how I persevered through multiple setbacks. Nearly four years elapsed between starting my first HBS
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Fridays from the Frontline: My Experience with Meet LBS
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, London Business School MBA student, Jai Pareek, shares how the program has enabled connections even before matriculation. Read on for his story about the school’s new social platform, Meet LBS. My Experience with Meet LBS By Jai Pareek, LBS MBA ’23 The MBA, many of you would agree, represents a transformational journey that bridges the gulf between you and your aspirations, a journey that is marked by the deep social connections fostered along the way. While applying to LBS, I knew that my MBA was going to be a
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Published: March 18, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: Give Yourself Grace – My 5 Tips for Surviving Virtual Classes
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, we hear from Emory Goizueta MBA student, Racquel Waite, about virtual classes during b-school. Give Yourself Grace: My 5 Tips for Surviving Virtual Classes By Racquel Waite, Emory Goizueta MBA ’21 I think we can all agree that this is not how we planned or thought our business school journey would go. Many of us came to school to expand our network, and though we may have accomplished that, it is unfortunate that we weren’t able to do it in the same way that previous classes
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Published: March 11, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: Cementing Friendships During COVID Self-isolation
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, INSEAD MBA ’21J, Cecily Liu, sheds light on building and maintaining connections during a pandemic. Cementing Friendships During COVID Self-isolation By Cecily Liu, INSEAD MBA ’21J Self-isolation paints a scary picture during COVID times. For many, the thought of attending MBA classes via Zoom while being confined to a tiny room is a significant compromise to the campus experience, and potentially a nightmare. But having being thrown unexpectedly into this situation for two weeks, my perspective transformed. The care, support and friendships I experienced during this
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Fridays from the Frontline: Being a Woman at Duke Fuqua
In this week’s Fridays from the Frontline, Lilian Izuorah, Duke Fuqua Daytime MBA ’21, sheds light on the community she found before and during business school. Being a Woman at Fuqua by Lilian Izuorah, Daytime MBA Class of 2021 One of my favorite stories is Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl,” for reasons probably different from what the author had intended. I had lived and worked in spaces where sentences too often began with, “Women should do this,” or “A woman cannot.” That story is a reminder to brace myself when someone starts
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Published: February 25, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: Getting Involved at Booth – What it Means to Lead and to Serve
Three Chicago Booth MBA students share insights into b-school life and what it’s like to be student group co-chairs in this week’s Fridays from the Frontline. Getting Involved at Booth – What it Means to Lead and to Serve By Kailin Fu, Chicago Booth MBA ’21 When talking with prospective students, I am often asked about leadership opportunities at Booth and time management. When I share information about demonstrating leadership as a co-chair, there are even more questions about the value of that role and balancing that with classes and recruiting. That’s why
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Published: February 18, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: HBS Virtual Treks, How Student Clubs Are Adapting to the New Normal
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Harvard Business School MBA student, Rashveena Rajaram, discusses moving career treks and conferences online amidst the pandemic. HBS Virtual Treks, How Student Clubs Are Adapting to the New Normal By Rashveena Rajaram, HBS MBA ’22 Career treks and conferences organized by student clubs remain fundamental elements of the MBA experience at HBS. Like other events, though, clubs had to move these signature treks online. The VCPE Venture Capital Trek was one of these events. The high caliber of past events and students’
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Published: February 11, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: Leadership Lessons from Volunteering in the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Roll-Out
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, Oxford MBA student, Emma Berry, shares her experience drawing on b-school lessons to help fight the pandemic through vaccine roll-out. Leadership Lessons from Volunteering in the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Roll-Out By Emma Berry, Oxford MBA 2020-21 On the 4th of January 2021, the unwelcome but necessary news of a third UK lockdown was announced. This brought with it the immediate closure of schools and universities – not exactly the news you want to hear part-way through a one-year MBA at Oxford. Feeling somewhat disheartened
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Published: February 4, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: UCLA Anderson Student Perspectives – Winter is Coming – Behind-the-Scenes of Internship Recruitment
The MBA is a common stepping stone to a better career and the Parker Career Management Center at the UCLA Anderson School of Management works extensively with students to ensure a successful path. In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, first-year Anderson MBA student, Shruti Pandey, walks us through the thoughtful and thorough internship recruitment calendar. Student Perspectives: Winter is Coming – Behind-the-Scenes of Internship Recruitment By Shruti Pandey, Anderson MBA ‘22 People do an MBA for multiple reasons, the most common being getting their desired
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Published: January 28, 2021
Fridays from the Frontline: Beyond a Safe Space – Empowering LGBTQ+ Students
In this edition of Fridays from the Frontline, a Daytime MBA student at Duke Fuqua, Jordan Daniel Lantz, shares his story of discovering the inclusive community at the leading program. Beyond a Safe Space: Empowering LGBTQ+ Students By Jordan Daniel Lantz, Duke Daytime MBA ’22 I remember visiting Fuqua for the first time during Pride Weekend, an event for LGBTQ+ prospective students hosted by Admissions and Fuqua Pride. I had been researching business schools for a couple years, and after a while, all the top schools seemed the
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