Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class of 2018

Olivia Sánchez Badini

Yale School of Management

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Multipotentialite

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Fun Fact About Yourself: I used to be a major collector of… stuff. Random stuff! I have collections of antique keys, Barbies with closed lips, post stamps, Snoopies, beach sand, banknotes from foreign countries, and (unopened) special edition soda cans. 

Undergraduate School and Major: BSc. Natural Resources Conservation, University of British Columbia. Master of Environmental Management, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Forests and Communities in Transition (FACT) Lab, The University of British Columbia, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Organizing the largest international forestry student conference in the world back in 2014 – the International Forestry Students’ Symposium!

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Consider investing in re-taking the GMAT/GRE as many times as you need if your scores (especially the quant scores) are not the best they can be. Tips for the test: schedule it for a time when you know you will actually have time to study (I did it during Christmas break). After you learn the material, focus on getting to know the format really well and practicing with questions from the computer (as opposed to from paper). On the day of the test, do a practice test before leaving your house, so that you’re not taken aback and get all flustered when the time starts ticking on the real test! Most important: if you get a question you have no idea about, guess, mark it, and MOVE ON — timing is key.

I had a coaching session before my interview and this was very important for me to feel comfortable and be my best during the real interview! If you do not have access to a professional communications coach, even doing it with a friend helps

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Yale SOM was the natural choice to pursue an MBA, as I was already doing my Master’s in Environmental Management at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and working at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment. During my first semester, the interests that initially brought me to Yale quickly diversified and expanded to point me in this direction, and to realize an MBA would open many doors to have a larger impact. I love Yale so much that the idea of doing one more year here was also very appealing!

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Dream job: something that combines project management, conservation, biomimicry, creative communications, and animal rights

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? Can’t wait to collaborate with her. She is awesome.