Texas McCombs MBA Insider

Insider Information for Prospective Texas McCombs MBA Students

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The Road to McCombs and Texas

September 21, 2016 / / Comments Off on The Road to McCombs and Texas

Each fall our dean, admissions team, and career management representatives join alumni in several cities for Texas MBA Roadshows, sharing the many opportunities that come with the Texas MBA and answering any questions you may have about the application process or life at McCombs.

Below, we’ve highlighted students from the four Roadshow stops we have in the United States – Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Check out what they have to say about Austin, McCombs, and the advice they’d like to share with applicants.

connor-orourkeName: Conner O’Rourke, MBA ’17
Pre-MBA Residence: New York City, NY
Undergrad University & Major: University of Michigan, English
Previous Job: Sales Marketing Manager, NBC Universal
MBA Concentration: Marketing

Why did you choose the Texas MBA program? Simple.  I chose McCombs because it’s situated in the best city in the country and the students I met during my class visit were the perfect combination of smart, witty and down-to-earth.

How has the McCombs community helped you to adjust to your new home? The McCombs community has been unbelievable.  So much so that I have decided I can’t leave Austin.  Don’t be surprised if your temporary 2-year home becomes your permanent residence.  It happens to the best of us.

Any advice for other New Yorkers thinking about attending McCombs? Get ready to live outside again and hear phrases like, “you’re welcome” and “my pleasure.”  Between hiking on the Greenbelt, kayaking on Lake Travis and golfing year round, there are endless opportunities to spend your weekend doing something active opposed to searching for that cool bar in BK that everyone says you should go to but can’t help you find.  But there are also dozens of great bars with live music and no cover…

Any advice for folks that are going through the application process? Take your time.  It’s your chance to craft a story based on your favorite subject.  YOU.

What is your favorite Austin or Texas tradition/food/etc. you’ve discovered since attending McCombs? My own Sunday tradition of waking up, grabbing Ms. P’s breakfast tacos and spending the day on the Greenbelt.

Any advice on things to do prior to starting school (after you’re admitted)? Get to Austin a week or two early.  It may be hot, but Austin is a fun town and getting here early will lower your stress level.

Favorite memory of New York: Laying on my back at midnight alongside the Hudson watching the planes fly in and out of all three airports.

Anything else that you would like to share? Last year may just have been the best year of my life.

thumb_img_4302_1024Name: Courtney Good, MBA ’17
Pre-MBA Residence:  Washington, D.C.
Undergrad University & Major: University of Virginia, Economics & Environmental Science
Previous Job: Associate, Charles River Associates
MBA Concentration: Clean Tech

Why did you choose the Texas MBA Program? I chose the Texas MBA Program for two main reasons: the curriculum and the culture. Having worked in the energy industry prior to returning to business school, I knew I wanted to stay in the industry; the Clean Tech concentration at McCombs and UT Austin’s status as a leading energy institution assured me that I would get the industry knowledge and resources I was looking for. Additionally, the collaborative culture at McCombs and McCombs’ involvement with the greater Austin start-up community drew me to the program.

How has the McCombs community helped you to adjust to your new home? Adjusting to life in Austin could not have been easier – you are given 270 new friends when you get to campus, and are located in a city with endless opportunities and recreation. Additionally, going through the core curriculum in the fall semester with your cohort really brings everyone closer and created a great support system as I transitioned to my new home.

Any advice for other Washingtonians thinking about attending McCombs? You will be surprised at how many of your classmates are moving from the D.C. area. Also, you will feel at home because the Texas State Capitol building is right next to the university and modeled after the U.S. Capitol building!

Any advice for folks that are going through the application process? Take time to customize your essays and highlight why you think McCombs is the best fit for you. The admissions team has to read many essays, and a love for McCombs and Austin will definitely stand out.

What is your favorite Austin or Texas tradition/food/etc. you’ve discovered since attending McCombs? Food wise – definitely breakfast tacos. I didn’t realize how attached I was until this summer during my internship in Atlanta, GA when I was not sure what to eat for breakfast on the weekends. Make sure to try Torchy’s or Tacodeli if you come visit Austin!

Any advice on things to do prior to starting school (after they are admitted)? First, during the summer I would recommend updating your resume and creating an initial list of your target companies. The beginning of school is a whirlwind, so the more work you have done on your resume over the summer, the more time you will have for other commitments and activities. Secondly, I recommend taking some time off and traveling or visiting family before you get to Austin. Have some fun, and give your mind a break from work before you dive into the core curriculum!

