Meet UCLA Anderson’s MBA Class of 2019

Jennifer Ojeh  

UCLA, Anderson School of Management 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Extroverted introvert and self-proclaimed global citizen with a contagious laugh.

Hometown: Richmond, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I practically lost my voice belting out tunes with three of my best friends at Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s On The Run Finale show in Paris. I’m a HUGE Beyoncé fan.

Undergraduate School and Major: Stanford University; Science, Technology & Society

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Visa

Business Associate, Consumer Prepaid Marketing & Partnership Development

Senior Business Associate, Mobile Product Marketing

Associate Marketing Analyst, Corporate Marketing

Daimler

European Product Management, Mercedes-Benz

WePay

Product Marketing Manager

Senior Product Marketing Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I led the market launch for WePay’s first ever mobile hardware product, acquiring three new enterprise accounts forecasted to yield over $1MM in annual net revenue. I was honored to be awarded Best Team Player and Most Valuable Player by the VP of Sales & Marketing for my efforts quarterbacking all aspects of the launch.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  The GMAT is an important aspect of the admissions process. Like Aaliyah said, “If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.” There’s absolutely no shame in taking the GMAT two, three, or even four times – especially if you find your score improving with each attempt. Most top programs will only consider your highest composite score and the admissions committee looks favorably upon candidates who invest the time and resources to increase their competitiveness as an applicant.

That said, there is such a thing as taking the GMAT too many times and letting it consume you. Give it your best couple of shots, then have the faith to walk away and focus your attention on other aspects of your application that are in your control, such as essays and recommendation letters. After all, these are the components of your file that will add dimension to who you are as a person and best represent your unique contributions to the business school community.

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?  There are so many great reasons to choose Anderson, but one of the most salient factors for me boils down to location. Staying in California for business school was the ideal marriage of what I wanted both personally and professionally. I would be close to my family, there would be minimal disruption to my husband’s career, and I would continue to have direct access to the industries I found most appealing. I couldn’t be happier at UCLA Anderson. My older sister lives five minutes away, my parents are an hour flight away, and opportunities to engage with leading tech and CPG companies are only a few steps away. The year-round perfect weather is an added bonus.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Authentic leadership. Unbreakable friendships. Confidence to approach new challenges.