Meet Carnegie Mellon’s MBA Class Of 2019

Noah Weiss 

Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Always looking for the next challenge.

Hometown:  Most recently, Los Angeles, CA.

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I started my career as a jazz saxophonist, and as a performer I’ve had the opportunity to play with acts like the Temptations, the Four Tops and James Taylor.

Undergraduate School and Major: Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Jazz Studies: Saxophone Performance

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Azoff MSG Entertainment – Artist Management Representative

William Morris Endeavor – Floater, Music Department

Berkshire Theatre Group – Artistic Planning Associate and Facility Rental Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While at Berkshire Theatre Group, I led a team in designing and implementing a new arts venue called The Garage. The goal was to create an intimate and versatile space where musicians, actors and dancers could collaborate and connect with local audiences while helping the company foster audience growth and engagement with a younger demographic. It was an enriching and rewarding opportunity to develop and launch a venture that continues to thrive today in an underserved community.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? The most difficult part for me was figuring out how to tell my story. I’ve had a winding career path and it wasn’t necessarily obvious how to present it in a way that would make sense to schools and recruiters. I would encourage applicants to step away from the process periodically and assess whether or not your application is ‘on message.’ Consult with friends and family who will have different perspectives and who you know will challenge you.

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? Tepper’s focus on data analytics and leadership development really stands out to me. Given my non-traditional background, I was looking for a school with a strong analytical and quant focus that would not only challenge me but provide me with the best tools to complement my current skill set. Tepper is on point with both of these goals and provides a structured framework for me to address my weaknesses. The school values strong analytical leaders and shares my belief that data is crucial to the business world, and that the ability to accurately (and responsibly) use and interpret data will drive growth, impact and sustainability.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  To me, success will be taking the skills learned at Tepper and confidently putting them into practice. That, or being featured on the front page of Poets & Quants.