Meet USC Marshall’s MBA Class Of 2022

10 REASONS TO CONSIDER USC MARSHALL

Before business school, Dave Campos served as a vice president at a health agency. For him, this sense of community has been found top-to-bottom at the school. “I thought it was very helpful and encouraging that the program office and second-year class arranged numerous pre-MBA informational sessions on different aspects of the program such as the academic calendar, career development resources, and professional clubs and other organizations. These were also great opportunities to network with admitted students, and actually put us ahead of schedule compared to classes from prior years despite the virtual aspect of our interaction due to COVID-19. It’s been clear since even before the semester that the student body and program office are collectively committed to ensuring that a vibrant and lasting community is built. They don’t call it the Trojan family for nothing!”

The Trojan Family is just one of the differentiating features of the Marshall MBAs. Here are some additional benefits according to the Class of 2022 and alumni.

1) Data-Driven Curriculum: “USC Marshall has increased its focus on the science of management – using quantitative metrics to guide decision-making. As businesses have increased their ability to collect and compile data, they have expanded their understanding of how to use those data to contribute to the common good. Whether it be through personalized medicine, more efficient transportation systems, or reducing global food waste, data has amplified the impact which businesses can have. As future business leaders, we must be able to understand how to effectively implement data-driven insights into our decisions. This is a skill that I wanted to build during my MBA learning, and Marshall has set the bar for a more analytically driven curriculum.”
Eric Goytia Nummedal (’22)

2) PRIME: “Marshall has established itself as a globally-focused program with an emphasis on experiential learning. The required PRIME course reflects this, and it’s an important reason why I chose to matriculate at the school. Although this year’s version may look differently due to COVID-19, I’m still really excited to see what’s in store and sharpen my international commerce skills. Globalization and advances in technology continue to make the world smaller and being able to work efficiently and appropriately with firms from countries and cultures all around the world will become increasingly pertinent.”
Ray Campos (’22)

3) Entrepreneurship: “Marshall’s focus on entrepreneurship. I’m an entrepreneur who’s looking for his next venture. The Lloyd Greif Center, USC Incubator, Blackstone Launchpad, Troy Labs, and the Startup Garage are only a few of the many tools Marshall offers future entrepreneurs. No other school has that much to offer.”
Alejandro Cherem (’22)

4) Faculty: “Interviewing at Marshall while concurrently enrolled at USC, I heard constant praise of the esteemed faculty. As someone with limited business experience, it was important to be in a program that teaches fundamentals. I’ve been impressed by the professors’ experiences in their respective fields. Even through a screen, they teach and elevate all students despite varying levels of experience with the subject.”
April Banayan (’22)

5) Trojan Network: “At my alma mater, a tailgate meant: a few people standing around an ice chest on the back of a truck. When I was invited to a tailgate at USC in the Fall of 2019, I had similar expectations. What I found were fully catered food and drinks, the marching band, and 500+ people all coming together around their university. I grew up in Southern California, and had always been familiar with the reverence the USC lineage has for their alma mater. However, to experience the tie that binds the Trojan Family was a memorable experience. Since beginning my USC experience, I have come to recognize that the Trojan Family is not only united by shared passion, but also compassion. This idea of “Trojans helping Trojans” has been reinforced by my experience. For every alumni, classmate, or faculty who has been willing to lend a hand, I have felt compelled to do the same. I am grateful to be a part of this impressive community. “
Eric Goytia Nummedal (’22)

“I was admittedly skeptical when I first heard about the strength of the Trojan network, just because every school likes to say that their network is great. So I decided to actually test it out, and reached out to multiple students while applying. Every single person was quick to respond, more than happy to connect and really genuine when we spoke. Since enrolling, it’s become even clearer that the Trojan network isn’t just a talking point—it’s virtuous cycle that attracts the type of people who care about collaboration and paying it forward.”
Jake Hartley (’22)

“We are a tightly connected family.” – I must have heard this a million times before enrolling at Marshall. It has been a month since I started classes and I never imagined how deeply I would connect with my classmates.”
Alejandro Cherem (’22)

