Meet Rochester Simon’s MBA Class Of 2020

Wallace Gundy

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

I do all I can to be “the glue” in every new community I join.”

Hometown: Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was eight, my mom discovered I was marked as a male on my birth certificate! My family drove to Morristown, New Jersey’s City Hall to correct this error caused by my gender-ambiguous name. This was a good lesson for all of us about assumptions, and a good reminder to double check that birth certificate before you leave the hospital with a newborn!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Virginia, English Language and Literature

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Director of Financial Aid and Associate Director of Admission, Portsmouth Abbey School, Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I learned how to sell a $60,000-a-year intangible product – boarding high school education – with no guarantees for success for the consumer… a 14 year old high school freshman. I came to understand how to market to the teenage consumer. I learned to find new domestic and international markets where families can afford this tuition and are willing to allow their children to move away from home at a young age. I learned the significance of data-driven decision-making, and how to use that data to differentiate our school from all of the other competitors. I managed a $4.2 million dollar need-based financial aid budget to ensure we enrolled the most qualified students regardless of their families’ financial background.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? They are proud to be at Simon, without an ounce of pretension.

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? The Ain Center for Entrepreneurship, consistently recognized among the best, was a critical factor in choosing Simon. I wanted a school that would foster an entrepreneurial mindset, while providing the analytical and quantitative skills to be a successful entrepreneur. In the few months I have been here, I have had the opportunity to seek counsel from faculty members in the Ain Center, and have joined the Ain Team to promote entrepreneurship throughout the entire University of Rochester community.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Simon Women in Business fosters an environment for women and male allies to discuss the importance of equity in the workplace, the significance of diversity of thought, and why this matters now more than ever. Prior to joining Simon, I was head houseparent for 22 tenth grade boarding school girls, mentoring them in all aspects of their lives. Being at Simon, I am reminded of those days, and that women never stop needing strong mentors.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? It was time for a new adventure! I had an incredible ten years working as an administrator at one of New England’s leading boarding schools. After two promotions and a variety of responsibilities within the school, I saw my learning curve plateauing. When I no longer feel stretched, it’s time for a change. I wanted to go back to school and the timing was perfect. At Simon, my learning curve immediately went vertical, and I feel stretched every day.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? For me, an MBA will provide the skillset and mindset that are far more transferrable than those provided by other professional degrees. I want to have the world as my oyster, and I can already tell I am on my way.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Olin (Washington University in St. Louis), Tuck (Dartmouth), Kenan-Flagler (UNC), Carroll (Boston College), Yale SOM, Johnson (Cornell), Owen (Vanderbilt), Tepper (Carnegie Mellon), Goizueta (Emory)

How did you determine your fit at various schools? (What factors did you prioritize? What tools did you use to evaluate schools? How did you research culture? How did you know it fit your career goals?) I cast a wide net because I couldn’t take any chances! Without a doubt, I wanted to start my MBA in the fall of 2018. I applied only to schools that I knew (through research, visits, personal contact with admissions officers, and friends that are alumni) I would feel great about attending. In the end, finding a small school and making personal connections to members of the faculty and staff became much larger factors than they were in the beginning. Simon made me feel known and wanted well before I signed on the dotted line.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? After nine months, my marriage ended suddenly and unexpectedly. I found my grit, a quality I now draw upon anytime I encounter a challenge, no matter how big or small. I learned that sometimes life’s biggest detours lead to life’s greatest opportunities.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I plan to take my non-profit marketing experience and my MBA education, and pivot into the for-profit sector, ideally for a major retail company, focusing in the e-commerce space. I would also like to drive the entire length of the Pacific Coast Highway, and finish writing the screenplay I started before business school.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I will own a successful retail company in a place I love, waking up every morning excited to spend the day growing it. And, most importantly, I’ll be happy, healthy, and closely connected to all of my wonderful Simon classmates.

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