Favorite memory of Washington, D.C.: I enjoyed going to watch parties in D.C. to support the UVA basketball team.

meredith-saundersName: Meredith Saunders, MBA ’18
Pre-MBA Residence: Chicago, IL
Undergrad: The Ohio State University, Operations & Supply Chain Management
Previous Job: Internal Consultant, CNA Financial
MBA Concentration: Healthcare & Operations/Supply Chain Management

Why did you choose the Texas MBA program? I chose the Texas MBA Program for many reasons, but two of the most important were the variety of experiential learning opportunities and the culture. Having the opportunity to practice the skills I had learned in the classroom prior to applying to a full-time position was extremely important to me; as well as being in an environment where the students are genuinely excited not just about their own successes, but also about those of their peers.

How has the McCombs community helped you to adjust to your new home?  The McCombs community has been great! Before school even started, I attended two of the MAP trips and met so many amazing people. And since then, there have been endless opportunities to go to other events including football tailgates, new restaurants, concerts, and so many other activities to get together with your classmates and explore Austin.

Any advice for other Chicagoans thinking about attending McCombs? Definitely come visit campus! And talk to as many current students as you can. Ultimately, you can read all you want about the culture of each school on their website, or Poet&Quants, but the best thing about McCombs is that once you get here, you can see that everything that is said about the culture being inclusive, and collaborative, and having amazing people, are ALL true. And you will leave here thinking that as heartbreaking as missing two Chicago winters would be; McCombs is where you need to be.

Any advice for folks that are going through the application process?

  1. You will get through it, and it will all be okay. It’s a long process and the GMAT is the worst, and the essays seem endless, but it is absolutely so worth it in the end.
  2. Definitely take culture/fit into consideration as you’re deciding where to go. Just because it looks great on paper, it may not be the best for you; so make sure you visit and see for yourself what each school has to offer and  meet the people that could be your future classmates and friends!

What is your favorite Austin or Texas tradition/food/etc. you’ve discovered since attending McCombs? Definitely the live music. There are bands everywhere, just waiting for you to come listen. It’s incredible. And as far as food goes I’m not going to limit myself to breakfast tacos, but tacos of all kinds here in Austin are delicious, and there is a pizza place called Via 313 that found the perfect balance between deep dish and hand tossed pizza. You need to go, and you won’t regret it.

Any advice on things to do prior to starting school (after they are admitted)? Take time off!! Relax, take a trip, do nothing. Just stop working and give your brain a break.

Favorite memory of Chicago:  St. Patrick’s Day 2012 – one of Chicago’s biggest holidays. March had come and it was still fully winter, knee length puffy parka constantly in tow, and the forecast looked worse than usual. Long story short; it ended up being 80 degrees and one of the sunniest days Chicago has likely ever had before June. I think every single person who lived  in the city came out to celebrate for whatever reason they wanted that day. The river was packed, spirits were extremely high, and the optimism for summer in Chicago was in full swing! It was by far, one of the most amazing, surprising, and fun days I had  in Chicago.

Anything else that you would like to share? Take advantage of everything the city  has to offer before you move, it is SUCH an amazing place!

royal-addisName: Royal Addis, MBA ’17
Pre-MBA Residence: Modesto, CA
Undergrad: University of the Pacific, Engineering Management
Previous Job: Go-To-Market Project Manager, E&J Gallo
MBA Concentration: Strategy & Innovation

Why did you choose the Texas MBA program? For many reasons- but what really stood out to me was the reach of the Texas MBA alumni network and the school’s strong employment connections with Bay Area technology companies.

How has the McCombs community helped you to adjust to your new home?  Without a doubt it has been the encouragement and support received from the 2nd year MBA students and MBA program staff. They continually go out of their way to inspire students and make us feel at home as we transition into “MBA life”.

Any advice for other San Franciscans thinking about attending McCombs?  Don’t let the thought of being in the middle of Texas frighten you! Austin may not have the beach, Dolores park, and wine country right in its backyard…. but we do have Lady Bird Lake, Zilker Park, Hamilton Pool, and Barton Springs just to name a few. Check them out!

Any advice for folks that are going through the application process? Take any opportunity you get to connect with school alumni and learn from their personal experience- it’s never too early to reach out! Alumni can be a fantastic resource during the application process and can help paint a more well-rounded picture of an MBA program.

What is your favorite Austin or Texas tradition/food/etc. you’ve discovered since attending McCombs?  It has to be UT Football tailgates- I’ve never seen anything like it!

Any advice on things to do prior to starting school (after they are admitted)?  Take some time off away from your job if you can.  Core classes will be upon you soon (i.e. “winter is coming…”)  so relax, recharge your batteries, take time to connect with friends and loved ones, and get ready to hit the ground running!

