Meet The Cornell Johnson MBA Class of 2017

Elizabeth Suspanic

Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Undergraduate School and Major: Davidson College — Religion and French

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Freedom House — Senior Development Associate

A Wider Circle — Marketing & Community Outreach Fellow

French Ministry of Education — Teaching Assistant

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Take your practice exams in one sitting and in as realistic of an environment as possible. It is tempting to divide up the segments over multiple days, but you will ultimately get more out of the practice tests if you try to mimic the actual testing environment. It is also worth practicing with the GMAT’s laminated scratch booklet; it can take some time to get used to.

Based on your own selection process, what advice do you have for applicants who are trying to draw up a list of target schools to which to apply? If you are targeting particular companies, spend some time looking at the school’s employment report to see if they have placed graduates in those companies in past years.

What advice do you have for applicants in actually applying to a school, writing essays, doing admission interviews, and getting recommenders to write letters on your behalf? Before you start writing your essays, think about stories from your personal and professional experiences that you can draw upon in multiple essays — this will save you a great deal of time once you start writing.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I was really drawn to Johnson’s Strategic Marketing Immersion, a program that offers students the opportunity to participate in real-world consulting projects before their summer internships. I am also excited to incorporate sustainability and social impact into my coursework and extracurricular activities through Johnson’s Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I’d like to feel I have gained a mastery of core business competencies, developed strong friendships, and helped support the work of the Women’s Management Council.