Meet Minnesota Carlson’s MBA Class Of 2019

Aleksander Reinertsen  

Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Creative, active, transatlantic. Loyal, fair, patient, diplomatic.

Hometown: Stavanger, Norway

Fun Fact About Yourself: Have you ever been stuck in a helicopter that’s crashed upside down on water? Me neither. But in case it should happen, I have the relevant training.

Undergraduate School and Major: Integrated Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Process Engineer at Shell

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Working on a successful North Sea secondary oil recovery project that now provides additional earnings in the millions each year. This was while I was in my first role at Shell, and the project was successful both for my team and me personally. In the project, I pushed for a change that ended up saving the project a six-digit amount.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? To non-native English speakers like myself: Work on your language skills. Starting with your GMAT, you will benefit greatly if you proactively work on your comprehension, vocabulary and writing.

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? Having seen first-hand the journey of Carlson students, from their first setting foot on campus to graduating and landing prestigious jobs, I know the Carlson MBA program will provide me with the foundation I need to continue my professional journey. In addition, the stories graduates tell about their time at Carlson are stories of an overall great student experience. The combination of strong academics, the school’s proven ability to really equip students for a career in business, as well as a great environment to study in, made me choose Carlson.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Strong collaboration and a close-knit community among the Class of 2019 MBA students.

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.