Meet Foster’s MBA Class of 2018

James Souza

Foster School of Business, University of Washington

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Driven, dynamic Thai food enthusiast capable of completing relatively mundane tasks with terrifying efficiency

Hometown: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Fun Fact About Yourself: Through a leadership position that I held in college, I was fortunate enough to have lunch with Warren Buffett. His brilliance is astonishing, and he is incredibly hilarious as well!

Undergraduate School and Major: Creighton University, Economics & Finance

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

• ConAgra Foods – Associate Financial Analyst
• Target Corporation – Business Analyst, Sr. Business Analyst, Supply Chain Project Lead

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Collaborated with a group of extremely talented individuals to design and execute the inventory conversion plan for the $2B divestiture of all Target pharmacies nationwide.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants?

• Reflect. Before even opening a pamphlet or starting to study for the GMAT, I strongly recommend that you set aside a substantial amount of time to genuinely reflect upon your strengths, weaknesses, passions, current career path, future career aspirations, and (most importantly) WHY you might require an MBA to get from where you are now to where you want to be. Once you identify your answers to those questions, the entire application process will be much smoother and easier.
• Do your research. Each program has their unique strengths and focus areas, so do your homework and connect with students and alumni of the schools that interest you most. I would also urge you to start by considering your most preferred post-MBA careers, along with the people that you want in your network, and then proceed from there to create your set of target schools that fit your criteria.

• Dedicate yourself to the GMAT. Your score will likely be the single most important (and most controllable at this point) variable on your applications, so absolutely dedicate as much time and effort as you need to get your target score. Take tons of practice tests, focus on pacing and improving upon your weaker areas, be confident, and go crush that thing. Be willing to take it multiple times if necessary as well.
• Be thoughtful. Remember that the admissions process is a two-way street. Treat your target schools as though they are applicants for the job of teaching you, because that’s really what they are. You deserve to attend the MBA program that best fits your needs, so look beyond the rankings, visit the schools that you’re interested in, and select a school where you could envision yourself thriving.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Foster’s location in Seattle was very appealing to me from the beginning. Seattle is a vibrant city that offers tons of culture, a multitude of extraordinarily successful major companies, and a robust startup scene. I was also drawn to Foster’s combination of small class size and highly selective admissions, which has created a tight-knit super community of smart, dedicated, creative individuals. During my visits to campus, I connected with students, faculty, and alumni — all of whom were so gracious and accessible —and I could just tell that Foster was the best place for me. At the end of the day, Foster simply provided everything I was looking for in an MBA program, set in an awesome city in the Great Northwest.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Upon graduation from Foster, my goal is to work as a management consultant with a major firm in the Pacific Northwest. This type of a role within consulting would give me the opportunity to find solutions to complex problems, build meaningful relationships with business leaders in the area, and allow me to further develop my analytical and leadership skills while working on high-impact projects.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? After our time at Foster has come to an end, I would hope that my business school peers describe me as fun, ambitious, and as someone who did everything he could to ensure that we made Foster an even better, more incredible place than it was when we arrived!