Meet Ohio State Fisher’s MBA Class Of 2021

Kate Morales

Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business

“Kind. Empathetic. Strategic. Open-Minded. Curious. Animal lover. I love helping people and solving problems!”

Hometown: Denton, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: In my spare time I volunteer. I mentor and develop undergraduate students, and I served as a facilitator for six national leadership institutes.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Undergraduate: University of North Texas, B.A. Communication Studies, Minor: Marketing

Graduate: Florida State University, M.S. Higher Education

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: The Delta Gamma Foundation, Program Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Creating a five-year strategic plan for the Delta Gamma Foundation. The organization was fairly disjointed in its operations. Employees were doing great work, but there was no common goal for the work being done. Because the plan would impact a broad scope of stakeholders, it was important to consider and integrate input from staff, volunteers, and the Board of Trustees. I organized meetings with targeted questions such as “Where do we want the Foundation to be in 5 years… 10 years…100 years?” “If Delta Gamma’s motto is ‘Do Good’, how do you think we accomplish this motto? What tangible achievements would affirm this?” This action was extremely useful — each group had differing and insightful input that impacted the strategic plan, which the organization continues to use today.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? There are so many qualities: kind, caring, supportive, ambitious, catalysts, leaders, friends. I am so grateful for my cohort of amazing individuals. I cannot imagine doing the first semester of the MBA without such a close-knit group. There is so much support and encouragement spread across the class. I’m grateful to know that we support one another during such a transformative time.

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? I knew Fisher does great things for students through the curriculum redesign. The distinct features — experiential, personalized and integrated learning — were all qualities I knew I wanted in my MBA experience. I learn best through hands-on experiences that give me insight into real business problems. I have not been disappointed.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Case competitions. I’ve already had the opportunity to participate in a few and found them fun and educational — they provide insight into real-world business problems. Participating in the National Black MBA Case Competition has been a defining moment in my MBA experience. Bringing home first place for Ohio State after competing against 35 other nationally ranked MBA programs was unfathomable for me. I am extremely proud of our team and the amazing accomplishment. It showed that I’m capable of making an impact in the business world and that I can contribute to teams in the future.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? I recall Paul North asking me a question about a time I made a decision that had a negative impact or outcome for a team. I’m the type of person who hates when candidates don’t answer the question that was asked, so I wanted to come up with an example…but I just could not. I still can’t think of an example that fits the exact criteria of the question. The day it comes to me, I will call Paul to tell him about it.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I knew I wanted to pursue a career in consulting, and that having the support and education that comes with an MBA would make the transition much easier. I felt like I had the “soft skills” of strategic thinking, leadership, and working on teams, but I needed help with the preparation and education to make a true business impact.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I only applied to Ohio State. I had recently had my partner move to Columbus and did not want to uproot our life again when I knew Ohio State had an amazing program.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? School size was a big determining factor, along with employer relationships, curriculum, experiential opportunities and focus on diversity.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment was meeting my husband. I recognize this sounds cheesy, but this is not just an excuse to tell a sappy love story. My husband is blind and began losing his sight when we met in 2014. He was diagnosed with a rare hereditary disease and throughout our first few months of dating, his sight continually declined. Ever since then, we have been figuring out new ways to navigate the world together. I would say this is my life-defining moment because having Aaron as a partner has made me grow in patience, gratitude, and strength. Because of our ability to overcome some incredibly hard times together, now we don’t sweat the small stuff. I know that I am capable of overcoming some incredibly daunting obstacles, and I attribute this confidence to having a partner who has done the same.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I want to be in a place where I’m using my strengths in strategic thinking, ideation and leading teams to make an impact in the world. I hope to be in a leadership role where I can be a resource and mentor for other individuals.

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