Meet Ohio State’s MBA Class Of 2019

Matthew Rosebaugh 

The Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am passionate about changing the world through small positive interactions in decentralized networks.

Hometown: Youngstown, OH

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a certified helicopter instructor pilot, which is weird because one of my biggest fears is heights!

Undergraduate School and Major: United States Military Academy, Bachelors of Science in Military History

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: 

United States Army – Helicopter Instructor Pilot

United States Army – Operations Manager / Senior Aviation Consultant (Platoon Leader)

United States Army – Executive Director (Company Commander)

United States Army – Training and Development Consultant

Big Voice Video – Director of Veteran Business Outreach

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As the Executive Director of the only graduate-level Chinook helicopter training organization in the United States Army, I was tasked with the strategic goal of increasing our training output with no additional resources. Through in-depth data analysis and outside of the box thinking, I led the effort to increase our student output by 49% in one year.

Although some analysts speculated that we had over-extended our efforts, I developed a culture of winning through adversity that led to innovative solutions to complex problems, improved communication throughout the organization, and increased teamwork by all stakeholders. Despite sometimes insurmountable odds, this led to a 100% graduation success rate, all while reducing average training time 11% and saving $1.3M in the budget.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? I think my greatest advice would be to figure out what makes you different. I have mentored several people who have struggled with this because they feel they do not have the “right” story to tell. Looking back on our careers, we all have done amazing things through capitalizing our strengths and overcoming adversity, but we may not think it is good enough. Sometimes, the “right” story is just telling the admissions team how you have overcome that hardship throughout your life to achieve success. Coming to business school is a chance to change your trajectory in life. It will not be easy. Your essays, recommendations, and interviews should all capitalize on what has developed you into the person you are today, and how that drive and experiences will lead you to be a successful leader in your MBA and beyond. Each one of us is unique, and you should focus less on what you think the admissions team wants to hear, and focus more on being yourself.

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? As I was transitioning out of the Army, I was torn between getting a job to start my next career or completing an MBA program. I knew that I wanted to make a difference in this world, but was lost in how to make that happen.

In October of last year, I attended a Fall Preview Day at Fisher and was immediately blown away by the professionalism, warmth, and care of the admissions staff. Hearing Professor Shashi Matta (the MBA Faculty Director) talk about the Global Applied Project, a course that prepares students for international business through an immersive, hands-on consulting experience in a location outside of the United States, made me realize that making a global difference was not 10 years down the road. I chose the Fisher College of Business that afternoon, because I knew that it was a school that not only cared for me and my growth, but focusing on how each student could make an impact as they graduated from the program. I immediately knew this was what I should be doing with my career.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I hope to have a more global view of how the business world operates by successfully engaging the excellent core curriculum at Fisher. I also want to make an international impact through Fisher’s Global Applied Projects. I hope to have created a growing network of contacts through engaging the many international and domestic students in the Class of 2019. Through these experiences, I will have selected an internship that not only capitalizes on my strengths, but allows me to make a difference in this world. Additionally, I hope to have continued to grow my passion for helping the Veteran community through volunteering and working at non-profits to engage and change the lives of those transitioning out of the military.

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