Favorite memory of San Francisco:  Being in the city when the Giants won the 2010, 2012, & 2014 World Series!

Anything else that you would like to share?  I believe that the relatively smaller program size of ~270 students is an overlooked benefit and differentiating factor for McCombs. This results in a tight-knit community where you have ample opportunities to not only get to know almost everyone in your graduating class, but many of the people in the classes above and below you as well

To register for a Roadshow or see all our upcoming events, please visit the Texas MBA events webpage. Hook ’em!

Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Row, Texas MBA at Houston ’07

August 31, 2016 / / Comments Off on Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Row, Texas MBA at Houston ’07

maggie rowSince graduating from the Texas MBA at Houston Program in 2007, Maggie Row has been helping to provide high-quality cancer care to patients around the world through her work at MD Anderson. Her MBA education provided her with new insights into the healthcare industry, and not only gave her the skills to become a better leader, but a better healthcare provider as well.

 

We recently caught up with Maggie to see what she’s up to and to learn about her reasons  #WhyMcCombs.

What were you doing before you decided to pursue an MBA?

I was the medical director for the Emergency Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center and a practicing emergency oncology physician.

Why did you decide to pursue and MBA and why did you choose McCombs?

Upon completion of my residency in 1994, I decided to pursue an MBA. I always enjoyed business, in fact, I did the accounting for my dad’s business while I was in high school and college. At MD Anderson, I’ve been given many different leadership opportunities and I felt that the additional skills I would gain would help me to be a more effective leader.

I chose McCombs because of the excellence of the program and the opportunity to stay in Houston –the program was literally two blocks from my house.

What was the most valuable lesson — inside or outside of the classroom — you learned while completing your MBA?

Time management. My children were in kindergarten and first grade when I started my program at McCombs and I was also working full-time at MD Anderson. I had to be very disciplined, so I was able to be a mom, while at the same time being a wife, a student and a physician leader.

How has your McCombs MBA experience helped shape your success?

I think a business background is essential for a well-rounded clinician. The knowledge I learned in business school has been useful in every faucet of my job, even with direct patient care. This expansion of my skill set allows me to see medical issues, both business and clinical, from a different viewpoint. The ability to understand the financial and economic aspects of health care decisions has been a valuable asset.

What is your current position at MD Anderson?

I am currently Vice President of Operations for the MD Anderson Cancer Network. Our network works with hospitals and health systems around the world to help provide high-quality cancer care to patients in the communities where they live. In my role, I’m responsible for making sure that the exceptional care we provide here at our Texas Medical Center campus is integrated into our network member sites.

What do you love about your job?

I love that I’m helping cancer patients receive better care by extending the knowledge from MD Anderson to oncologists worldwide.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I spend time with my family – Jim, my husband, and children, Catalina (16) and Billy (15). We are either traveling, running, golfing, going to movies or just hanging out at our pool in Houston.

What advice do you have for future Texas MBAs?

Enjoy your undergraduate experience and learn as much as possible about life and the opportunities available for your future. I didn’t know what I was going to be doing when I graduated from college. Taking the time to work and obtain additional education helped me gain the tools I need to navigate my career.

The Texas Working Professional & Executive MBA Class of 2018!

August 25, 2016 / / Comments Off on The Texas Working Professional & Executive MBA Class of 2018!

The Texas Working Professional & Executive MBA programs are currently ranked #7 and #17 in the country by U.S. News & World Report,  making McCombs #1 in the thriving state of Texas! At McCombs, working professionals and aspiring executives are able to to work full-time while earning their MBA from a globally-recognized brand within a network of award-winning faculty and accomplished students and alumni making a real impact around the world.

The Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas MBA at Houston,  and Texas Executive MBA programs welcomed a total of 239 new students to our campuses in Austin, Dallas and Houston this month! Get to know more about our incoming Class of 2018*:

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Student Profiles:

The Couples – Sarita Choudhary/Rohit Rana and Lane Robbins/Alex Lowe

The Dallas/Fort Worth program has two couples in the Class of 2018! Sarita and Rohit have known each other since childhood in India, they got married, they came to the United States from India together and they work together at Ericsson where Sarita is a solutions architect/team lead, and Rohit is a solutions manager.

Alex and Lane will be getting married during the program; they even waited to get the 2016-2017 class schedule before setting a date! These two have known each other for a long time growing up in northern Virginia, but Alex went away to college at SMU and Lane stayed close to home at James Madison University. They reconnected after college and Lane moved to Dallas to join Alex. The rest is history.

