Meet The Rice Jones MBA Class Of 2021

Gloria Escobar

Rice University – Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

“I am a hardworking, first-generation Latina dedicated to helping people become the best version of themselves.”

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love hiking and backpacking. I first fell in love with hiking in 2011 when I climbed Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece.

Undergraduate School and Major: Duke University, Psychology & Marketing.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Facebook, Account Selection Analyst.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Through fundraising and marketing and advertising efforts, I have helped various food banks across the United States provide more than 820 million meals to people facing hunger. That’s almost enough to give everyone in the U.S. breakfast, lunch and dinner for one day.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? My classmates are intelligent, ambitious, disciplined, and accomplished. What best describes them is their humility. They are rock stars, and you will never hear them brag. Many of them have started their own business, started their own families, taken over a family business, served in the military, and tackled some pressing social issues in the non-profit sector. They are each changing the world for the better and it is my honor to experience the next two years with such an amazing cohort.

What makes Houston a great place to live and earn your MBA? Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and Rice is deeply connected to the Houston community. In the last ten years, I’ve lived in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, California and most recently made my way back to Texas. Houston’s job growth, affordability, and amazing food options lured me.

Aside from your classmates and location, 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 Rice because the staff and students here are amazing. My first touchpoint with Rice Business took place at the 2017 QS World MBA Tour in Los Angeles. I had a wonderful conversation with the Director of Recruiting and Admissions and subsequently had similar conversations with other members of the team. After attending Diversity@Rice, I knew this is where I belonged. The event exposed me to current students and professors who took a deep interest in learning more about me. They were all genuine. Even before I committed to attending Rice, I felt like everyone I had met was extremely helpful and willing to connect me to resources that would aid my mission of pursuing a product/program manager role in the tech space.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? It’s difficult to choose only one thing, but I am particularly excited about the Board Fellows program. Through this year-long experiential program, I hope to put my MBA skills to use by partnering with a non-profit to make a difference in the local community.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? In 250 words or less, tell us about yourself from a professional and personal standpoint. It sounds short and simple, but this question made me dig deep and re-evaluate what was most important to me.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I have a diverse background with experience that spans across multiple industries including the non-profit sector, advertising, and tech. These experiences have allowed me to develop a strong background in marketing, analytics, and customer relationship management. I decided to pursue an MBA because I want to become a more well-rounded professional and sharpen my business acumen.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, and Stanford Graduate School of Business.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Network and culture were the most important factors for me and I believe they go hand-in-hand. In order to fully understand each school’s culture, I embarked on a mission to visit each one. I connected with the admissions and recruiting staff at each university and then proceeded to connect with alumni and current students. Rice was the last school I visited, but it quickly moved to the top of my list thereafter. Everyone I met during my visit to Rice was kind, resourceful, helpful, and humble, and I knew that was something I wanted to surround myself with. Rice fit nicely with my career goals because I had just moved back to Texas when I was in the middle of MBA applications. I wanted to go to school in a city that was growing and affordable. Rice is a prestigious and academically rigorous school so I knew it would be a good challenge for me. I also knew that because of the program’s size (100-120 students), I would have plenty of opportunities to exert influence and make an impact.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I am the daughter of two hard-working immigrants who gave up everything they had to give me the life I have today. I am who I am because of my parents, not because of a specific moment in time. Their daily grind and perseverance taught me the importance of being consistent and never giving up on my dreams. They are the reason I constantly challenge myself to be better than the day before and make a difference.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Professionally, I see myself creating technology that will help people live their best lives. I believe that we should all have access to the same resources regardless of socioeconomic status, and I have made it my mission to use technology for social good.