Gabrielle Gallou

University of Miami, Herbert Business School

Hometown: Lorient, France

Fun fact about yourself: I danced for 10 years in France before coming to college in the U.S.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Denver, Colorado. Bachelor in Marketing

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? In Colorado; I was doing Freelance, photography, videography and brand management for fitness companies.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2019? In the admission office at the University of Miami Herbert Business School, I became the intern’s lead, coordinating our projects, reaching out to prospective students, and conducting interviews.

Where will you be working after graduation? I currently work at NBC Universal as a Content Operations Intern, and hope to stay on after graduation.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: I am part of the Graduate Business Student Association, and I serve as the Vice President. We organize social events, with the goal of allowing students at the business school to know each other and connect. I am also the president of the Women In Business Club. We put on panel events, networking events and our overall goal is to educate, inspire, and empower business students to aim for a diverse workplace.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? During my time at the business school, I am so proud to be part of the Bahamas Consulting Project. We get to apply all the concepts that we have learned throughout my time in the MBA, deal with real businesses, and make an impact on the community. I came to business school to develop myself professionally, and this project has been a major contribution to my personal development.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I would say I am extremely proud that I moved to the United States for my career. I moved after high school, to explore new places, and have not looked back since.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor has been Alex Niemeyer. I took his management consulting class last semester, and he is now leading the Bahamas Consulting project as well. He is extremely knowledgeable and eager to challenge us to think differently, and develop ourselves.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite event at the business school has been the Miami Leadership Challenge, both years I was in the MBA. You come together as a team, are immersed in roles, deal with a crisis, react to it in real-time, and come up with a solution that you present to a Board of Directors. It was a different experience both years, and I enjoyed it both years. I learned a lot about teamwork, real-life skills, stress management, as well as efficient thinking in order to come up with a solution in a very short turn-around.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose the University of Miami Herbert Business School because of how diverse the student population is. As an international student, I seek diversity, and different opinions, learning about new cultures. Miami as a city – and the University of Miami in particular – has allowed me to meet so many people from different backgrounds and has opened me to new worlds.

What is your best advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? I would advise a potential student to do research on the school before their interview. Indeed, the same way you would for a job interview, research fun facts and upcoming events at the school, and ask questions to the recruiter.

What is the biggest myth about your school? In my opinion, the biggest myth about UM is that it is a party school. It is true that there are a lot of social events happening on campus, but they are almost always educational or networking events. There is a big emphasis placed on connecting with each other within the school, but also with people outside of school.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back at my MBA experience, I think I would have made an effort to get to know everyone on campus earlier on the program. I really only started getting to know staff, faculty, and the administration towards the end of my first year, and only then realized how much value this school can provide. I thought networking only meant with people outside of the school, but there is a lot to say about the people who are currently working at school and how much they have helped me along the way.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The classmate that I admire the most is Denzell Turner. From the beginning of the program, he has put in the effort to take advantage of the resources provided at school. He knows everyone in our class, has participated in more case competitions than anyone else and has gone to career fairs and networking events. He is now juggling a job as he finishes his degree as well.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My father is the person who influenced me the most to pursue business in college. Indeed, he owns his own company and always brought his business acumen home as I was growing up. Back in France, my family went from working in the food-processing industry to currently the hospitality industry. It is something that I grew up around and made me want to study on my own.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Professionally, I am aiming for a leadership role. I enjoy the strategy side to business and feel compelled to lead a team through a project that can leave a lasting positive impact. I also plan to travel the world for a few years. I recognize the value of living in a different country and am fascinated with experiencing new and diverse cultures.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I want my peers to remember me as a resourceful person who helped make their MBA experience in the best it could be.

Hobbies? I spend a lot of time working out at the gym. It is my go-to stress-reliever, and it keeps me grounded in many ways. As part of my morning routine, starting the day with a workout session leaves me feeling in control!

What made Gabrielle such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

“At Miami Herbert Business School, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many bright students from all over the world, each with their own distinct talents, aspirations, and ideas. However, there are a few that leave behind a lasting, even life-long, impression. Gabrielle is one of those students. She brings a distinct leadership energy defined by compassion, curiosity and resolve. She engages her peers, professors and colleagues with humility, dignity, and a contagious smile.

As Vice President of the Graduate Business Student Association, she served her fellow classmates to an exemplary degree and sought out new and untapped School and University resources to enhance the graduate student experience. As President of the Graduate Women in Business Club, she brought a refreshing energy to the organization and sought to connect engage the group with members of the School and the business community while celebrating diversity and fostering inclusion. Most recently, as part semester-long interdisciplinary action project class, she and a group of fellow students traveled to Freeport in the Bahamas to meet with small-business owners whose companies were on the verge of collapse with livelihoods hanging in the balance after the devastating Hurricane Dorian. She shared ideas and inspired hope through consulting to help full recovery and resilience. Her contributions as a leader have been undeniable, and while we will miss having her at Miami Herbert, we are excited to see her flourish on a global scale.”

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