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Student Profiles:

George Timbrell

A self described recovering New Yorker, George has been adjusting to the Houston culture well!  He moved to Texas last year after the sale of his firm to Wunderlich Securities. He travels to the firm’s current 33 offices and help advisors deliver attractive investment ideas and solutions to clients.  He provides guidance on alternative investments such as hedge funds, private equity, direct investments and real estate to over 300 financial advisors through his team. George enjoys cycling, music and art and has been having a great time exploring those hobbies in the Houston area.


Emy Hernandez

Emy has been advocating for education since her senior year in high school.  Coming from a family where her parents had 6th grade educations and worked hard labor jobs, she often balanced helping the family and working to be successful in high school.  Emy currently manages programs with Houston ISD to help ensure Latino/a students are able to manage the college application and funding process. Educator and self-described “happy Latina lesbian,” Emy Hernandez is a huge advocate in the LGBTQ world. After getting to know her students, she realized the great need for LGBTQ support on campus and helped establish the Force Allies, the school’s first club dedicated to increasing awareness about the LGBTQ community.

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Student Profiles:

Richard Metzger

Richard was a distinguished naval graduate from UT Austin and served as a Navy Lieutenant in the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Red Seas. After finishing his duty, he joined the family construction company in Houston and is currently VP over sales, marketing and safety. His love of UT runs deep, as well as his love of the water. He’s a certified PADI Master Scuba Diver specializing in spearfishing and wreck diving and is also a member of REEF – dedicated to ocean conservation. He’s also a Sunday school teacher and a church Deacon and he volunteers at Church Under the Bridge in Houston.


Karen Garrido

Karen has had a long career in corporate finance and treasury. She’s currently Finance Manager at AET, Inc., a petroleum logistics company headquartered in Singapore, where she is responsible for financial/tax reporting for entities in Norway, Brazil, UK and US.  Karen commutes from Houston to Austin for classes and is a dedicated mom of three daughters who are now in college, and also passionate about volunteering for local non-profits in Houston. She’s also pumped about going to football games with her new classmates!

Learn more about how you can join the next Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas MBA at Houston or Texas Executive MBA class by checking their our admissions processes.

Hook ‘Em!

Where In The World Are The Texas MBAs?

August 19, 2016 / / Comments Off on Where In The World Are The Texas MBAs?

As a Texas MBA, you gain access to endless opportunities to travel across the United States and around the world. The Texas MBA Program and the McCombs School of Business strives to expose its students to new cultures and ideas to better prepare them to be effective business leaders who act ethically and responsibility within a global context and think strategically at an international level.

This summer, students from our Full-Time, Evening, Executive, Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth programs traveled across the country to participate in internships, explored foreign countries while gaining new world perspectives, and made some amazing memories along the way.

Check our their adventures and see for yourself #WhyMcCombs, or learn more about the hands-on learning opportunities available at McCombs here.

Texas Evening MBA Global Trips: 
Morocco, Peru/Columbia, Portugal, South Africa, Vietnam/Thailand, Romania/Moldova, Shanghai

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Class of 2017 Evening MBAs at Orheiul Venchi in Moldova

TEMBA 2017 Johannesburg, South Africa

Class of 2017 Evening MBAs at SuperSport in Johannesburg, South Africa

TEMBA 2017 in Lisbon

Class of 2017 Evening MBAs at Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, Portgual

Texas Evening MBAs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Class of 2017 Evening MBAs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Evening 2017s in Ko Phi Phi Thailand (Ban Thai)

Class of 2017 Evening MBAs in Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand

Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth Global Trips:
Morocco, Peru/Columbia, Portugal, South Africa, Vietnam/Thailand, Romania/Moldova, Shanghai

Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs at The Bund in Shanghai, China

Class of 2017 Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs at The Bund in Shanghai, China

Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs in Lisbon, Portugal

Class of 2017 Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs in Lisbon, Portugal

Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco

Class of 2017 Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco

Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs in Madrid, Spain

Class of 2017 Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs in Madrid, Spain

Class of 2017 Dallas/Fort Worth MBAs Prasanth Bathae and Kelsey Leigh on the The Great Wall of China

Texas Executive MBA International Seminar:
Beijing, China

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Class of 2016 Executive MBAs in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China

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Class of 2016 Executive MBAs Attending a Business in China Seminar at Beijing University

