Jonathan Schwinn

Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University

Hometown: New York, NY, United States

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, before moving to Norfolk, Virginia, then Washington, DC, and finally New York, NY. But I consider New York to be home.

Undergraduate School and Major: George Washington University, Criminal Justice

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: BDO, Senior Associate, Forensic Investigations & Litigation Support

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Quitting my job to pursue a full-time MBA degree as a means for career growth and learning.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? They are incredibly diverse and international. It’s an amazing experience to learn with and from classmates from so many different nationalities and cultures. Academic learning happens in the classroom, but so much more happens outside.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this programme for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? In part, it was the international locale and mind-set of this programme that led me here. In what other programme can you study alongside such a diverse student body in one of the most vibrant and youthful cities in Europe?

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? The MBAT (“MBA Tournament”) hosted by HEC in Paris in May facilitates an amazing networking opportunity with other top-universities in Europe while competing in a sports tournament.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I craved a challenge that would push my boundaries and experiences as I looked to transition both job function and industry.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? I weighed the pros and cons of pursuing an MBA with various universities. Ultimately, the value of RSM and its mission to be a force for positive change won me over.

What other MBA programmes did you apply to? I was accepted to my first-choice programme, RSM, before I had submitted my other applications. However, I was in the process of applying to HEC Paris, Melbourne University, and UCLA.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I looked at the programme as a whole (tuition fees, ranking, etc.), the concentrations available within the programme, the university’s mission, and the city in which the programme was based.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I don’t believe I’m the product of a single defining moment, but rather an amalgamation of numerous defining moments throughout my life, which have shaped me into the man I am today. I know that life will continue to twist and turn, revealing new adventures and defining moments from which to learn.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? After graduation, I will pursue employment in Europe and focus my energies on pursuing a career I am passionate about, while giving back to the communities that have shaped me.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I see myself working as, broadly speaking, a project manager or strategic business planner for creative and innovative companies.