Meet Carnegie Mellon Tepper’s MBA Class Of 2022

Tepper School Interior

P&Q:  How has COVID-19 impacted your business school?

KB: “While our physical space temporarily has limited access, we’ve been able to quickly and easily transition to a hybrid format that includes both in-person and remote online learning. This was facilitated by the fact that we were already offering the #1 online MBA program (as ranked by Poets & Quants) and our ‘Part-Time Online Hybrid MBA,’ a successful system we could rapidly tap into to meet our current needs. In fact, two of our three MBA formats had already incorporated an online component. This means our faculty had long been up-to-speed at effective pedagogy in the digital arena, a medium that requires a particular skill-set and abilities.

As a small program, we do value the special benefits we’re able to derive from in-person collaboration and interaction, but we believe we’ve addressed this with new opportunities that include online coaching, virtual social events, and much more. In fact, as a small program, we have the unique ability to maintain a very hands-on connection with all of our students, so the transition has remained quite personal and direct.”

Staircase to the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship

P&Q: Tepper is often described as a ‘management science’ program, a data-centric curriculum that relies heavily on quantitative analysis. How does that work? What can MBA students expect when they step foot into a Tepper classroom?

KB: Our business school was the first to challenge conventional problem-solving approaches by introducing management science – and while others have adopted our viewpoint, we’ve remained the global leader for complex, creative problem-solving through advanced analytical approaches. Our STEM-designated program enables students to develop a skill set they just can’t get elsewhere.

Our curriculum, however, is hardly a mere collection of math classes. Our students develop cutting-edge analytic techniques and learn how to apply them as part of our core coursework on critical organizational functions – and are then able to practice and master these skills, woven throughout our broad range of elective offerings. We teach our students a new way of thinking beyond intuition – a new way to approach the complex business challenges that await them.”

MOST POPULAR FACETS OF A TEPPER MBA

The Class of 2022 shares similar sentiments. Dani Grodsky, for one, had once moved from New York to San Francisco to avoid the cold and snow. That view changed after she met with Tepper representatives.

“I had an inkling that going to Tepper would be well worth braving a few more winters. I’d say there are three main factors that drove this decision – 1) the prominent underpinning of STEM both in the curriculum and in the background of many of the students; 2) the opportunity to explore the many strengths of the CMU community as a whole including the top-ranked computer science and public policy programs; and 3) the small and more intimate class size. I place a high value on interdisciplinary collaboration and developing relationships through small groups or one-on-one interaction so these Tepper qualities really stood out to me.”

MC, 200609B, Return to Campus, June 11 2020

Here are some other benefits of the Tepper MBA according to the incoming class and alumni…

1) Quantitative Approach: “I chose Tepper specifically because of its emphasis on the quantitative and technical side of business. Tepper offers a Business Analytics track, which is an additional emphasis in the curriculum beyond the various concentrations that students can choose to pursue. Quantitative skills are the area in which I have the most room for growth as well as where my interests lie, so overall it is the perfect fit.”
Elizabeth Barnard (’22)

“Tepper fosters an environment of innovation and data-driven decision making with its focus on the intersection of business, technology, and analytics. I wanted a program that would develop my quantitative skills and incorporate practical quantitative analysis which Tepper has structured into all of its classes. I know that I will be better prepared for the constantly changing business world with Tepper’s strong core classes and diverse electives.”
David Chang (’22)

2) Track System: “One specific aspect that excited me about Tepper was its Technology Strategy and Product Management Track. Of the schools I applied to, Tepper was the only one that had a curriculum track with such a clear fit for my background and career goals in product management. Not only are the course options in the track relevant and exciting (Applied Machine Learning, Human-Computer-Interaction for PMs, and many more), but you also gain access to a technology leadership capstone where you work with a corporate partner on solving one of their pressing challenges.”
Jack Guda (’22)

3) Interdisciplinary: “For me, the key aspect of Tepper’s program was that Carnegie Mellon has put significant effort into integrating its business school with the rest of its programs and resources. My interest is in how businesses adopt and adapt to new technologies, and this cross-campus integration – particularly how it’s been embedded in the Business Technologies concentration – was a significant factor in my decision. I choose Tepper for the opportunity to truly collaborate across campus and gain the skills I need to contribute at the intersection of technology and business.”
Stephanie Muller (’22)

