Meet Arizona State’s MBA Class Of 2019

Michelle Slifcak Villa 

W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  I’m fun-loving, curious, a learner through and through, and have traveled the world.

Hometown: Woodstock, Georgia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I can speak Ukrainian, thanks to living and teaching English in Ukraine for almost two years!

Undergraduate School and Major: Kennesaw State University, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Peace Corps Volunteer: TEFL Ukraine ’12-’14; Manager, Continuum Communications and Systems: Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth ’14-’16; a brief stint at a dog treat company as their Procurement Analyst in 2017.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Getting into the full-time MBA program at W. P. Carey for sure!

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  I took a $125, six-week GMAT prep course at a local community college that was an absolute game changer for me! They can be really hard to find, but it’s absolutely worth it to call all of your local community colleges to see if they offer a reasonably priced course like this one. Don’t pay for those ridiculous $1,000 courses when you can get the same thing for much cheaper.

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?  Hands-down, the fit of the program at the W. P. Carey School was my No. 1 motivating factor (having a full-ride scholarship through the Forward Focus program sure doesn’t hurt either!). There’s a reason why the Forward Focus MBA at W. P. Carey has helped the university earn No. 1 in the nation in innovation (U.S. News & World Report) — you see it right off the bat during orientation. You KNOW you’re getting a dynamic, unique, and highly effective business education. I didn’t want to get the same exact experience you can get from any other MBA program.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Getting an internship at one of my target companies, such as Google, Microsoft, or Mercedes Benz!