Philip Busick

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“I’m a fun loving, gym enthusiast who loves skiing, cooking, and spending time with friends.”

Hometown: Washington D.C.

Fun Fact About Yourself: While backpacking in Europe, I was chased by a bull through the Swiss Alps.

Undergraduate School and Major: Truman State University, Public Communications

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: U.S. Army Special Operations Command – Operations Officer

What excites you most about studying in Washington, DC? What excites me most about studying in DC is that my classmates and I get to take advantage of the unique opportunities and experiences that are only available here in the nation’s capital, which sits at the intersection of business, politics, and culture.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Georgetown McDonough’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? A key factor that affected my decision to be a part of McDonough was their focus on international business. I believe that we live in a deeply global and ever more interconnected world and I am excited that Georgetown is so internationally-focused. I believe the skills and experiences that McDonough provides are what truly makes it a top-rated MBA program and sets it apart from others.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Georgetown McDonough? The course that excites me most at McDonough is the Global Business Experience (GBE). A large part of my decision to attend Georgetown is their commitment to a global business mindset. I really appreciate that my classmates and I will able to put the skills we learned throughout the course into practice and we travel abroad to consult to international firms.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: By far, my biggest accomplishment in my career was being given the privilege and honor of leading brave American soldiers both here at home and abroad. My fondest memory of the Army will always be as a Company Commander in charge of over 75 outstanding men and women; as their commander I was charged with the responsibility of ensuring their health, welfare, and morale, along with balancing the needs of our core mission set and ensuring we succeeded in our operations. I cannot express how much I enjoyed helping to train and develop junior leaders and watch them grow into outstanding, talented, and audacious leaders in their own right. The memories and relationships I developed in the military will be with me for a lifetime, and I look forward to building new memories and friendships here at McDonough.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? COVID-19 was a seminal moment in modern history and certainly helped to shift my paradigm of the world and my place in it. Through varying degrees of shortages of everything from semiconductors to toilet paper, I realized I wanted to learn more about the supply chains that impact almost every aspect of our lives. I believe that McDonough has a great program for helping to explain how global business functions now and where it is going in the future.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? The decision to pursue my MBA was always not a matter of if but when. Even as an undergraduate, I was already planning to apply to a master’s program, but I wanted to make sure I had enough professional experience to bring something to the table. I had planned to begin my MBA journey after completing my time as a Company Commander, but was persuaded to stay in the Army a bit longer after joining the special operations community. This proved to be a very fortuitous decision because it allowed me to gain an even broader set of experiences that I can now share with my classmates. After graduation I hope pivot into the world of consulting and ideally join a consulting firm that specifically focuses on strategy and management.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Tuck, Darden, Johnson, Fuqua, Kenan-Flagler, Ross

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA program? Obviously, you need to put you best foot forward when applying, so if that means taking a little bit more time to make your application as impressive as possible, don’t feel rushed. Make sure to highlight your leadership experience. If you find yourself lacking in that area, go explore ways to volunteer and step up into a leadership role. There is nothing that can replace the experience that comes from leading people and it will serve you well during you time a McDonough and beyond.

DON’T MISS: MEET GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH’S MBA CLASS OF 2023