Eric Jacques

University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management

“I am a challenge seeker with unwavering resolve to constantly achieve new levels of success.” 

Hometown: Pompano Beach, FL

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a twin brother and I am a first-generation Haitian-American.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Minnesota, Marketing

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Cargill Inc., Associate Marketing Manager.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Successfully making a career shift from HR into marketing and developing point-of-sale marketing materials that significantly increased the customer base and generated substantial sales during the first year.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The quality that best describes the classmates I’ve met so far is passionate. My classmates are dynamic future leaders with a breath of experiences in various functions and industries, yet they’re unassuming. Everyone has so much to bring to the learning environment and I am excited to be going on this journey with such talented people.

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 opportunity to immediately apply classroom learning to real-world business problems was the key factor that led me to choose the Carlson program for my full-time MBA. This was very important to me because I am an ambitious person who learns the most by having practical, hands-on learning experiences.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am mostly looking forward to joining the finance and investment club. At this point in my career I’ve held five different roles across two functions. I believe that earning my MBA at Carlson is a great opportunity to fortify my skill set and hone in on my strengths while building my leadership substance. When it comes to investing, I am a numbers guy. The quick return on investment and the opportunity to learn from the University of Minnesota’s world-renowned business staff convinced me that getting an MBA would be worth the investment.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I considered the university’s reputation in the business world, the character of the alumni that I’ve personally interacted with, and what current students shared during informational interviews.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment came when I was 18 years old; I made the decision to accept a scholarship offer to play college football at the University of Minnesota. Looking back, the decision to leave sunshiny Florida to pursue my academic and athletic aspirations in Minneapolis, “minna-snow-ta” was the best decision I could have made for my life.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I am a strong believer in the African proverb Ubuntu: I am because you are. The desire to influence people for the greater good of communities around the world is the reason for my success and the fuel for why I continue to march on with the sincere hope to help others. Therefore, my short-term goal is to develop and optimize businesses to succeed. Long term, I aspire to return to Haiti to empower people and communities with the tools and information needed to thrive in every area of life.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself leading and influencing an organization to make strategic impactful business decisions.