Meet Chicago Booth’s MBA Class of 2018

Georgette Monika Mould

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: A humorous humanist with an optimistic outlook on life and a curious open mind.

Hometown: Accra, Ghana

Fun Fact About Yourself: I host a bi-monthly podcast with six friends where we discuss current events and promote critical thinking. We have a lot of fun recording each episode and get to interview a lot of interesting people! The HAGtivist podcast is hosted on iTunes and SoundCloud

Undergraduate School and Major: Ashesi University, Management Information Systems

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Business Manager, The Astrient Foundation; Business Operations Manager at Gemsbury Farms; Project Manager at theSOFTtribe

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: During a time when Ghana’s currency was depreciating and we were experiencing high rates of inflation, I was able to lead my team to re-engineer our software products to provide basic features that enabled us to lower the price points. We were then able to cater to a new target market of small business owners. Instead of paying high fees upfront, small start-ups could access our business software applications by making smaller monthly payments. With the help of our business tools, they were able to streamline their activities and increase revenue and could later afford our value added services that were tailored to their specific needs. This helped our company to win the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre’s Innovative Business Award that year.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? To prepare yourself for the GMAT, give yourself at least two months to practice until you’re comfortable with the questions and the format of the exam. Aim to hit your target score consistently in practice tests, but don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a high score on the actual test on your first attempt. Ensuring that I was well rested and hydrated before the exam also made a big difference.

When writing the essays or going for the admission interview, the goal is to stand out enough to capture and hold your audience’s attention and make a good impression. We all have unique experiences so the best way to do that is to be authentic and personal.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I was drawn to the flexible curriculum, impressive faculty and the Chicago approach. As an international student, I was not able to visit the campus prior to making a decision but I was fortunate to meet a few Booth alumni who helped tipped the scale for me. They were very down to earth and supportive and I couldn’t wait to be a part of the community.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Ultimately I would like to work for myself and build business platforms that will empower disadvantaged communities to tap into the global market. There are so many people, particularly in my native Ghana, that have the potential to be successful and my dream is to help them find opportunities to achieve financial independence.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I would like to have a reputation for being versatile, objective and eager to share my ideas and resources.