Meet The MBA Class Of 2022: Miriam Rollock, Stanford GSB

Miriam Rollock 

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Creating a world where the capacities of all people are nurtured and unleashed.”

Hometown: West Lafayette, IN

Fun Fact About Yourself: I built and run an e-learning web app called Bootstrap Ed. It’s modeled after the methods I used to hack my academic learning in college.

Undergraduate School and Major: Brown University, Education and Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: America’s Promise Alliance, Strategy and Operations Manager

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Stanford GSB’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? One of the GSB’s greatest strengths is its emphasis on introspective leadership. As students, we’re continually challenged to think critically and honestly about why anyone would follow us. Through feedback and reflection across numerous classes and special programs, we confront how we show up and the effect we have on others. When equipped with these insights, we can more effectively cultivate buy-in for ourselves and for our visions for the world.

What has been the most surprising thing that you’ve learned about Stanford GSB so far? Even before I matriculated, I was struck by how generous the GSB community is from students to alumni to faculty. While clearly committed to achieving their own goals, members of the GSB community are as committed to helping one another do the same whether by offering to make an introduction or help flesh out a new venture idea.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? My classmates are impatient in the best possible way. They see opportunities to make things better and don’t wait for others to fix it for them. Whether finding creative ways for members of our class to get to know each other to building products that solve consumer pain points to running nonprofits that address critical societal problems, Stanford MBAs are quick to act.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest career accomplishment was taking the leap into the nonprofit sector after spending time in tech to apply my skills to the education issues I’m most passionate about. From redesigning operations processes to developing new revenue generation strategies, I helped my organization advance its mission to create the conditions for young people to succeed in America.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? A highlight of my time at the GSB was delivering a LOWkeynote address about reskilling the American workforce. Reskilling at scale can help the country attack the profound economic inequalities we face, realize the full potential of emerging industries, and even help us recast the way we think about our own ability to grow and change. Creating and delivering this TED-style talk was a great opportunity to explore an issue I care about and to develop my presentation skills with the help of a dedicated communications coach.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I also applied to Haas, HBS, and Wharton.

What has been the biggest epiphany you’ve gained about yourself or the world since you started your MBA program? This school year has been anything but typical. Between the ongoing racial justice movements in the U.S. and abroad, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m reminded that progress isn’t automatic and it’s certainly not something that can be delegated. We have an obligation to each other to rise to the occasion and engage to ensure that society works for everyone. We decide the progress we’ll make every day with every action we choose to take. It’s not a new idea, but it’s one that has come into stunning focus in the time that I’ve been at the GSB.

What advice would you give to a prospective applicant looking to join the Stanford GSB Class of 2023? Be selfish with the application process. It’s a unique opportunity to take stock of who you are, all that you’ve accomplished, and what you want to do with your life. While it can feel time-consuming and nerve-wracking, there’s a lot to be gained by going through it. Trust the process!

DON’T MISS: MEET STANFORD’S MBA CLASS OF 2022