Class of 2017 Executive MBAs at the Shanghai Hongqiao Rail Station

Class of 2016 Executive MBAs at the Shanghai Hongqiao Rail Station

Class of 2017 Executive MBA Nathaniel Mayfield at The Great Wall of China

Class of 2016 Executive MBA Nathaniel Mayfield at The Great Wall of China

Class of 2017 Executive MBAs at the Forbidden City in Beijing, China

Class of 2016 Executive MBAs at the Forbidden City in Beijing, China

Texas MBA at Houston Global Trips:
Morocco, Peru/Columbia, Portugal, South Africa, Vietnam/Thailand, Romania/Moldova, Shanghai

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Class of 2017 Houston MBAs Making New Friends in Morrocco

Houston MBAs at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa

Class of 2017 Houston MBAs at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa

Houston MBAs at Muay Thai Live in Bangkok, Thailand

Class of 2017 Houston MBAs at Muay Thai Live in Bangkok, Thailand

Houston MBAs in front of the Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal

Class of 2017 Houston MBAs in front of the Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal

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Class of 2017 Houston MBAs at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco

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Class of 2017 Houston MBAs in Shanghai, China

Texas Full-Time MBA MAPS Trips:
Galapagos Islands, Tanzania & Austin Day Trips

Class of 2018 Texas Full-Time MBAs

Class of 2018 Texas Full-Time MBAs on the McCombs Adventure Program Wine Tasting Day Trip in Fredericksburg, TX

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Class of 2018 Texas Full-Time MBAs on the McCombs Adventure Program River Tubing Day Trip in New Braunfels, TX

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Class of 2018 Texas Full-Time MBAs on the McCombs Adventure Program BB& & Brewery Day Trip in Taylor, TX

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Class of 2018 Texas Full-Time MBAs on the McCombs Adventure Program in Tanzania where they partnered with Building Bridges Worldwide to construct a new complex for a local school

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Class of 2018 Texas Full-Time MBAs on the McCombs Adventure Program in Tanzania where they partnered with Building Bridges Worldwide to construct a new complex for a local school

Texas Full-Time MBA Summer Internships

Texas Full-Time MBAs Apple Interns

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Apple Interns

Texas Full-Time MBA Delta Air Lines Interns

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Delta Air Lines Interns

Texas Full-Time MBA Taylor O'Brien Interning at EA (Electronic Arts)

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Taylor O’Brien Interning at EA (Electronic Arts)

Texas Full-Time MBA Microsoft Interns

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Microsoft Interns

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Class of 2017 Full-Time MBAs Nicole Smith, Snehin Arambhan & Andrew Hodge Interning at Salesforce

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Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Patrick Swelgin Interning at Google

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Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Karen Madera Interning at IBM

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Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Deloitte Interns at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium

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Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Aaron Huffman Interning at Boeing

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Dell Interns

Texas Full-Time MBAs Moni Jane and Kevin Chen Interning at the Dr Pepper Snapple Group

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBAs Moni Jane & Kevin Chen Interning at the Dr Pepper Snapple Group

Class of 2017 Full-Time MBA Amazon Interns

Alumni Spotlight: Becky Bui, Texas Evening MBA ’09

July 29, 2016 / / 2 Comments

Since graduating from the Texas Evening MBA Program back in 2009, Becky Bui has joined the team at Facebook and relocated to Dublin, Ireland to head up their Mobile Gaming team for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In the pursuit of taking risks to find success, she co-founded FocalPop, an online marketplace, during her time in the MBA program. Now, when she’s not exploring the world with her family, she’s working on developing Facebook’s business with companies such as Social Point, Game Insight and Pretty Simple.

We recently caught up with Becky to see what she’s up to and to learn about her reasons  #WhyMcCombs.

What were you doing before you decided to pursue an MBA?

I had spent most of my career in advertising agencies, consulting brands on their marketing and advertising strategies.

Why did you decide to pursue and MBA and why did you choose McCombs?

My career had been going well but I felt I needed a more well-rounded view of the business world in order to better understand my clients’ businesses and to open up additional opportunities in the future. McCombs was an obvious choice for an outstanding education as well as access to a strong MBA alumni network. The Texas Evening MBA Program was especially appealing, because I wanted to continue working full-time in Austin while pursuing my MBA. I applied to other programs, but halted the process as soon as I received early acceptance to McCombs!

What was the most valuable lesson — inside or outside of the classroom — you learned while completing your MBA?

The importance of taking risks. I am naturally pretty risk-averse and, in hindsight, I had not grown as quickly in my career because I had always played it safe and avoided failure. At McCombs, I was able to explore the New Venture Creation program and started a company with my classmates, which was an incredible experience. I also watched my classmates regularly take risks with confidence and have pushed myself to do the same ever since.

How has your McCombs MBA experience helped shape your success?

