Nadia Ogene

Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

“Huge advocate for incorporating peanut butter into as many recipes as possible.”

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I spent two summers training to become a Marine Corps Officer.

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor of Arts in Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Viewer Experience Analyst at Hulu

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: When I first joined Hulu, there were no affinity groups at my office that catered to minorities despite a large number of employees being people of color. In turn, I launched Hulu Black in hopes of creating a support system for African Americans that would give them access to senior managers who had the power to bring their voices to the forefront of the conversation. During my time at Hulu, the group grew from 10 to over 100 members and it was wonderful seeing the camaraderie and support that was fostered.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Supportive. Even as a prospective student, I was contacted by a lot of current students and alums who were willing to hop on a call with me to talk through my thought process; the support found through the Ross network is unparalleled.

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 breadth of resources. The University of Michigan has so many strong programs outside of the MBA program and I wanted to attend a university that allowed me to pursue as many of my interests as possible while still receiving a best-in-class education. I’ve spoken with many MBA students who became dual-degree students because they took a class outside of Ross that they absolutely fell in love with; the university makes the process of pursuing a dual degree seamless.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I can’t wait to participate in events held by the Outdoor Club because maintaining an active lifestyle has had such a positive impact on my life.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? A question that I was asked that was challenging in the sense that I hadn’t been asked before was, “What was the last nice thing you did for someone else?” It was refreshing to be asked a question that wasn’t necessarily work-related.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? At Hulu, I saw the impact that data had on improving a viewer’s experience. My ability to apply this data and use it to make informed decisions is limited by my lack of traditional business education. Through Ross’s curriculum, I’ll learn how diverse stories can be better integrated into product creation and marketing. More specifically, I’ll learn how to create products that solve practical problems and round out my experience with consumer analysis by learning how to define product strategy and build the right product for the right market.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? MIT Sloan, Kellogg, and Tepper.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? My first priority was ensuring that I could be my genuine self when I stepped foot on campus. I spoke with a lot of current MBA students and alums to get a sense of who my peers would be like and I also visited each school’s campus to get a small taste of each school’s culture first-hand.

Secondly, I knew that the school that I attended had to be strong in technology and, more specifically, product management. I researched the various offerings that each school had and knew that Ross’s course offerings, experiential projects, and peer coaching would give me the most well-rounded exposure to the technology industry. Based on my priorities, Ross was the best fit for me.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I’ve found that the most impactful moments in my life were a result of me pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. Relocating to a new city and pivoting to a completely different industry through my role at Hulu has given me the tools needed to be comfortable with ambiguity. Through that experience, I learned that I love fast-paced environments where I can see an idea through to its implementation, which sparked my interest in product management.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself owning the product strategy for an outdoor-focused company that promotes active lifestyles.