Meet Georgetown McDonough’s MBA Class of 2019

Sean Kumar 

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Aspiring portfolio manager. Rock guitarist. Auto enthusiast. Hockey fanatic. Chess player. Ex-strategy consultant. Travel buff.

Hometown: Princeton, NJ

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am an avid musician and love to write, play, and produce music. Before moving to DC, I worked on a new single that will be released this fall!

Undergraduate School and Major: Carnegie Mellon University, Information Systems

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: 

Senior Consultant, Financial Services Strategy at Ernst & Young

Analyst at J.P. Morgan

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was recognized by Ernst & Young for outstanding performance five times in under three years. I won three “Bravo!” awards for above and beyond contributions on client engagements. On these engagements, which were typically 3-4 week rapid assessments of current state revenue generation or profitability, I added value by critically analyzing strategic decisions, delivering high quality work products on time, and establishing strong relationships with clients. I was also nominated for one “Better Begins With You” award for pursuing innovation, where I designed, and led a team of five to develop, an analytics tool that was later patented by EY and leveraged globally. In addition, I was promoted to Senior Consultant after only one year of consulting experience.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Start early. There are a ton of moving parts in the application process and you want to give yourself ample time for each. For example, you need about three months for GMAT prep, but adding in some buffer time will give you an opportunity to improve performance on your weaker subjects. Giving yourself extra time for essays will allow you to have stronger iterations and a more diverse group of peer reviews. Additional time for interview prep will allow you to pressure test your story and be able to peel the onion on any aspect. Create a timeline that is feasible and commit.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?Georgetown’s values revolve around holistic education. I am attracted to not only the core business knowledge aspect, but also the school’s general commitment to learning and social responsibility. From a knowledge perspective, I am excited to further my understanding of key subjects, e.g., finance, marketing, economics. I also believe successful leaders are lifelong learners, and that taking an open-minded, generalist approach to education can be advantageous. Regarding social responsibility, business leaders have an obligation to advance society and I respect the significance Georgetown puts on community outreach and global standards. Given the intersection of my beliefs and McDonough’s mission, I think the school is a great fit and hope to thrive in such an environment.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Success after my first year of business school would include an internship in an equity analyst role, involvement with the graduate investment fund, and a stronger network in the asset management industry. I also to plan to continue my progress in the CFA program. These activities should help make a case for my career transition and drive me towards my aspirations in portfolio management.