Meet Notre Dame Mendoza’s MBA Class Of 2020

Adenike Opetubo

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business

“Brilliant, Gorgeous, Talented, Fabulous, Master Problem Solver, Controlled outcome thrill seeker.”

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Fun Fact About Yourself: Obsessed with the sitcom Seinfeld

Undergraduate School and Major: North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Consultant, Fiscal Management Associates

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Constructed the financial infrastructure for a $80M nonprofit to support and scale operations, identify funding gaps that lead to new fundraising opportunities and the creation of tools to effectively manage cash flow.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Bright, Considerate, Fun-loving, Personable, Encouraging, Supportive.

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 join a tight knit community with a strong alumni network that was in a smaller town. As a native New Yorker, being in a small town was appealing because it would break me out of my normal routine and push me outside of my comfort zone. Moving to South Bend is an opportunity to experience the Midwestern culture, focus on building lasting relationships with my peers, and have a laser focus on my studies.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I’m looking forward to attending a football game and experiencing the energy and excitement surrounding Notre Dame Football first-hand.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I held every position on a finance team including leading and managing a team. I wanted to transition into a multi-national corporation leveraging the transferrable skills that I have developed up to this point in my career bolstered by the additional skills that I would acquire in a two year MBA program.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? It has always been a goal. Investing in my continued growth and development is of the utmost importance. My family has always prioritized education; both of my parents have multiple master degrees and my sister obtained her masters by the age of 25. For me it was never a matter of if, it was a matter of when.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to Georgetown University and Emory University through the Consortium.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I was focused on small schools with close-knit communities. As a member of Forte and the Forte MBA Launch program, I had the opportunity to speak with a number of alumnae and current students at the schools where I was applying. I was able to get insight into the classroom instruction type, real time examples of the culture at the schools and a glimpse into what it looks like to be a student while there. Ultimately, it came down to which school would provide the most transformational experience at this point in my career.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My trip to Senegal and the Gambia as a teenager really exposed me to gratitude and generosity in a way that I had never experienced before. Many of the families that we visited had very little but were overwhelmingly willing to share and offer us their last. I had the misconception that I would be the only one able to offer anything to them. What I learned on that trip was the importance of gratitude. Being thankful for what you have to the point that you are not attached to any single item.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? Obtain a Corporate Finance role in a multinational Fortune 100 Company.

Where do you see yourself in five years? On a CFO or Executive Leadership track at a multinational organization and (in my spare time) serve on the board of a charter school or education nonprofit in the community in which I live.

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