Meet The Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2019

Jorge Tellez 

U.C.-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Adventure-seeking traveler. Always planning my next trip.

Hometown:  Fairfax, Virginia

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I’ve completed two cross-country road trips. Never again.

Undergraduate School and Major:  Virginia Military Institute, History

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:  United States Navy—Surface Warfare Officer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  My most memorable accomplishment occurred when I became the antiterrorism officer aboard a guided-missile destroyer. One of my first tasks was designing a new security training program. Most of the existing training consisted of PowerPoint presentations that neither excited nor properly taught the crew. In order to combat evolving threats, I knew we needed to do more. I gathered my training team, and we created a radical new program that used airsoft guns and drills to produce a more realistic training environment. You don’t learn how to combat a vehicle-borne IED or stop an active shooter by simply reading about it; you learn by doing.

One of my biggest challenges was convincing my commanding officer to let us conduct this training and invest in new equipment. We took a risk by launching an unconventional training program, but we flawlessly passed seven subsequent inspections, delivered program certification three months ahead of schedule, and were lauded by inspectors for operating the best security program on the waterfront.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Start early. Applying to business school can feel like a full-time job. You can make it a more manageable and pleasant experience by developing a plan to tackle each step of the application process separately. It would be difficult to write compelling essays while studying for the GMAT and revising your resume.

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?  I wanted to be surrounded by classmates who would challenge me, support me, and help me develop as a leader. On interview day at Haas, I met people who were motivated, accomplished, and incredibly humble.  I knew I found the right program when current students spontaneously created a victory tunnel for us to run through before meeting our interviewers.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? A successful first year would include securing an internship in the Seattle or Bay Area, building life-long friendships, and traveling abroad with my wife and classmates.