Meet the HEC Paris MBA Class Of 2019

Nicole Pense 

HEC Paris 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  A passionate, risk-taking travel junkie who seeks to understand what truly motivates people.

Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I once founded and ran a hip-hop style dance fitness studio in addition to my day job. It was a great workout, a ton of fun, and a whole lot of work.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Westmont College (Santa Barbara, California)

Bachelor’s in Economics & Business and International Political Science

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

IBM

• Portfolio Manager
• Business Systems Analyst

NTT Data Consulting

• Consultant
• Principal Consultant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While consulting for a top U.S. bank, I led a data team through a data transformation initiative for a major regulatory settlement. Despite tight timelines and constantly changing requirements, we gathered data from multiple systems and delivered a cohesive package for the regulatory agency, resulting in the justified reduction in millions of dollars of regulatory fines for the bank.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? If you’re passionate about a particular school, make an effort to connect with admissions early and often. Take advantage of any profile reviews they may offer, and attend as many online information sessions as you can. If the school offers in-person admission information sessions, be sure to attend, even if it requires a short flight and a hotel stay to get there. In the grand scheme of things, the opportunity to confirm that the school is a good fit and to affirm your interest with admissions officers will be money well-spent.

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? The HEC Paris MBA is one of the top MBAs in the world, and the name recognition within Europe and elsewhere played a large part in my decision. But what really set HEC Paris apart for me was the vibrant student life. As one of the oldest business schools in the world, HEC Paris has developed long-standing traditions and a sense of connectedness that I felt other schools often lacked. The student body is overwhelmingly international, which I believe will enable me to learn more about other cultures and develop worldwide friendships.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Success to me would be working for a top consulting firm in Europe that focuses on solving some of the biggest challenges in exciting industries.