As mentioned, the New Venture Creation program and Texas Venture Labs helped me to launch a start-up called FocalPop coming out of school. This was an incredible learning experience and helped me take an entrepreneurial approach to my work, both professionally and personally. Having the McCombs MBA on my resume also helped me to move into a leadership role at Facebook, an incredible opportunity that likely would not have happened without the Texas MBA.

What have you been doing since getting your MBA? What is your current position?

FB-f-Logo__blue_512For the majority of my time since getting my MBA I’ve worked in leadership positions within the Global Marketing Solutions group at Facebook. I spent four years leading retail and eCommerce teams in the U.S. and the last year leading the Mobile Gaming team for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).

What do you love about your job?

There are many things I love about my job, but if I have to narrow it down to a few:

1. I love working for a company that is having an incredible impact on the world. When I started, Facebook had around 700 million monthly active users and now we have nearly 1.7 billion.
2. I have really enjoyed being on the front-lines of a fundamental shift in marketing, particularly in the mobile space.
3. In the last year I’ve had the opportunity to live abroad, travel to 20+ countries, and truly learned how to conduct business with a global lens.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I enjoy exploring the world with my husband, Ben, and my three-year-old, Berkeley. (And soon a baby boy will join the adventure!) Together, we started the Dublin chapter of Little Helpers, a service organization for families, so we spend time planning service events and volunteering with the kids. I also just launched a podcast in order to highlight stories of successful female leaders. It’s called She’s a Boss Podcast and is available on iTunes and the Stitcher Radio App. Follow the show on Facebook to be informed of new shows or to suggest more amazing women I should feature.

What advice do you have for future Texas MBAs?

Make time to invest in relationships with your professors and classmates. Your network will always be important throughout your career and the Texas MBA Program provides a unique opportunity to form relationships with a diverse group of talented people. Take advantage of it and make the effort to stay connected after your graduate.

The Texas Full-Time MBA Class of 2018

July 21, 2016 / / Comments Off on The Texas Full-Time MBA Class of 2018

The Texas MBA Program is currently ranked #16 in the country by U.S. News & World Report, making McCombs #1 in the thriving state of Texas! The McCombs network is over 495,000 strong and consists of faculty, students, and alumni making a real impact around the world.

The Texas Full-Time MBA Program received more than 2,500 applications this past year and is excited to welcome the Class of 2018 to the Forty Acres this August! Get to know more about our incoming full-time class*:

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Student Profiles:

Colin Hogan

Colin is a native Texas & SMU graduate working in the Bay Area as Associate Brand Manager for Ubisoft Entertainment, the world’s third-largest video game publisher. He was a member of the two-person launch team for South Park: The Stick of Truth and four-person launch team for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. While he enjoys working in the gaming universe, Colin hopes to become a brand/product manager in an industry such as consumer packaged goods, retail, or tech, and make his way long-term to a VP of Marketing role. His wife is also joining the Longhorn family and starts the Masters of Education program this fall!

Ashley Hemphill

Ashley is a New Orleans native & LSU graduate who has been working in Shanghai for the past two years living out every little kid’s dream – working for Walt Disney.  She’s a Senior Financial Analyst for Imagineering, and has managed the budget for projects like “Mickey Avenue” and “Gardens of Imagination.” (Shanghai Disney just opened this June!)  She’s excited to come back to the states to enjoy some good Tex-Mex food, watch some college football, and pursue her dream of becoming a high-level executive in corporate strategy for a major global resort company. She is also a Forte Fellow and looks forward to becoming involved in Board Fellows and the China Business Association.

Joey Martin

Joey has been an officer in the Marine Corps since 2006, piloting the KC-130 Hercules transport plane. He’s lived in Afghanistan, California, and has most recently found himself in Newburgh, NY, where he spends his spare time with his wife and daughter, Elle. He’s also an ordained minister, so if you’re in need of a wedding officiant, Joey is your guy!  He hopes to pursue a career post-MBA in the healthcare consulting field, and has a passion for diabetes research and technology improvement.

Nina Hitchins

Nina comes to McCombs from Sydney, Australia byway of Boston, MA. After earning a degree in Resource Economics from the University of Sydney, she began her career as an economist working for the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics.  Most recently, Nina has served in a Senior Analyst role at NERA Economic Consulting. Her background as an energy policy advisor and energy consultant has given her an appreciation for the role of business in achieving both profitable and conscionable outcomes. Nina is convinced that the path to a clean economy will be paved by business, and she wants to be one of the architects.  Post MBA, Nina will position herself to become a clean energy strategic advisor and eventually an executive of a global renewable energy firm.

