Meet Ohio State’s MBA Class of 2018

Brittany Fennel

Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business

Hometown: Dublin, OH

Education

The Ohio State University, Psychology

The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business

Employment:  Case Management Coordinator, Aetna Better Health of Ohio

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: An ambitious, energetic, enthusiastic collaborator, constantly working to be better than I was yesterday

Fun fact about yourself: I am working on becoming a certified spinning instructor!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was selected as a subject matter expert and requested by senior leadership to lead a team responsible for creating documentation to ensure compliance during audits. The desktops that I created set the foundation for compliance with the Health Services Advisory Committee audits and were utilized as daily job aids for case managers. The desktops developed also became a part of the training modules for the MyCare Program which provides services to over 200,000 members in Ohio.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Start the selection process early!  Give yourself time to thoroughly research each school that you are interested in and find a program that fits best with both your short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your personal preferences. Be honest with yourself and be confident in your decision and reasons for wanting an MBA.

Have a mock interview! Being prepared for the admissions interview will relieve a lot of stress during the application process. I found it helpful to invite family and friends who have completed an MBA program to my mock interview. They knew exactly which questions to ask and provided feedback that was helpful when preparing for the admissions interview.

Stay connected with past employers and professors. These relationships promote networking and establishing professional relationships, and are helpful when you are in need of a strong letter of recommendation as well.

Create a realistic study schedule when preparing for the GMAT or GRE and have an accountability partner. Also, be honest about what you need from an accountability partner. For me personally, I know that I am not as productive when I meet a friend at Starbucks to study rather than meeting with a GMAT or GRE tutor at the library. Know what works best for you so that you are making the most of your study time. Don’t freak out if you don’t get your goal score on the first attempt. Practice, practice, practice!

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Diversity and mentorship are two critical aspects I considered when choosing MBA programs, both of which Fisher strongly encourages, but what ultimately led me to commit to Fisher was the culture. There is a stereotype that all business schools are cutthroat and that everyone is in competition with one another, but at Fisher, I felt like I was joining a team. Everyone was so incredibly supportive of one another, and it just felt right. During my selection process it was apparent that Fisher provides an environment that is conducive to building long-lasting relationships, which is very important to me and reinforced my decision to attend.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? My dream job would be working in a collaborative environment for a healthcare company that encourages innovation, integrity and excellence, fulfills my need for challenge, and allows me to contribute in a meaningful way. My dream job would also allow for both personal and professional growth by providing a continuous learning environment and having open lines of communication between all levels of staff to encourage mentorship and development. More specifically, my dream job will allow me to have an impact on the current changes in healthcare and the economy by addressing the issues with access to care, quality of care, and cost containment.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program?  I would like my business school peers to remember me as a hard-working and dependable team player, but also as an easy-going person that is able to have fun.  Balance is key! I would like to build long lasting relationships with my business school peers, not just because we will be spending eight hours a day together for two years, but because I truly believe that collaboration is key to success in any environment.