Meet Rochester Simon’s MBA Class Of 2020

Rachel Robinson

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

“Guaranteed to laugh the loudest, volunteer first, and foster collaboration in any team.”

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a ceramicist, white water rafter, and rock climber who has been to Antarctica.

Undergraduate School and Major: Oberlin College – Major: Sociology, Minor: Art History

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), Communications Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I spearheaded CPC’s first rebrand since 1974.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Amazingly collaborative. Simon offers a very supportive environment — don’t get me wrong, there are cut-throat MBA moments as well, but overall, every single person here wants to see you succeed. Because of the small class size, you are able to form deeper relationships with classmates. From sharing internship search resources to helping each other conduct mock interviews, this collaborative environment cannot be beat. Classmates at Simon are interested in everyone’s success, not just their own.

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? I can’t whittle it down to one thing, so I’ll focus on the top two: small cohort size and a truly analytical approach. Simon averages 100 students per graduating class. This small size means that students get unparalleled support from professors, career coaches, and alumni, and are able to build stronger relationships with our classmates. Secondly, I feel that the analytics-based curriculum provides tangible skills for the working world. Managers are expected to back up decisions with data — I know that with a Simon education, I will have a skillset not found in all MBA programs.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Exploring a new city with new friends! Rochester is going through a very cool revitalization period. Coming from real estate, I love seeing communities embrace historic buildings and breathe new life into forgotten spaces. There are some really cool restaurants, bars, and marketplaces where you can sit in a 100-year-old warehouse to enjoy a thoroughly modern cocktail and meal set to live music (thanks Eastman School of Music!).

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? After eight years in the real estate industry, I found myself in a niche role, working for an amazing team at an amazing company. The only downside was that I was ready for a change, and there wasn’t necessarily an opportunity to grow at my company. After many conversations with friends and mentors, I realized that I was craving a formal education and the time to explore new options — not just a new job.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? Because going back to school was about career exploration, I looked into many different types of degrees and programs. After comparing typical jobs, salaries, and career paths, I knew that there were specific MBA programs that offered the opportunities I was looking for. In terms of investment, there are other types of masters programs that cost less, but you also end up with a lower salary after graduation, a limited network, and too specialized of a career path.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Berkley Haas and NYU Stern.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Talking to alumni and chatting with current students on campus offered the best research. For me, culture and fit are the most important factors to success, so I had a very clear idea of what I was looking for. I needed a supportive environment, where alumni and staff go above-and-beyond to support students on their journey. The program needed to be academically rigorous and well respected — if I was going to pay to be in school again, I needed to know I’d be challenged by the coursework. I also knew I wanted a school with a robust analytics program — given the prevalence of big data, I believed this skill set would set me apart in my career.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Four years after graduating from college, my grandmother passed. We were very close, and due to family circumstances, many of the grittier aspects of death fell to me. It was a very introspective time marked by larger decisions than I’d had to make in the past. I realized that I needed change. I quit my job, put everything in storage, and spent six months visiting friends around the world. When I returned to the States, I knew I needed to move on from LA. I moved to NY and networked to understand what my career opportunities were. Within three months, I found a position at the company where I spent the next four years. I learned in that time to never be afraid of change: To listen to my gut, and take a plunge. I also learned to try new things and trust that with research, hard work, and a positive attitude, nothing can hold me back.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? After completing my MBA, I plan to work in a consulting capacity to drive strategic growth either an internal or external point of view. More specifically, I’m passionate about the disruptive impact technology is having in the banking and financial services sector, and hope to pursue that industry.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Leading a cross-functional team in a highly matrixed organization to tackle strategic growth opportunities.

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