4) Friday B**rs: Life at business school can become very busy and hectic, and having some time a week where everyone gets together and has a relaxing time cheered me up every Friday. It’s a perfect situation to wrap up a week, announcing a case competition winner, sharing worldwide food, petting therapy dogs, and chatting with family and friends. I believe we were only able to do this because we are a small community. It becomes very easy to talk to people you don’t know so well and build more meaningful connections. The coolest thing about B**rs is that is hosted by a different club every week, so it lets us show our goals, ideas, principles, and activities to the rest of the class. As Latin American Business Club, we had the opportunity to cater Latin food, play background Latin music, decorate, promote our Latin party, and explain our culture and countries to the whole Tepper community.”
Jerry Richter (’20)

Tepper School of Business Exterior

5) Entrepreneurship: “The Tepper MBA program is a testament to the (often controversial) statement that “entrepreneurship can be taught.” As founders, we were part of the Entrepreneurship Track structured by the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. It is not an exaggeration to say that Tepper has perfectly built an entrepreneurship roadmap, designed to provide MBA students with the tools, experiences, and support necessary to facilitate development as a leader and innovator. Starting with classes such as Lean Entrepreneurship and moving on to Commercialization and Innovation Strategy, we have been coached on how to turn our idea into reality. We’ve learned how to conduct customer discovery, build a business model canvas, launch a quick MVP (minimal viable product), obtain customer feedback, and construct crisp investment pitches. The Tepper School of Business has instilled in us an “entrepreneurial mindset” and empowered us to launch Talent IPO through valuable resources and a strong support ecosystem.”
Aashay Doshi (’19)

HOW TO EARN A SPOT AT TEPPER

What can MBA applicants do now to improve their chances of landing a spot in the Class of 2023? Here is some advice from alumni and a consultant.

1) Know Your Story: “When you’re working on your application or during an interview, be mindful of the words and concepts you use. Make sure to be yourself: your personality; your values and your goals are what sets you apart. Tepper has a very diverse community of extremely passionate people. We all respect each other’s mission and do our best to help.”
Dogay Beyaz (’20)

2)  Show Your Impact: “Impact on the bottom line, but also impact within your community. Tepper is guided by a mission to transform the world. They are looking for students who define community in the broadest sense of the word and have a desire to effect positive change. This theme is seen in the first essay option where they ask, “What difference will you make as a member of the MBA class at the Tepper School?” They want leaders who are functioning at a higher, more advanced level with a focus on something greater than themselves. Scanning through the list of 40+ clubs you’ll find a wide variety of opportunities to give back while getting involved including Tepper Cares, Pro Bono Consulting, Net Impact, and Out & Allied. Think about where you’ve had an impact in the past and how that will translate on-campus.”
Catherine Tuttle, Fortuna Admissions

3) Show a Growth Mindset:Show an ability to learn from experience and those around you. Your ability to learn from mistakes and willingness to seek candid feedback from others demonstrates a desire to grow personally and professionally. The MBA experience is transformative in both of these areas – expect to push yourself and grow beyond what you imagined was possible. Tepper’s focus on innovation and collaboration means they are looking for students who are adaptable, open to new ideas and coming from a variety of backgrounds, job experiences, and passions. When crafting your narrative, it’s important to be clear about the strengths in your profile, but also the desire to learn from those around you.”
Catherine Tuttle, Fortuna Admissions

What led the Class of 2022 to pursue an MBA? What was the toughest question they were asked during the application process? What other schools did they consider? Check out the student profiles below for answers to questions and many more. 

MBA Student Hometown Undergraduate Alma Mater Last Employer
Elizabeth Barnard Newport Beach, CA Boston College Cooperative Strategies
David Chang Port Washington, NY Virginia Military Institute U.S. Army
Dani Grodsky Staten Island, NY Brown University ideas42
Jack Guda Downingtown, PA Penn State University GoShare
Marissa Miles Pittsburgh, PA Case Western Reserve University Solvay
Tom Mitchell Brooklyn, NY McGill University PwC
Stephanie Muller Castleton, NY Hamilton College M&T Bank
Justin O’Neil VanNoy Atlanta, GA Morehouse College Syneos Health
Arnie Shivram Plainsboro, NJ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign SMP Automotive
Taylor Tear Niskayuna, NY University of Pittsburgh HSBC
Cory Weeks Orlando, FL University of Florida Eaton Corporation

Our Meet the Class of 2022 Series

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