I came to the Full-time MBA at Smith School of Business because ...

Before embarking on my MBA journey, I worked as a data scientist in a fast-growing tech consulting startup in India. My job required me to have a technical as well as a consultative role, but what excited me the most was the consultative aspects of my role, through which I could understand the various business problems and design solutions to address the issues identified. This excitement motivated me to develop an aspiration of becoming a trusted advisor to the C-suite in the future and helping them navigate challenges and capitalize on untapped opportunities. To reach that desired state, I wanted to understand every aspect of business and learn management best practices. Hence, I decided to pursue an MBA.

I chose Smith as the best MBA option for multiple reasons. I am a person who believes firmly in the idea of “learning by doing” and learning from real-time business issues. Hence, the experiential learning opportunities and the use of business cases, part of Smith’s blended teaching style, were key reasons for choosing Smith. I strongly believe in “effective collaboration” to achieve strong results. With the “Team-Based Learning” method at Smith, I can collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds. At the end of this transformational year, I aim to become a finer individual and a leader who can significantly impact at an org-level and industry level.

Reflecting on my journey, I would advise my past self to engage actively with Smith alumni during the application process, drawing wisdom from their experiences to better prepare for the enriching odyssey that an MBA at Smith promises.

• Hometown: Chennai
• Country of Origin: India
• Prior Industry: Technology (Data science)
• Career Focus: Technology/Strategy consulting