Michigan Ross Admissions Director Tells Her Story

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business ranked 13th in P&Q’s 2020-2021 Top Business Schools ranking.

In a Ross feature story, Soojin Kwon, managing director of Full-Time MBA Admissions and Program at the Ross School of Business, tells her story – from landing a Deloitte consulting job to becoming the head of admissions at Ross.

A ROSS MBA ALUM

Kwon, who earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Yale University and master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, had her eyes set on consulting early on in her career.

“I wanted to go into consulting, and I realized an MBA would help me pivot into that industry,” Kwon says. “I learned that Michigan Ross had this innovative program called MAP, and thought it’d be a great way to get experience in consulting. That’s why I chose Ross, and it has turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

The Ross MAP, or Multidisciplinary Action Projects, program is a seven-week course taken by all first-year Ross MBAs. Students work in teams to solve a real business challenge for a sponsor company. The innovative program is a prime example of action-based learning and requires students to apply analytical, project management, and leadership skills.

Kwon, who graduated with the Ross Class of 1999, recalls a number of highlights from her days at Ross – from memorable classes to the school’s strong sports culture.

“Neither of my first two schools had strong sports cultures, so to be part of a winning team, immersed in so much school spirit, was really exciting,” Kwon says. “But what I enjoyed most about my time in the MBA program was the people — really smart, down-to-earth people who I liked going to school with.”

FROM CONSULTING TO MBA ADMISSIONS

After earning her MBA at Ross, Kwon took on a consulting job at Deloitte, where she worked at for five years.

But Kwon says she wanted something “more mission- and impact-oriented.” Through a Deloitte contact, she landed upon an open position as senior associate director at the Michigan Ross MBA Admissions Office.

“I had never considered admissions as a career, but the more I thought about it, I realized the opportunity I’d have to make the place where I received my own MBA the best place for students to come,” Kwon says. “I also knew I would be really passionate about it and excited to be part of the community.”

SUPPORTING THE ROSS COMMUNITY

Since 2004, Kwon has helped grow and evolve a number of programs and initiatives at Michigan Ross. Throughout her time at Ross, she’s led admissions in the Bachelor of Business Administration, Full-Time, Executive, and Evening MBA programs and helped launch the school’s Weekend MBA and Master of Management programs.

Now the managing director of the Full-Time MBA Admissions and Student Experience, Kwon is responsible for overseeing the entire student experience at Ross – from recruitment to graduation for 800 full-time MBA students.

“You would think that admissions is pretty similar from year to year, but each year has been so different,” Kwon says. “The market changes, students’ career goals have changed, and how we market to, recruit, and evaluate candidates has changed significantly over the last decade.”

With the recent social unrest in the past year, Kwon has also written articles on her own experiences of racism and the importance of standing united against injustice.

“I decided to speak up because I saw that our students wanted to know where their leaders stood on these issues plaguing our society. I felt like I had a responsibility to our students to say something,” she says.

Kwon says that the pandemic has made the past year the most challenging one in her entire career. But she credits the support of the Michigan Ross community for pushing her to evolve and adapt. With in-person events coming back this year, Kwon is looking forward to growing and supporting the Ross community even more.

“Being the managing director for the Full-Time MBA program isn’t just about admitting great students and supporting them while they’re here, it’s an opportunity to build the Michigan Ross brand,” she says. “Being an alum gives me more passion for making the Ross MBA community, experience, and brand the best it can be.”

Sources: Michigan Ross, P&Q

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