Meet The Minnesota Carlson MBA Class Of 2025

At the corner of Midwestern charm and an A+ education is the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, where the possibilities are endless. Students can either kick start their business career, continue their career, or switch up their career entirely. 

MBAs frequent the vibrant streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul, known as the Twin Cities. Originally from India with a consulting background, Shagun Shukla says, “This city of ten thousand lakes is a great place to learn and earn because the Twin Cities offer the highest standard of education along with Fortune 500 companies, which are great places to work.”

Not only are Minnesota Carlson MBAs gaining exposure to a job market filled with Fortune 500 giants like Target, 3M, and UnitedHealth Group – but they’re diving into a world of endless career possibilities across diverse industries, where you can be who you want to be.

An avid skier, Logan Grayson says “I love the ambiguity. Whether through the school or in the local areas, there is always something new and exciting going on. I enjoy being spontaneous and trying new things. The Twin Cities and Carlson really give you the opportunity to do that.”

Outside of excellent job opportunities, MBAs frequently enjoy exploring the scenic parks and lakes as well as the Twin Cities’s thriving arts scene. 

WHAT ATTRACTED THEM TO MINNESOTA CARLSON

When it comes to choosing a program, there are a seemingly endless number of options, and Grayson chose Carlson for a few reasons. “The first is the school’s tremendous veteran support,” he says. Being a veteran, it was important to Grayson that he attend a school that recognized and supported her and her experiences. 

The second reason he chose Carlson is for their huge entrepreneurship community. “The Twin Cities area is well known for its creation and support of hundreds of startups each year and Carlson is at the center of it all. Throughout my time in Minneapolis, I have had the chance to experience and contribute to this community. Whether it’s through enterprise programs, resources, or unique start-up classes, the school actively fosters this community,” he adds. 

An entrepreneur with a passion for innovation, MD-MBA student Maurice Hicks wanted a program that was going to help him deeply understand the medical industry and how to innovate within it. “With Carlson’s Medical Industry Leadership Institute (MILI), there was no better choice for my MBA. I have already learned so much through MILI’s network of medical industry alums and the high quality, informative programs where we have learned from a variety of them,” he says. Hicks is very excited to take his MILI classes next semester, and looking forward to all he will learn.

Minnesota Carlson also offers a wide array of studies, and one particularly sought-after niche among students is agribusiness. A native of Nigeria, Ore-ofe Olakunbi is a seasoned veterinary doctor with much experience in the food and agribusiness industry. “Carlson was one of the few business schools with this distinct specialization, which aligns with my long-term goal of being a major global food producer,” he says.

The other reason Olakunbi chose Minnesota Carlson is because of their commitment to diversity. “This often extends to an international perspective, providing students with opportunities to collaborate with classmates from different countries and engage in global business initiatives, because understanding diverse cultures and global markets is vital in today’s interconnected global business landscape,” he continues. 

CARLSON’S STAPLE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM

A staple of the Carlson MBA is their Enterprise programs, where MBAs spend a year doing hands-on projects in one of four areas: Consulting, Branding, Ventures, and Funds. 

Olakunbi is excited to be a part of the Brand Enterprise because of the unique opportunity to practice consultancy. “Unlike traditional project-based student consultancies, CBE operates as a professional services firm, offering an unparalleled opportunity to work with senior management at top companies on high-level, strategic marketing and business challenges,” he says.

Originally from Southern California, Zane MacPhee comes from a family of entrepreneurs, and he has chosen the Funds Enterprise route. “I’ve spent most of my career evaluating underlying fundamentals, projections and performance of baseball players and Funds is a great application of that worldview to the financial markets,” he notes. “I’m excited to be fully immersed in the equities market and exposed to the full spectrum of the asset management world- from individual company analysis and research to portfolio management and client relations.”

A lifelong learner passionate about redefining the business of medicine, DivineMercy Bakare has opted out of pursuing an enterprise to instead focus on the MILI specialization alongside some of her classmates. 

