Meet Notre Dame Mendoza’s MBA Class Of 2021

Hillary Frazer 

University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business

“Ambitious and driven but also lighthearted and comical!”

Hometown: I spent the past 9 years in New York City, but grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.

Fun Fact About Yourself: In high school, I was in a touring choir called The Madrigals. We wore Medieval inspired outfits, sang at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and recorded a Christmas CD each year. Photos for proof of outfit are available upon request.

Undergraduate School and Major: Parsons, The New School for Design, BBA in Strategic Design and Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: J. Crew: Merchant, Women’s Wholesale

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my career, I was lucky enough to act as a mentor to two peers. One was an indirect report at Saks, where I worked as an Associate Buyer prior to my job at J. Crew and the second was a direct report while at J. Crew. These relationships started out purely with me acting as a trainer and evolved into personal friendships that I’m extremely grateful to have today. There’s nothing better than being able to teach skills to someone and offer them words of advice or encouragement and then watching that person’s career blossom whether it’s through a promotion or doing an amazing job in a presentation.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Everyone is so kind and welcoming. I arrived on campus later than most (the day before orientation) and was worried about walking into the first day that everyone would have already formed strong connections within the class. That feeling couldn’t have been further from reality. The collective class is incredibly supportive of each other; we all want to encourage each other in our studies and create a genuine sense of community.

Mendoza is known as a purpose-driven MBA program that asks students to “Ask More of Business.” What is your mission and how will Mendoza help you realize it? My mission is to approach all future business situations through the lens of upholding my core values. I believe in encouraging a team, leading with conviction, and doing right by the business and its stakeholders.

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 chose Mendoza because of the values the program sets as an example for its students. There is a heavy emphasis in the program on the importance of business ethics and using business as a force for good. These qualities were incredibly important to me as I believe in making conscious ethical decisions and that leaders in business can make decisions and changes that benefit society.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I’m looking to pivot my career into consulting so the Consulting Club has been a great resource so far. I’m also passionate about women leaders in business so I plan on being very involved in the Women in Business Club. Also, I cannot forget ND Football! Game days are the most exhilarating experience. Go Irish!

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? I was given a simple case question in the interview and I had never been presented with a case before in an interview. I had read online about there being a case question – so I was mentally prepared. Basically, you’re presented with a business problem by the interviewer and you have a few minutes to collect your thoughts and then present your ideas.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I felt that I needed to change the path of my career to achieve the long-term goals I’ve set for myself. I wanted to be challenged and surrounded by like-minded peers who are all striving to better themselves professionally and personally. Going back to school to get my MBA felt like a great trajectory in order to learn more in-depth about business but also hone in on a set of soft skills that I will use in my future career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? NYU, Columbia, Virginia Darden, Northwestern, & Vanderbilt

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I factored in location, class size, average age, location of post-MBA job placements, and companies that recruited at the school. I used various online tools and websites to evaluate schools. I also went to many events that the schools I applied to organized so that I could get on campus and get a sense of the student body and culture. I also made sure that the various schools had resources to help me achieve my post-MBA career goals in the consulting industry.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My first internship in undergrad was a defining moment in my career. I was working for Altuzarra, a clothing designer I highly admired. The whole company was about six people, so there was a sense of community and family within the team. We all worked incredibly hard and had a ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ and entrepreneurial mentality to get any job done.

What impacted me the most about the experience was the way that the creative director, Joseph Altuzarra, conducted himself with the team. He always embodied grace, ease, respect, and true gratitude for the work that his team did–even the interns. I am so grateful for this experience for the example that was set about how to be a strong leader and show my work ethic. It motivated me to continually pursue my passions and work to become a leader like those I admire most.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Ten years seems quite far away at the moment. In ten years, I see myself as a leader of an organization, whether that’s my own firm or one that I work for. I hope to evolve into someone that empowers and supports a team and one that people commend. My goal is to carry what I learn from the MBA experience throughout the next ten years and into my future career.

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