Why pursue an MBA (or dual degree) at this point in your life? What actions have you taken to determine that Stern is the best fit for your MBA experience? What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation?

“America is living in spin.” After watching the movie “Thank You for Smoking,” I knew what I wanted to do with my life: not become a lobbyist, but be the brains behind influencing consumers. Following graduation I joined Prophet to gain first-hand experience in understanding consumers.

At Prophet I have held four positions and worked with the world’s biggest CPG firms. I have learned about the research that develops marketing strategies, the need for dynamic approaches to compete, and the importance of relationships in forwarding initiatives. While I have learned so much, I desire to be closer to the products. I crave the ownership and execution that comes with brand management and am seeking a new challenge to push me beyond my comfort zone of analytics and recommendations. My ultimate desire is to be the CMO for a CPG company such as Unilever or L’Oréal. To attain this leadership position I hope to join the company following graduation as an assistant brand manager. An MBA is a prerequisite to this transition, and I am ready to shift my career. I have gained a thorough understanding of the CPG industry from Prophet, now I must broaden my business acumen, strengthen my global perspective, and hone my marketing and leadership skills to drive my career forward.

While an MBA is a prerequisite to my goals, I am seeking more than an MBA. I specifically want the Stern MBA as it uniquely provides academic rigor and a collaborative culture, all while being at the center of the bustling, cutting-edge environment that is New York City.

I first learned about Stern through Brenda Smith (Stern MBA ’99 alum) whom I consider both a mentor and an inspiration. Brenda is the type of leader that I hope to be: devoted to her team, engaged with her clients, and constantly seeking growth. In discussing my desire to obtain my MBA, Brenda shone light on her experience, opening my eyes to the natural fit that Stern would be for me. Brenda stressed Stern’s strong mix of both analytical and interpersonal learnings that guided the development of her leadership style; this instantly piqued my interest, and as I have researched further, I have become increasingly excited about Stern’s Leadership Development Initiative. I look forward to taking Leadership Models and practicing these classroom learnings in Leadership Simulations to refine my approach. I plan to apply these models in extracurricular pursuits such as leading the Graduate Marketing Association, which would allow me to continue refining the leadership tactics that will serve my pursuit of CMO.

Having spoken with Stern recruiters at the Forte Forum and the MBA Women’s Joint Discussion, I was energized as they spoke about the diversity of opportunity available at Stern. MBA fairs were yet another moment where I recognized that Stern would be the best fit for me. I value that Stern invests in a diverse set of specializations; I would like to specialize in Marketing, Product Management, and Global Business as I believe this unique combination would prepare me to one day run a multi-national consumer goods organization. My online research also opened my eyes to Stern’s distinctive course set, which illustrates to me that studying marketing at Stern is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Unique classes like Luke William’s Creativity will train me to apply distinctive messaging to my branding endeavors, allowing me to thrive within brand management. In addition to the diversity of academic experience, Stern offers countless opportunities outside the classroom, which too will broaden my business acumen. Located in the world’s business hub, I want to capitalize on Stern’s unique connection to New York companies – the opportunity to intern at firms such as L’Oréal during the academic year would provide me with the insider knowledge needed to thrive at these corporations in the future. As strong as Stern’s connection is to NYC, my research also indicated that Stern’s networks expand far beyond New York; I want to take advantage of Stern’s HEC exchange program where I can experience foreign luxury branding and expand my international perspective.

Each opportunity that Stern provides is a stepping stone of development toward my ultimate goal of CMO, and I am ready for this next step. As I’ve taken the time to research, I have come to the resolute decision that Stern is unlike other MBAs – providing unique specializations, thorough leadership development, and year-round connections to the world’s leading businesses. Stern is the best MBA program for me, and is undoubtedly my top choice.