Meet Emory Goizueta’s MBA Class of 2019

Claire Pavlak

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Human-driven brand and innovation strategist looking to improve society through business.

Hometown: Rocky River, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: I competed at the 2012 U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials in the 50 meter freestyle.

Undergraduate School and Major:  Emory University, Anthropology

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Prophet Brand Strategy (Associate, Senior Associate); THRIVE Consulting (Senior Design Researcher)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Having a global customer experience innovation project I led be described by a senior leader to her peers as a “seminal” piece of work poised to drive meaningful change across the entire organization. As a consultant, you don’t always know how your work will be used beyond the final presentation so it was incredibly fulfilling to see our work gain immediate recognition and traction.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Have honest conversations with yourself about what you want out of your MBA experience, and stay true to these objectives as you move through the application and decision process. Every school offers something different, and this is your opportunity to find the one that will fit your personality and aspirations best.

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 word that best summarizes my decision to join Goizueta is “access.” Emory offers a unique value proposition of being an intimate community in a major city, and this combination made me feel immediately at home while also providing a sense of limitless opportunity post-MBA. So far, Emory has lived up to this idea of access—I’ve had one-on-one conversations with deans, have met 90% of my classmates, and have connected with alumni who are more than willing to provide connections and assistance as I begin to think about career options—and I’m only one week in.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I hope to balance personal and team triumphs this year by landing my dream internship while doing everything I can to help my peers do the same.