Maritza Urquiza

University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

“Passionate about education, innovation, public history, coffee and chocolate.”

Hometown: Santa Ana, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I helped curate an exhibition in downtown San Francisco that highlighted the life of Juana Briones, a 19th-century Latina pioneer of the Bay Area.

Undergraduate School and Major: Stanford University, BA History

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:  California Department of Finance, Principal Program Budget Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Working for California’s budget office, I had the privilege of developing and overseeing budget and policy proposals aimed at addressing state-wide challenges in education to improve student success, close equity gaps, and meet workforce demands.  I am particularly proud of helping to craft a successful proposal to establish a new online community college focused on providing unique educational opportunities for low-income working adults.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? I am constantly amazed by how my classmates go above-and-beyond themselves to help each other, whether it’s someone helping a poet with statistics, or another helping a quant practice their speech for a class. If you ask for help, there’s always someone willing to lend their expertise and time. This altruistic quality in my classmates creates a strong sense of community and a culture of support both in and outside the classroom.

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which pillar resonates most with you and why?  The pillar that most resonates with me is Beyond Yourself. When I reflect on my professional and academic journey, I think about all the people who supported and advised me through various challenges. I believe that I have both the power and responsibility to pay it forward while also challenging the deeply rooted structural issues that have led to present-day inequities.

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? Haas’ strong focus on social impact was a key factor that led me to choose this program. The range of social impact courses, experiential learning opportunities, clubs, and research centers on campus, make this program ideal for working at the intersection of business and social impact.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking forward to participating in International Business Development program, which is an applied innovation course focused on consulting on international projects. I came to business school to look for opportunities that will push me beyond my comfort zone and I believe this will be one of the many experiences that will empower me to think outside the box, while gaining exposure to new business problems and experiencing a new culture.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process?  I was asked to share an ethical dilemma that I’ve faced.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Given my humanities and social sector background in combination with my goal to become a transformative and innovative leader, I wanted to push myself to gain meaningful experience in the private sector. I saw business school as a way to build business knowledge, enhance my leadership skills, carve out the time to explore other career opportunities, and hone my data analysis and quantitative skills.

What other MBA programs did you apply to?  UCLA Anderson and Michigan Ross.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Campus visits and talking to current students were the most helpful in determining my fit at various schools. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I valued the most from a graduate program and the type of culture that would help me thrive. I then tailored the questions that I asked students around those values. For instance, given that I valued a collaborative and supportive culture as a critical component of my MBA experience, I asked students what they did when they needed help and how they overcame challenges in business school.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are?  Attending and graduating from a prestigious university as a first-generation college student from a low-income background was a defining experience that shaped my passion for social impact and education work. Reflecting back on my experience, I saw in a new light the transformative power of education and the barriers that student from underrepresented communities face in accessing and completing higher education. This experience shaped my decision to work in the public sector and it continues to drive my commitment to social equity issues as I pursue a career in the private sector.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?  I see myself working at the intersection of social impact, education, and innovation.