Rebecca Jordan

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

“A human dynamo and a team player whose mission is to cultivate healthy, confident communities.”

Hometown: Burlington, North Carolina

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was the lead singer in a Deloitte Rock Band. We played in NYC and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Undergraduate School and Major: UNC-Chapel Hill, Health Policy & Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Human Capital Consultant, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I created interactive resources for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services now published on CMS.gov to help increase staff sufficiency and competence and decrease adverse events in long-term care facilities.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? My UNC Kenan-Flagler classmates are humble but hungry for impact. Through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Orientation Program (OP) and Forté conferences, every classmate was diverse and intelligent but also extremely warm and encouraging. On the second night of OP, a classmate gave me a two-hour pep talk in the lobby before the next day’s interviews. She brought such great vibes and helped me realize the best version of myself after only knowing me for two days and having a full day of interviews of her own! She reminded me of the great decision I made to come to a school full of high-achieving students who foster a collaborative culture.

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? My time at Deloitte showed me the importance of a professional network, so I wanted to join a full-time MBA program with strong, supportive alumni network. During the application process, I quickly realized UNC Kenan-Flagler’s alumni network was just that, strong and supportive. Tar Heels were willing to drop everything and give me application, classroom, and internship advice and took such pride in the school and their time there. It made my decision that much easier, knowing I would be in their shoes in two years, giving advice to incoming MBAs and helping them reach their potential.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am most looking forward to starting a Human Capital Club at UNC Kenan-Flagler, given my background, passion for human capital, and the extremely collaborative and encouraging culture at UNC.

I am also looking forward to joining the Carolina Women in Business (CWIB) Club and the Healthcare Club. The Women’s Workshop, hosted by CWIB in October, was one of the pivotal events that led me to UNC Kenan-Flagler. The Healthcare Club is well-operated with leadership from a variety of healthcare fields and club support from the Center for the Business of Health and companies across the Research Triangle.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? I was asked, “If you could improve one thing about the admissions process, what would it be?” This was challenging because I was put on the spot, but thankfully I already had a few ideas up my sleeve.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I was approaching a point in my career where I was managing others but felt ill-equipped to do so. I also felt that I was becoming a product of my work environment, not completely sure of my career direction and what impact I wanted to make on the world. I am pursuing an MBA to better understand my leadership style, how to best lead others, and in what capacity I want to help teams be impactful.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied early to UNC Kenan-Flagler because of the career opportunities and the cultural fit. Once I was accepted, I decided to pull my applications from other schools and focus on ending work on a strong note.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I spoke with many current students and alumni over the phone to answer the following questions:

1) What defines UNC Kenan-Flagler?

2) Will I be surrounded by people who make me a better person?

Each conversation was helpful, as it allowed me to see a holistic view of the program. I started to identify key themes from my conversations and realized they aligned with my criteria for an MBA program.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? As an undergraduate, I had the choice of pursuing a structured summer internship junior year or spending my summer trying to solve the problem, “How do we address patients’ social determinants of health?” With my adviser’s support, I started Healthful, a student volunteer organization which paired college students with patients at UNC Family Medicine under the advisory of licensed clinical social workers. This was one of the first “bold moves” I took in my career. Today, when faced with a choice, I always look for and call out the “bold move” because it is not always the safe move society tells you to take.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years, I see myself empowering teams to do good and mentoring other women to get their MBA.