HIGHLIGHTING THEIR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

Bakare says her biggest accomplishment in her career thus far has been establishing a mentorship program to increase diversity in surgery by recruiting surgeons to mentor medical students who are underrepresented in medicine. Her biggest accomplishment as an MBA student has been changing her perspective. “I had no business education, so I was apprehensive about starting the MBA program from scratch,” she says. “On starting, I realized I wasn’t at zero. My experiences at previous jobs, leadership positions, and medical knowledge were appreciated and valued in the classroom.”

So far in his career, Olufemi Odumosu says his greatest accomplishment has been being the Financial Controller overseeing operations in West and Central Africa for GEA Group. With over ten years of experience in professional practice and consulting, he was awarded the Sands Fellowship at Minnesota Carlson for launching Aspire-X, a social impact initiative. “Aspire-X provides essential skills to underrepresented ethnic groups, aiming to bridge diversity gaps and address the talent shortage in US finance and accounting,” he says. 

Mei Yee Chew has worked in the education sector for ten years. During her time at her last job, Teach For Malaysia, she persevered through a time where the program she was leading risked being suspended due to lack of approval from the Ministry of Education. “I led my team and the participants through this challenging period and found an alternative approach to the program, which has led to the continued sustainability of the organization for that cohort and future cohorts,” she says. 

As an MBA, she has found a way to balance all the responsibilities she carries, which include academics, being both the 1st Year DEI representative within the MBA Association and a Managing Partner of Graduate Volunteer Consultants. 

“It really comes down not doing everything to perfection but identifying what’s important in each responsibility (80/20 rule) and always checking in on my capacity, not comparing myself to what others are doing,” she adds. 

BEST MEMORIES AT CARLSON

One of Chew’s best memories so far has been spontaneously driving an hour-and-a-half north to try to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights with 15 of her classmates. “For me, it represented comradery and how we are collectively chasing something as we pursue our MBA. What’s important isn’t necessarily the outcome (we didn’t get a strong sighting) but that we did it together,” she says.

From South Korea, Young Ma has worn many hats – with both a marketing career at Ecolab, and eight years in the Army as a Patient Administration Specialist and a Platoon Sergeant.  “My best MBA memory is organizing the inaugural MBA Ping-Pong tournament with fellow MBA classmates,” he says. 

“Over 30 players participated, creating unforgettable memories. Ping-pong became a significant part of our class, offering healthy and fun ways to stay mentally and physically healthy during demanding times from classes and the job searching processes.”

A standout moment for Samuel Anderson, who’s undertaking his MBA side-by-side with his wife Lena, came from learning the depth of the Carlson network. Over the summer, he met a recent Carlson graduate working in investment banking services in the Twin Cities,. Despite his hectic schedule, he generously mentored Anderson weekly, preparing him for investment banking interviews. 

“His commitment mirrored the support he once received during his MBA, showing how strong the culture of support is at Carlson,” says Anderson.

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR FUTURE MBAS

For future Carlsonites, Anderson has some words of wisdom: “My advice: extensively research your career objectives well in advance. Identify your career needs, network with key industry players, and establish a timeline to keep you on course,” he says.

Anderson also notes that the initial semester of the program is pivotal, and if you’re still exploring career options, it’s easy to lag, so it’s best to adopt a proactive approach to stay ahead early on.

Lena Anderson is from Puerto Rico. She loves working alongside her husband, Samuel, who is her classmate. The two are enrolled in the Funds Enterprise, and she is thrilled to attend Target’s Financial Leadership Development Program this summer. “The Carlson School of Management is a small program. This is a benefit for applicants because it allows you to create a close relationship with Carlson students and faculty before your admission process begins,” says Anderson. 

“If you reach out to current students, we would be more than happy to help review your application or conduct mock interviews. We like to empower individuals to succeed and if you join our community that will be an ongoing support that you will receive until graduation and beyond,” Anderson adds.

From Florida, Mollie Dube is an extremely driven leader, and she’s looking forward to learning more about how to bring products to market. “It’s ok to desire a career change but to not know exactly what that looks like for you yet!” she advises. “Be yourself, ask questions, seek out opportunities and doors will open for you.”

Next Page: An interview with Assistant Dean Phil Miller and in-depth profiles of 12 members of the Class of 2025.