Meet Emory Goizueta’s MBA Class of 2018

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Katie Hoppenjans 

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’m a former magazine editor and future brand manager who loves trying new things.

Hometown: Lewis Center, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: I used to write horoscopes for a teen magazine. 

Undergraduate School and Major: BA in English from Columbia University

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Assistant Fashion and Beauty Editor at Bridal Guide magazine (New York, NY); Lifestyle Editorial Intern at Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine (New York, NY)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I don’t think I can ever top the feeling of seeing my writing on the pages of a magazine for the first time. I worked on all of my stories for months, so it was always satisfying to see the finished product.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? When I was working on my essays, I found it helpful to write all of my thoughts down first, walk away for a few days, then come back and edit with a clear head. After a break, it was easier to notice when a sentence didn’t sound like my voice or didn’t support the point I was trying to make. A change of scenery is always helpful too—I wrote all of my essays at a coffee shop, and it probably took me a quarter of the time it would have taken me at home.

If you’re travelling for an interview, make sure you give yourself plenty of time in case anything goes wrong. My flight to Atlanta was delayed the night before my interview at Goizueta, so I didn’t end up landing until about 2:00 a.m. If I could do everything over, I would definitely have chosen an earlier flight!

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Goizueta’s location in Atlanta was a huge draw for me. I was ready for a change after six years of living in New York, but I still wanted to be in an exciting, global city with plenty of job opportunities. Atlanta fits the bill—and the warm weather certainly doesn’t hurt! The intimate size of the program was a major factor for me as well—I love that I can get a world-class business education at Goizueta, but still be part of a small, close-knit learning community.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I’m planning on transitioning to a career in brand management after earning my MBA. I’ve been working in a creative field for the last few years, and I think this will be a good use of the communication and critical thinking skills I learned as an editor.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I would love for them to say that I exemplify the core values of Goizueta, especially the community and team values. The closeness, positivity and diversity of the Goizueta community is what attracted me the school in the first place, so one of my goals for the next two years is to be as helpful and supportive as I can to my peers.

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