Meet Georgetown McDonough’s MBA Class of 2019

Washington DC Capitol Building

BELTWAY BECOMES TECH GATEWAY

For a dean itching to engage the best in the world, Almeida couldn’t ask for a better locale than Washington D.C. Wall Street and Silicon Valley may symbolize America’s bullish might and egalitarian future, but the Beltway is home to the power brokers who ultimately pick winners and losers — who gets what…and in what amounts. That’s why you’ll find heavyweights like Fannie and Freddie, Lockheed Martin, Capital One, Northrup Grumman, Marriott, and Hilton headquartered in the area. Not to mention, every major name and industry maintains a presence in the capitol in one form or another.

That’s just the start. In August’s Inc. 5000 list, the DC landed 324 companies among the fastest-growing privately-owned firms, the second-largest concentration from any metro area. Notably, DC is becoming a burgeoning ecosystem for cybersecurity and clean energy firms. How is this for a startling statistic?  70% of internet traffic runs through Northern Virginia (thanks to the Federal government bankrolling internet tech during its inception), making it a tech hub like no other. Not surprisingly, the DC area ranked 4th for the quality of its tech workforce according to a 2017 CBRE study.

McDonough faculty and administrators have worked tireless to capitalize on this remarkable opportunity. “The Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative at the McDonough School of Business connects our students to Washington, D.C.’s thriving entrepreneurship community,” points out Malaviya. “McDonough offers our MBAs numerous options to connect with the D.C. entrepreneurship and tech communities, including our partnership with the 1776 incubator, our team of entrepreneurs-in-residence who serve as mentors and advisors to our students, and our engaged alumni who are leaders in the entrepreneurial and technology spaces.”

Such efforts have also yielded results, adds Malaviya. “In recent years, we have seen an increase in the percentage of students entering both the technology space or starting their own businesses, with tech now coming in third in industry job placements after financial services and consulting.”

This explosion in DC-area tech and entrepreneurship has caught the attention of first years. “McDonough’s connection to the local tech community and continued growth of the entrepreneurship initiative were resources that would help me achieve my goal of working in the technology space,” observes Hwang.

YOU WANT TO COME OUT OF CLASS “THRILLED”

That isn’t the only advantage to studying at Georgetown, however. Tahira Taylor, a 2017 grad who was among five MBAs selected worldwide for a WPP MBA fellowship, also lauded McDonough’s DC-area alumni network for showering perks like a pass to a Congressional Ball. However, the network also became intimately involved in her career growth as well. “The network also allowed me to seek out unique volunteer opportunities, partner with nonprofits and NGOs, and get up close and personal with Super PACs and other lobbying entities,” she adds. “The Georgetown D.C. MBA network gave me an inside look at the inner-workings of the business and politically elite.”

The 2017-2018 school year marks the 60-year anniversary of McDonough’s founding (with the MBA program starting up in 1981). Home to nearly 16,000 alumni, the program holds a special place for Dean Almeida. “I’ve taught at other schools and have done guest lectures at other schools and the idea of creating an almost magical classroom experience is not as prevalent elsewhere as it is at Georgetown,” he observes. “It’s almost an expectation that you come out of class each time feeling thrilled — both the students and the teachers.”

As he begins his first year, Mitchell, for one, is looking forward to some of this McDonough magic. He has already charted out an ambitious path informed by Cura Personalis. “I think success would mean that I’ve developed a solid foundation in the fundamentals of business, forged strong and valuable relationships with my fellow classmates, built and grown new opportunities to enhance the McDonough experience for its students, and continued to hone my vision for my future as a business leader who will create net gains for society. McDonough promises to provide a transformational experience for its students, and it’s that positive transformation that I hope to be well on my way toward achieving after my first year.”

To read profiles of incoming McDonough students (along with their advice for tackling the GMAT, applications, and interviews), click on the student links below.

DON’T MISS: MEET GEORGETOWN’S MBA CLASS OF 2018 OR THE PIONEERING MBAs OF THE CLASS OF 2019