Meet The Oxford Saïd MBA Class of 2016

Diversity is another strong theme across both Saïd’s structure and curriculum. Historically, the school pulls students from every populated continent and works meticulously to build a class void of large student blocs from one region, let alone academic and professional backgrounds. It is the one of the hallmarks of the Saïd experience in general – and the 2016 Class in particular – says Dana Brown in a statement to Poets&Quants.

“The incoming class…come(s) from impressive and diverse backgrounds, each and every one demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities and potential for positive impact in their careers. Our larger MBA class this year is academically as strong as in past years, with an average GMAT of 690, and graduates from top educational institutions around the world. We are excited that this year’s class has students from 56 different nationalities and a wide range of backgrounds and career aspirations. We treasure the diversity of our MBA class and…prepared a series of workshops and activities during our MBA Launch to bring the class together and to start a year long journey of collaborative learning and personal and professional growth at Oxford.  Faculty and staff at Oxford Saïd have worked hard to prepare for the incoming class and to ensure that every student has an outstanding experience on their MBA.”

Overall, 31% of the 2016 Class are women, a stat that lags behind both LBS and Cambridge Judge at 37% each. The school has not yet released its stats on the undergraduate majors and industry backgrounds of the incoming class. Traditionally, however, STEM and business majors have accounted for two-thirds of the classes, with financial services, consulting, manufacturing, technology and non-profits comprising another two-thirds.

SAÏD STRONGLY INTEGRATED WITH THE REST OF OXFORD

Beyond its entrepreneurial smorgasbord, big picture focus, and global cohort, Saïd also offers a one-year program that reduces opportunity costs and gets students quickly back into the work world. Students also have the option of taking a second year through the school’s 1+1 program, where they can complement their MBA with a Master’s of Science degree that gives them more in-depth expertise in particular fields.

While Saïd’s emphasis on the global and the future may seem overly academic, it is popular among employers. According to Forbes, Oxford MBAs enjoy a $95,000 five-year gain over their pre-MBA earnings. Not to mention, Saïd alumni gave their alma mater the highest scores in Bloomberg Businessweek’s most recent MBA rankings. This translates to better alumni access and support once  students graduate.

But it’s not just the business school where MBAs can expect a strong network at Oxford.  In electives, students are taught by members of the school’s 38 other schools, ranging from literature to engineering. Here, students are exposed to problem-solving models from other fields, which only widens their perspective and sharpens their decision-making. “Oxford University offers an unparalleled learning environment through its college system, which allows you to connect and mingle with the brightest minds of all sciences,” writes Switzerland’s Andreas Glinz, who has spent his career in finance.

SOME LOOKING TO EXPAND THEIR TOOLKIT – OTHERS FINDING THEIR PATH

As the Class of 2016 settles in, they each come with their own vision for their time at Oxford – and for themselves. Herrera Indacochea is looking forward to working alongside his peers. “My main goal is to widen my problem-solving scope, by working with students from different professional and cultural backgrounds. I also believe that the experiences working with different local and international projects will help me achieve this goal and understand how to make bigger and long-lasting impacts in the organizations I belong to professionally and as a volunteer.”

Similarly, McGrath plans to add depth and polish to his already formidable skill set. “As global markets become more complex and volatile,” he writes, “having command of the “global CEO’s toolkit” – people, capital, information and technology – will become ever more important.  I look forward to getting much smarter on all four of these dimensions and applying each to help build our global firm.”

On the other hand, Alexia Doyamis, most recently an analyst at Deutsche Bank, is still finding her way – but knows exactly where she wants to end up.”My biggest fear for next year is that there just won’t be enough time to do everything I want. In actuality this is entirely possible! The program and the university have so much to offer, and choosing what to prioritize will certainly be a challenge over the first few months. Ultimately, because I want to change careers after finishing my MBA, the biggest achievement for me would be to set out next September confident in my career trajectory, armed with the knowledge and skill sets acquired over the past year to get me there.”

To read profiles of incoming Oxford Saïd students – along with their advice on tackling GMAT, applications, and interviews – click on the student links below.

Zachary M. Bucheister / Manhattan, New York

Alexia Doyamis / Garden City, New York

Talisa Jane Du Bois / Johannesburg, South Africa

Andreas Glinz / Zurich, Switzerland

Juan Gabriel Herrera Indacochea / Lima, Peru

Tana Jambaldorj / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Matt McGrath / Brookline, Massachusetts

Deborah Owhin / London, UK and Effurun, Nigeria

Leon Zabel / Berlin, Germany