Troye Bullock Jr.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

“I am changing the status quo, changing my family’s life, and the lives of others.”

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Fun Fact About Yourself: During the pandemic, I launched a record label and recorded and released over 20 songs with an artist as a passion project. I love music.

Undergraduate School and Major: Georgetown University, BA in Sociology

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, GOODProjects Inc.

What word best describes the Wharton MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far and why? Aspiring. Every student and alum I have met not only has a track record of amazing accomplishments, but is also up to something bigger than before. It reassures me that I made the right decision and motivates me to keep going.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Wharton School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It was the global reach along with the historic excellence in the finance program. I knew that my goal for business school was to get the experience and the network to successfully break into the private equity and venture capital space and eventually do so on a global scale. Additionally, in my research I saw Wharton’s commitment to diversity, which was really important to me.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at the Wharton School? What excited me the most was that Wharton had so many options that aligned with my needs and goals. The options for various electives that focused on private equity and venture capital were important to me. Outside of the classroom, there was the Wharton Private Equity and Venture Capital Club, Wharton Venture Partners, and Venture Foragers, all of which could be vital for my career development.

When you think of the Wharton School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Decorated. Every time I tell someone I am going to Wharton, their reaction is priceless. The recognition that Wharton has for producing talent and opening the door to amazing opportunities is incomparable. Every time I speak with someone about Wharton, they agree.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I think my previous experience as a whole was my biggest accomplishment. Rather than getting a job after undergrad, I started a nonprofit organization in Washington D.C. where I am from. Over the years, we were able to impact over 3,000 families in the communities whom I grown up in in many different ways. My favorite part was creating a mentorship program for youth in the juvenile justice system, many of whom were young men involved in gang violence. Being able to help them finish school, find jobs, and attend college was special, as many of their peers who were not involved ended up incarcerated for long periods of time (or dead). It felt good to see how their participation essentially could have saved their lives.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? COVID-19 showed me that there is a time limit on life and freedom and that we should take advantage of every opportunity in front of us even if we have our doubts. It taught me that the time is always now and that time with family and friends is something that I should appreciate more.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? I wanted to impact the world on a different level. As I fundraised for both my nonprofit and for profit companies, many of the investors and donors were Wharton graduates. I saw how their success post-Wharton gave them a unique opportunity to lead and help others. Additionally, one of those donors who was a Wharton graduate committed to seed a venture fund to invest in minority businesses in my community. Since then, it has been my goal to see it through and get the experience to launch and run the fund successfully one day. Through my work on the ground in the social impact space, I saw that capital investment is the key to having generational impact on the communities that I want to help.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? None. I knew Wharton was the place for me and because of that I put all my eggs in one basket and hoped they felt the same about me.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Wharton School’s MBA program? Meet with as many current and former students as possible. I tried to meet with almost every diversity fellow to understand what the application process was like along with what their experience was like as a student. The key is to find students who you can relate to in order to get a solid perspective. Also, really focus on the GMAT leading up to your application; that is what almost set me back and I think it affected me negatively when it came to financial aid. Additionally, be sure to tell your story and let the admissions team know who you really are in your essays.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE WHARTON SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2023