Eshani Sharma       

Arizona State University, W. P. Carey School of Business

“#girlboss, world traveler, problem solver, and lifelong learner, passionate about making change.”

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was in 3rd grade, I was a runner up in the state spelling bee.

Undergraduate School and Major: Seattle University, Marketing

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Case Manager at Liberty Mutual Insurance

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment in my career happened when I was fairly new to my company. I was able to create multiple training materials that would be used for new case managers across the organization and develop and implement process improvements so that we could provide better service to our customers. I am proud of this because as a newer employee, I was able to make a positive organizational impact to help our business run smoother.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Hard-working. My classmates come from a variety of backgrounds and have experiences that are nothing short of incredible. The unique journeys that led them to W. P. Carey and their reasons for starting an MBA program are a testament to their hard work and their passion for this program.

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 chose the W. P. Carey School of Business because I realized that I could make the world a better place through the skills and knowledge I would gain with an MBA from W. P. Carey. A phrase that follows us around here is “Where business is personal”, and this is what confirmed that the W. P. Carey School of Business was the right place for me. Along with the traditional curriculum, the school emphasizes the importance of the personal connections that are crucial to succeed in business. My classmates, the staff, and all the professors truly care for my success; they celebrate my achievements and help me learn from my failures and being a part of this community has helped me understand what kind of leader I want to be.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking forward to being a mentor to the undergraduate business students. Through this opportunity, we get to bridge the gap between undergraduate and graduate students and help the undergrads on their path to success.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? After being in the workforce for a few years and working on so many different projects, I began to realize where my passions were and what got me excited to go to work every morning. I found out that I really enjoyed working in a team environment and developing and implementing process improvements to help the organization, so I decided to pursue an MBA with a concentration in Supply Chain so that I could continue doing work that excited me.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment?  Since this is a two-year program, I really had to sit down and think about what I would be giving up in order to pursue this. The first obvious concern was not working for two years. The second concern was adjusting to school life after being out of school for four years. However, after talking with current MBA students and others who already had their MBA, I felt that with this degree I would be a more holistically-educated individual who would be able to find fulfillment in my future career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I put all my eggs in one basket and only applied to ASU. All or nothing, ASU all the way!

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Much like determining my fit at a job, I looked around at schools based on location, rank, employment outcomes and culture. Location, rank and employment outcomes were all easily accessible, but culture was the hardest to get a clear understanding of. The best way to research culture, if you are able to, is to visit the schools you want to apply to. I determined that W. P. Carey was the right culture fit for me because when I came to campus for the first time I felt very welcomed, encouraged and inspired by all the people with whom I came into contact. I couldn’t imagine being at any other school which helped me know that this was the right place for me.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? For me, graduating college a year early was my defining moment because I was able to show myself what I was capable of doing if I put in hard work and determination.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? After graduation, I hope to utilize my new-found knowledge in Supply Chain to work in process improvement, and I hope to continue traveling and volunteering in my spare time.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I hope to be working in a fulfilling career in a senior leadership role, and mentoring those in underrepresented communities.