Tricia DiGirolomo

Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business

“I am joyful, fun-loving, and always up for a new challenge!”

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was fortunate enough to be both a NCAA National Champion and a First Team All-American for women’s lacrosse during my undergraduate athletic career.

Undergraduate School and Major: Salisbury University, Dual Degree: Accounting and Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Videology, Senior Accountant II

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  Passing the CPA exam while working 70+ hours a week.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Diverse. My classmates are from all different professional backgrounds, from all over the world. It makes the sharing of knowledge and ideas so interesting. Every day you are exposed to something you’ve never heard of before.

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? Babson’s entrepreneurial and wholesome approach to business is what led me to choose this program. They offer a large amount of customization in the program, and the faculty members are so dedicated to helping you succeed. As soon as I visited, I knew this was the place for me.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I really hope I’m lucky enough to participate in the summer venture program this year. It is an intensive experience where you use the summer to focus on growing your entrepreneurial venture. The Blank Center in general offers amazing activities!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? After several years working at a venture back technology company, I decided that my long term goal was to start a venture capital fund focused on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle innovation. I knew that to achieve this goal, I needed time to explore entrepreneurship further. The MBA seemed like a great place to start.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? I looked at the MBA as taking a bet on myself. I am confident that it will be worth every penny I’ve invested and more.

What other MBA programs did you apply to?  I also applied to Wharton, University of Maryland, and Georgetown.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I based a large part of my decision on the available curriculum at each school. It was important to me that the school have a strong entrepreneurial focus. I also significantly valued experiential learning opportunities. I learn best by doing, so I wanted to be sure I had plenty of exposure to my interests. Finally, I visited each campus to assess cultural fit. I wanted to feel at home wherever I was headed.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Moving to Boston to pursue my MBA was definitely a defining moment. I think it has reinforced what I have tried to practice my entire life. If you push yourself out of your comfort zone and persist, good things will come!

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I plan to pursue a venture of my own both during school and after graduation. But most of all I just want to be happy and love what I am doing, whatever that is!

Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I see myself running my own company, and raising money to start a venture capital fund focused on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.