6) Entertainment: “As someone who wants to work in music and film, Marshall’s strength and brand recognition in the entertainment industry is unmatched. Between Marshall’s reputation and location in Los Angeles, the choice was obvious for me. Also, every current student and alumni that I reached out to during my application process all showed a passion for driving change and challenging the status quo. The energy among people at Marshall is contagious, and I knew immediately it was the place that I wanted to spend my MBA experience.”
Martin Dyer (’22)

7) Challenge 4 Charity: “I am most excited about USC’s Challenge 4 Charity (C4C) organization. The Marshall community is very passionate about being involved with C4C fundraisers and events. A lot of schools talk the talk about giving back to community, but Marshall goes above and beyond to walk the walk and make a difference.”
Martin Dyer (‘22)

8) APEC Business Advisory Challenge: “I am most excited about the opportunity to join Marshall’s APEC Business Advisory Council. Marshall MBA students are the only MBA students who get to present their consulting research to the executives at APEC. I took five years’ worth of Chinese language courses in undergrad, and I am particularly interested in working in Asia.”
Katie Mayo (’22)

9) Events: “I love our school’s International Mixer held annually. This event features foods and drinks from all the different countries of origin of our students, both domestic and international. I served Ethiopian food at the event to reflect my origin. This event demonstrates our school’s commitment to celebrating the diversity of our student body. It was really special to share my food and customs with all my classmates in a formal event.”
Detti Belina (’20)

“My favorite business school tradition is 100 Days Dinner. We have a black-tie event approximately 100 days before graduation where everyone and their partners celebrate. We collectively roast and tease each other and all go out together afterward. The camaraderie and collective relationships in our class felt like they’ve never been stronger.”
Brionna Devos (’20)

“My favorite tradition was the MBA tailgate that took place every Saturday before home football games. It represented all the pageantry and thrill of a storied football university and provided a way for our class to relax and deepen friendships. These types of events were a mainstay within our program and represented the collegial nature of my MBA class, of whom I knew every person. It also represented a sense of deep pride in USC that stretched beyond our love of Marshall and the MBA program.”
Lance Skiles (’20)

10) Location: “Marshall is taking full advantage of industry trends in Los Angeles and California as a whole. We now have a burgeoning start-up scene in LA as venture capital money is pouring in. This, coupled with the strength of our Greif Center for Entrepreneurship, is leading to significant placement within start-ups. Marshall is also seeing success in placing students in prestigious tech roles at companies such as Google, Airbnb, Snapchat, and more. These opportunities have been growing year-over-year, and are on pace to become one of our largest placement areas.”
Lance Skiles (’20)

ADVICE TO POTENTIAL MEMBERS OF THE TROJAN FAMILY

What advice would past graduates give to prospective MBAs? This is what the Class of 2020 had to say…

“Take time to learn about the culture that USC Marshall currently has, and the culture and brand that we are working to build in the next few years. Because Marshall is a program on the rise, you’ll need to prove that you understand what type of effort it will take to accomplish shared greatness and that you’re excited to be part of that process. So, don’t rush into your essays or interviews. Make sure you understand what’s expected and make a clear plan to share how you’ll add unique value.”
Lance Skiles (’20)

“I would recommend that they focus on their distinct interests and passions in any field of their interest. Our student body is incredibly diverse in terms of background and interests, whether it be in music or law or sports. Showing that you have a dedication to learning, exploring and creativity will give you major bonus points.”
Detti Belina (’20)

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	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
April Banayan	Los Angeles, CA	USC	USC Keck School of Medicine
Ray Campos	Whittier, CA	University of North Carolina	Biolumina
Alejandro Cherem	Mexico City, Mexico	Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México	Wert Capital
Martin Dyer	Baton Rouge, LA	Louisiana State University	Duff & Phelps
Eric Goytia Nummedal	Irvine, CA	University of Oregon	Advanced BioCatalytics Corporation
Jake Hartley	Raleigh, NC	Duke University	Rehling Law P.C.
Katie Mayo	Virginia Beach, VA	University of Virginia	Accenture
Niki Miyashiro	Laguna Niguel, CA	Ohio State University	JPMorgan Chase
Junli Niu	Hami, China	Fudan University	Lianchu Securities
Megan Beatrice Rucker	Newport Beach, CA	Tulane University	Institute for Applied Network Security (IANS)