Meet Emory Goizueta’s MBA Class of 2019

Sakinah Watts

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Avid reader, podcast lover, food nerd, big sister extraordinaire.

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Fun Fact About Yourself: In college, I completed a Cirque du Soleil style aerial arts course, performing at heights of over twenty feet!

Undergraduate School and Major: Spelman College; Economics

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Customer Account Specialist, Business Management Associate, and Business Planning Associate (Trade & Pricing) at General Mills

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am most proud of my work managing a multimillion-dollar program aimed at making our trade investments with retailers and distributors more profitable. With cross-functional stakeholders, high visibility, and the opportunity to steward a crucial relationship with an international team, the responsibility stretched me and accelerated my professional development. This project enabled me to use my analytical skills and creativity to make an impact on the business, realizing in the process that I have a passion for working on products that impact households nationwide.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Though I had initially considered applying to business school the year prior, I deferred my business school application process after being offered an opportunity to join a new team in a cross-functional role. My advice to future applicants is to remain open to new promotions or job offers if these responsibilities ultimately allow you to bring more knowledge, perspective, and skill to the classroom. Take the time to weigh which opportunities are worth the wait!

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? During my application process, I visited six campuses to learn more about their MBA curriculum and experience campus life first-hand. Though all had phenomenal academic programs, it was critical to me that I choose a program that not only provided the means to enable a career transition, but also fostered an environment in which I could develop and flourish. I knew an inclusive environment would enable me to confidently make a positive, substantial impact within my program, in the community, and at my future workplace. Seeing individuals with diverse backgrounds holding the most senior positions within the business school cemented Goizueta’s commitment to diversity for me.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Three of Goizueta’s hallmark features are its global Mid-Semester Modules, IMPACT Program, and outstanding job placement rates. Being able to take part in these immersive experiences alongside my classmates and transition into a product marketing internship would make my first year a definite success.

Related Stories In Our Meet The Class of 2019 Series: 

The Pioneering MBAs In The Class of 2019

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business

Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management

London Business School

University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business

Notre Dame University Mendoza College of Business

UC-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

New York University Stern School of Business

University of Texas-Austin McCombs School of Business

University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business

MIT Sloan School of Management

University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business

University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Columbia Business School

INSEAD

Yale School of Management

University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business

Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management

UCLA Anderson School of Management

HEC Paris     

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School

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