Meet Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Class Of 2018

Daniel Fraser Johnson

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am a passionate reader, traveler and student of the world.

Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Fun Fact About Yourself: Prior to enrolling at UNC Kenan-Flagler, I traveled to Cuba with a group of friends from Spain to study emerging entrepreneurship in the hospitality and restaurant industry.

Undergraduate School and Major:

• Boston College- BA Communication Studies and Philosophy
• University of St. Thomas- M. Ed Teaching Leadership

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

• KIPP Houston Public Schools; Fourth Grade Literacy Teacher and Grade Level Chair; Houston, TX
• Teach For America; Recruitment Manager; Boston, MA
• Initiate Development Education and Service High School; Lead Instructor; Beijing, China

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has been having the privilege to mold the minds of underserved youth in the U.S. by teaching at a KIPP charter school in Houston, and by recruiting some of the most talented college students in the U.S. to join the fight for educational equality – one of the most pressing issues related to social justice of my generation.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? I highly recommend starting the application process well in advance. If possible, I believe that applicants should begin the process more than a year in advance of applying to business schools. Additionally, applicants should strongly consider their fit with the programs that they apply to and ultimately choose to enroll in. It is not all about rankings and average GMAT scores.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I choose UNC Kenan-Flagler because of its collaborative Carolina culture, the heavy emphasis placed on leadership development in the program, and because the teaching faculty that genuinely cares student development and learning.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? When I was teaching in Texas as a Teach For America corps member, I read a book that transformed my view of business, Conscious Capitalism, written by Whole Foods Co-CEO John Mackey. I believe business can and should work to transform society by investing in communities, employees, and sustainable environmental practices. Ultimately, I hope to join an organization that operates with a conscience and help them grow their business in a marketing or business development role.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I’ve learned from MBAs that the relationships that you build in business school are some of the most important in your career. Therefore, I’ve set a goal to build high quality relationships with my entire business school class of about 300 at UNC Kenan-Flagler. As I am someone that is transitioning into business school from the non-profit sector, I hope to keep my passion for social change alive as an MBA student. I hope to leave a strong impression on my peers that I am someone who is passionate about leveraging business to transform society for the better.