Austen R. Brower 

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business

“Curious about people and perspectives. Always working to enjoy the little moments in life.”

Hometown: Dayton, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: Having a love for coffee and conversation, I started Drip: A DC Coffee Podcast. The podcast explores Washington DC’s diverse coffee scene through conversations with cafe owners, baristas, roasters, and regulars.

Undergraduate School and Major: The College of William & Mary, International Relations

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Global Impact: Manager, Partner Solutions

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I managed the development and launch of Growfund for Giving Circles, taking an idea to product in six months. Growfund for Giving Circles empowers collective giving through an online platform that aggregates and invests money for larger donations over time. A year after the product’s release it had over 50 users, and over $90,000 was donated to charity. I am proud of this accomplishment because it shows how technology and collaboration can generate funding for important causes.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Curious. My Georgetown MBA classmates are the most curious individuals I have met. Curiosity permeates class discussions, team meetings, and conversations at the local watering hole. Their curiosity has pushed me to ask “why” more often and enjoy investigating the explanations. Interactions with colleagues are invariably fascinating. These conversations are consistently substantial due to their genuine nature.

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 McDonough MBA program was an easy choice for me because it not only ensures that I am competitive in the workforce but also have the correct tools to generate positive change. Georgetown’s collective philosophy of Women and Men for others is more than a saying. It permeates throughout the program. Professors teach with it in mind, students have been selected through its lens, and recruiters understand this philosophy can positively affect their company. Georgetown students are not only considered the best trained in the world but develop into respectful business leaders. The dual badge of quality training and social impact was influential in my MBA decision.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Georgetown has many incredible opportunities for entrepreneurship centered engagement like Startup Hoyas, InSight Fellows, Venture Fellows, and the Entrepreneurship Club. I look forward to my involvement in Georgetown’s entrepreneurial community.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? The interview was about seven months ago, so I am paraphrasing, but the interviewer was interested in negative feedback I had heard from colleagues. This was not something I was expecting to be asked!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Two main impressions motivated my decision to pursue an MBA. First, I felt under-equipped to propel entrepreneurs toward their goals. Second, I lacked the credibility to work at the nexus of the non-profit and for-profit sectors.

Over the last year, I became involved in Washington DC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by co-leading the launch of a 1 Million Cups Chapter. 1 Million Cups is an initiative out of the Kauffman Foundation that encourages entrepreneurs through crowdsourced problem-solving and forming an authentic community. The passion within the community is intoxicating. My role in the ecosystem was as an organizer and connector. However, I wanted to be able to contribute more than just a program. An MBA will equip me with the skills, network, and mentors necessary to better serve entrepreneurs.

My work within the nonprofit sector typically involved engaging government and for-profit entities. These experiences introduced many perspectives. A concept I found extremely compelling was the convergence of the nonprofit and for-profit sector to achieve profits and social impact. Consumers now want great products, but need to understand their purchase generates a net positive. This purchasing behavior has driven the growth of Corporate Social Responsibility, NGO/For-Profit partnerships, and social enterprises. I plan to be at this nexus in business. Having the nonprofit experience, I require the business acumen and credential an MBA renders to maneuver across industries.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? 

• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management
• University of Texas, Austin McCombs

• Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
• University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business

How did you determine your fit at various schools? My decision was based on a combination of school rankings, location, career opportunities, and feel. Quantitatively, I reviewed the rankings, class makeup, and graduate career numbers. Rankings were important at the macro-level, but program rankings were even more telling. I was looking for great entrepreneurship programs. Within the class numbers, I prioritized a diverse class with regard to career, geography, and race. Historic, career numbers and company involvement elucidated the career center’s current networks. Since past success usually translates to future success, I kept my eye out for social impact, entrepreneurship, and general management placements.

Qualitatively, it was vital for me to participate in welcome weekends, attend classes, and have informational interviews with students.  I found the most effective use of my time was talking with current students and recent graduates. I was pleasantly surprised by their candor. Finding a graduate school is extremely personal. People do not want you to spend the time and money if you are not in the right place. Asking the same one or two questions, among others, in every interview helped me compare the schools.

A school’s career alignment was verified during the application process. I explored its relative competitiveness once accepted. For me, I wanted a program that was defined enough to provide direction, but flexible enough to explore new opportunities. Georgetown accommodates both. The most productive way to evaluate the school’s career competitiveness was to talk with graduates, review the numbers, and evaluate LinkedIn profiles of graduates in careers I desire.

At the end of the day, the best indicator of fit was my gut. If you put in the time to get to know your needs and what the school has to offer, there is no better guide than yourself.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? A few years ago, I was in the midst of a 10-month volunteer program in the southwest United States. Every 2-3 months, I moved location and organization. During my stint in Kansas City, one of my best friends informed me his mom had passed away. The funeral was in Virginia and the relatively small budget I had presented barriers to my attendance. No one would have been shocked if I had been absent.

The decision to go seemed to exemplify more than just love for my friend, but the first of many decisions that would pit work and means against what is right and who I want to be as a person. I decided to support my friend. Confronting the decision and my reasoning helped me define who I am as a friend, family member, and business leader. My focus will always be on the people – my colleagues, customers, and community members.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years, I will be the co-founder of a few companies, including a family business. Much of my time will be centered on obtaining appropriate financing for small and medium-sized businesses with a focus on generating economic and social opportunities for people no matter their race or creed. As a community citizen, I plan to be involved in city government. I believe cities are an engine for economic development and also key to solving many of the pressing issues our society faces today.