Josh Berrington

Josh was born and raised in southern California. He attended California State University – Stanislaus where he was a scholarship student-athlete playing on the men’s baseball team while discovering his love for marketing. He became highly passionate about healthy food CPG marketing and has spent his career as a brand manager for California Natural Products (CalNaturale Svelte) and Solazyme. Last year at Solazyme, he led the launch of the world’s first algae-based cooking oil into retail stores. His passion for food and entrepreneurship led him to create and refine an innovative food startup called Q’ello. During the 2015-16 application cycle, Josh entered this startup idea into the TVL Scholarship and walked away with the top prize.

Learn more about how you can join the next Texas Full-Time MBA class by checking out our admissions process, and see why the Texas MBA is the greatest value for your money on U.S. News & World Report.

Hook ‘Em!

 

*Class profile statistics for the Texas Full-Time MBA Class of 2018 are subject to change. Final numbers are not available until the 12th class day.

Catch Up with the Texas MBA on Social Media

July 6, 2016 / / Comments Off on Catch Up with the Texas MBA on Social Media

Want an easy way to keep up with the Texas MBA Program? Follow us on social media for program news, event information, application updates,  and all the reasons #WhyMcCombs!

 

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See What We’ve Been Up To This Summer

#TXMBA Consortium Class of 2018 #WhyMcCombs Photo by @chelleschenk

A photo posted by Texas MBA (@utexasmba) on

Photo Credit: www.launchandhustle.com

Alumni Spotlight: Justin Key, Texas MBA ’16

June 30, 2016 / / Comments Off on Alumni Spotlight: Justin Key, Texas MBA ’16

Despite having just walked the stage two months ago, recent Texas MBA graduate Justin Key is already well on his way to leaving his mark on the tech world. Prior to his time at McCombs, Justin had an idea for an app that would allow friends to compete against each other while watching Netflix by answering trivia questions pertaining to a specific show or movie. As a part of the Class of 2016, Justin was able to make Plot Guru a reality. AAEAAQAAAAAAAAR4AAAAJDRmZGE5Zjc3LWI1YjctNGViYi1hMGZhLTJmOGQ3ZjUwZmRkOAHe and the rest of the Plot Guru team launched the app in November 2015 and have already had tremendous success. In order to continue to develop his entertainment tech skills, Justin recently made the move to Seattle, WA to embark on a new exciting adventure and join the team at Amazon.

We recently caught up with him to see what he’s been up to since graduation and to learn about his reasons  #WhyMcCombs.

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA and why did you choose McCombs?

After six years in consulting I was ready for a change. I had been working on a startup idea on the side for some time, and was looking for a program where I could pursue a top-tier graduate education while also pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. I found the experiential opportunities at McCombs to be just what I was looking for. After visiting the campus and getting a sense for the student culture I was hooked – no pun intended!

What were you doing before you came to McCombs for your MBA?

I was a strategy consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers for about six years. I spent the latter three years based in their Zurich, Switzerland office, and was based in Washington, D.C. prior to that.

What was the most valuable lesson — inside or outside of the classroom — you learned while completing your MBA?

Two things: The value of hands-on experience and the importance of networking. Both are instrumental in getting a job and succeeding once you’re there.

How has your McCombs MBA experience helped shape your success?

The MBA Program gave me the opportunity to explore new career paths, including entrepreneurship, while I was still in school. The classroom experience was important, but the opportunities that McCombs gave me outside the classroom really helped prepare me for the next stage in my career.

Tell us a little bit about Plot Guru. How did you come up with the idea for it?

Plot Guru is all about making the television-viewing experience more interactive. Our app syncs with the show you’re viewing online and sends you games and trivia in real-time based on what you’re watching on-screen. The idea for Plot Guru started during a weekly gathering of friends to watch one of our favorite shows. Before the episode started we would always compete to see who could guess what would happen next in the show. At some point my wife suggested, “What if we made a game out of this?” The rest is history.

What is your role at Amazon and what will you be working on?

AmazonVideoDirect_200I recently started a new job as a Sr. Product Manager at Amazon. I’m working on a new platform called Amazon Video Direct, which is a self-service program for content creators, such as independent film makers, to make their content available to stream online through Amazon Video. I’m really excited to use my experience in strategy, technology and entertainment to help small film producers get their content in front of millions of viewers on Amazon Video.

What else have you been up to since you graduated from McCombs, outside of work?

I’ve been pretty busy with the move up to Seattle, starting the new job and continuing to work on Plot Guru in my spare time. Besides all that, I always make time for travel. In the past couple months I’ve visited seven states and two countries!

What advice do you have for future Texas MBAs?

