Meet UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Class Of 2020

Sam Polino

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

“Passionate, data-driven clean-tech nerd dedicated to advancing innovative solutions for renewable energy proliferation.”

Hometown: Severna Park, Maryland

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m an avid runner and have completed two marathons: The Baltimore Marathon in 2015 and the D.C. Rock & Roll Marathon in 2018. I hope to complete another before leaving Chapel Hill.

Undergraduate School and Major: Boston University, Environmental Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Solar United Neighbors – Director of Solar Cooperatives

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Nonprofits are almost always constrained financially and struggle to find capacity for growth. While in my last position, I helped build out data management tools and analytics to help us quantify our impacts faster and with more accuracy. When I started in 2015, there were only back-of-the-envelope estimates of our impacts and yearly projections. Putting numbers behind our engagements in terms of solar systems installed, people educated, and political actions taken substantially boosted our ability to covey success to funders and our broader supporters. I can now confidently say I was part of an organization that helped over 3,000 people install solar systems across the country and continues to grow every day.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Drive. My peers have widely different backgrounds, personalities, and perspectives, but each is focused on how to get to the next step in his or her career. What sets UNC apart, however, is the “Carolina Way.” Kenan-Flagler fosters a sense of community and collaboration among its students to harness this drive to benefit the class, not solely the individual. This is the Carolina Way. My classmates have already shown tremendous support for one another and I’m ecstatic to be a member of such a united group.

Aside from your classmates, 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? Kenan-Flagler’s focus on energy and sustainability drew me to Chapel Hill. Professionally I aim to remain in the renewable energy industry and I knew Kenan-Flagler’s energy concentration, clubs and classmates would further enrich and broaden my understanding of the complex and dynamic industry.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am most excited to join the Energy Club. Having spent my entire life on the East Coast, I am looking forward to the energy trek to San Francisco and case competitions across the country. Second-years in the club coming out of internships will be a tremendous resource as I navigate the recruiting process and weigh different academic paths.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? As I began to take on more responsibilities at my previous employer, I recognized the gaps in my skillset from effective management to financial analysis. While I realized I am on the younger end of MBA candidates, I felt prepared to take on the new challenge of business school and to take my professional career to the next level. In the end, I couldn’t think of a reason to wait.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? Having worked at a nonprofit of only 25 people in a variety of different roles, I realized I lacked a set of core business skills. An MBA was an ideal opportunity for me close this gap and make a professional jump at the same time. An MBA at Kenan-Flagler also provided a unique opportunity for me to continue to focus within my industry and build out a new skillset for my future career path. The future career possibilities with an MBA made returning to school an easy decision.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Duke University-Fuqua, University of Michigan-Ross, University of Virginia-Darden, Yale University-School of Management

How did you determine your fit at various schools? What helped the most was taking a step back and asking myself the hard question of what is most important to me in a business school. You cannot begin researching programs and writing applications without first understanding what you are looking for and what is most important to you. I prioritized schools with a concentration and other resources that aligned with my desired career path and industry. Next, I researched programs and spoke with current students and alumni with shared career interests. Online resources like Poets & Quants and the schools’ websites were also excellent places to narrow my search.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment occurred when I studied abroad in Ecuador in college. While in a remote rainforest, I and eight other ecology students drove through several oil extraction sites and witnessed the complete destruction of pristine environments. I thought to myself, “There has to be another way to meet our global energy needs.” Upon returning to Boston University, I enrolled in a renewable energy minor and have focused my career in that direction since. That moment in Ecuador peaked my interest in energy and I have been in love with the fascinating and increasingly complicated industry since.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I plan to continue to work in the clean-energy industry, but transition into the private sector. I am fascinated by data analytics and its impact on decision-making, so I hope to land in a role that pairs data and strategy with a company focused on the advancement of renewables.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself as a leader in the clean energy space. I hope to position myself as an industry expert with tangible work history that I can point to that made a difference. At the end of the day, I want to do something that matters and makes the lives of others better.