Sameer Jain

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

“A master mariner at sea with marine consulting experience.”

Hometown: Chandigarh, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: Visited over 100 countries worldwide over the course of my travels.

Undergraduate School and Major: Madras University, Maritime Business

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Master Mariner, Executive Ship management

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Cornell’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?  The Semester in Strategic operations is unique to Cornell which gives incredible exposure to learn business fundamentals hands on, by visiting local factories and business.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Cornell?  The Big Red Consulting club gives the perfect opportunity to work on consulting skills in real time setting, by working with local clients and as partners work on finding effective solutions to issues and problems.

What excites you the most about living in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region? As a nature lover, the greenery all around Ithaca is striking, with picturesque hills visible as the backdrop. There are innumerable hiking and camping trails in the summer and ski slopes in the winter which allow for all sorts of adventures in the great outdoors.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My work as a marine consultant with the local government helped establish a tax-free zone in the state. It led to the setting up of seven new companies and the establishment of a Maritime University, in order to promote maritime education and training for over 300 cadets every year.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general?  As schools were closed through the mandated lockdown periods, many children from low-income families were unable to attend classes due to lack of mobile devices. I thought of reaching out by starting a foundation that raised funds to provide mobile devices for these children to study online. By interacting with these students, I realized how fortunate I am to have a good education and career, and the need for me to balance my career with meaningful social service.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?  As a master mariner with the intention to transition to consulting full time, I realized I needed to add to my operational and managerial experiences by learning the fundamentals of business and finance.

What other MBA programs did you apply to?  Cornell Johnson was my only choice.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Cornell’s MBA program? I would advise students to learn more about the school by speaking with faculty, current students and alumni in order to get a sense of the close culture and community at Johnson.  As a member of a small class of less than 300 students, it is essential that each applicant identifies with the school and all that it represents.

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