Figure out what you’re interested in and get as much hands-on experience in that area as possible! Take on MBA+ projects, fellowships, internships, and independent studies. You’ll never have a better chance to try out new things like you will during your time at McCombs.

The 2016 Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference

June 23, 2016 / / Comments Off on The 2016 Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference

From Stacey Kammerdiener, Senior MBA Admissions Officer 

Over 400 businesswomen descended upon Austin, Texas this past weekend for the 2016 Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC)! The event is orchestrated annually by the Forté Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on connecting & empowering women in business, and providing access to business opportunities and education. This year, The University of Texas at Austin had the pleasure of hosting these women in our own backyard at the AT&T Executive Hotel and Conference Center on campus.

The WLC reached a new attendance record this June, with 438 MBA students coming from almost 50 universities across the country!

The conference is geared toward incoming first year MBA students and rising second year MBA students, and gives women an opportunity to network with a plethora of top companies such as Whirlpool Corporation, Cognizant, Hines, Amazon, AT&T, Dow, Boston Consulting Group, IBM, and Wells Fargo.  Our MBA ladies took part in conference prep in the months leading up to the WLC so that they could make the most of the opportunities presented. These prep calls coached first year students on resume writing, networking with the company recruiters, and provided advice on how to follow up with leads generated at the conference.

The McCombs School of Business and the Texas MBA Program had the highest number of students in attendance (Hook ‘Em!) with 45 incoming and current MBA students from all our programs. The Class of 2018 newbies had the opportunity to meet one another before orientation in August and our incoming Forté Fellows also had the chance to meet each other at a reception on Thursday evening hosted by Dimensional Fund Advisors.  Additionally, thirteen Texas MBA alumni volunteered for panels & networking with current MBA women.

Texas MBA ’02 alumna and CMO of RetailMeNot, Marissa Tarleton, spoke on the challenges and opportunities of being a woman marketing executive. CEO of Austin-based startup Shipping Easy and Texas MBA ’94 alumna Katie May was featured on a panel about entrepreneurship. McCombs staff were also featured presenters at sessions such as “Leveraging Social Media for Your Career,” and the Texas MBA Graduate Women in Business organization (GWIB) hosted a fun happy hour on Saturday afternoon.

Join Us for Our Next Women’s Event in Austin!

Networking with and learning from so many successful and driven women is nothing short of inspirational. If you are making your plans for fall, our 2016 Women’s Forum registration is now open. Future women MBAs are strongly encouraged to attend this exclusive event to network with current students and alumni, meet McCombs faculty and staff, and attend info sessions about curriculum, career planning, experiential learning, and life in Austin, Texas.  Apply Now!

We look forward to seeing you soon. Hook ‘Em!

McCombs Students Venture to Houston for Healthcare Innovation

May 9, 2016 / / Comments Off on McCombs Students Venture to Houston for Healthcare Innovation

For many people, the first few things they think of when they think of Texas are the energy market and BBQ. However, Texas is also home to some of the finest medical centers and research facilities in the country, and is quickly becoming a hotbed for healthcare innovation. With the forward-looking Dell Medical School opening up this summer, the future of healthcare looks very optimistic.

Group at TMCx

The MBA Healthcare Association at TMCx

SO, in the midst of cramming for corporate finance finals, finishing human capital papers, and PowerPoint decks for strategic marketing presentations, the MBA Healthcare Association decided to take a break and trek down to Houston, TX to check out the Texas Medical Center’s TMCx accelerator and innovation labs, and Johnson & Johnson’s Innovation JLABS facilities.

The TMCx accelerator is a 4-month program that helps healthcare startups by providing offices, co-working space, and professional services to help develop and grow their business model. They even actively foster relationships between the accelerator companies and  providers at the Texas Medical Center! We toured their highly modern co-working, office and education spaces, all solely devoted to healthcare companies. We also met one of their accelerator companies, Braincheck, who is developing a digital cognitive assessment tool. After chatting with them about their time as a healthcare startup and their experience in the TMCx accelerator, they quickly turned us into test subjects for their product!

JLABS

The Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS

Moving next-door to JLABS, we were blown away by the size and modernity of the facility. Wandering through, we explored the 35,000+ square foot, state-of-the art laboratory and healthcare technology development equipment. Companies that pass the selective application process can rent out this space at an extremely reasonable rate of $1,000 per month, with JLABS creating an environment that enables these companies to focus 100% of their attention on their product development.

Touring these two facilities was not only educational and enjoyable, but also eye-opening to how healthcare innovation and product development are changing. Clearly, good times are in store for the companies at TMCx and JLABS – we can’t wait to see what’s next!

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