Zoë Davis

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“Passionate about sustainability, I believe that a business can be both profitable and environmentally conscious.”

Hometown: Newton, MA

Fun Fact About Yourself: My first internship was with the New England Aquarium in Boston. I was in the Visitor Education department, which included answering questions about exhibits and touch tanks, giving formal presentations, and sometimes dressing up as an aquarium mascot!

Undergraduate School and Major: Connecticut College, Biology (with a minor in Statistics)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Wayfair, Senior Data Analyst

What excites you the most about studying in Washington, DC? How much is going on in the city! From museums to restaurants, I’m excited to try as much as I can!

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? I was most excited about how genuinely important social impact is to the program and greater Georgetown community. I knew I wanted to focus my MBA on integrating environmental sustainability and intersectionality with how a business can be profitable, and it was very clear that Georgetown attracted like-minded people. The academic program is also set up in such a way that it gives me a formal business background, while still leaving room for customizing my degree. I wanted to make sure I could lean into strategy and general management, while also having time for other academic areas that a business impacts (such as public policy or public health), so I was also particularly excited about the possibility of taking classes at other graduate schools, including other schools in DC.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Georgetown McDonough? It’s a tie between Business for Impact and the Certificate in Sustainable Business. Both exemplify how Georgetown’s commitment to giving back is not just lip service, and offer a wide range of ways to gain valuable experience and exposure in my area of interest. I’m excited to explore events, case competitions, and research opportunities, as well as focus most of my electives on the strategy behind intersecting the environment and business.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Right before I left Wayfair, I created a new data set to provide more clarity between the website analytics and marketing analytics teams. After identifying the problem space, I took H1 2021 to create a detailed project plan, work with our Data Engineering team to build out the data set, and walk a diverse group of stakeholders through this new data set and how it will address previous issues.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? Like many others, the quarantine period offered some space for introspection, as well as time to learn about issues our communities are facing. I learned how to have a productive discourse around hard subject material, and was further set in my decision to pivot my career. I also learned how much I appreciate work-life balance, and how that’s something I hope to integrate into my future leadership. It’s clear that we need to reprioritize how we approach business and I’m eager to get to work!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? I had a moment at Wayfair where I realized the career ladder I was climbing was not actually the best fit for me. I am so grateful for my time there, and believe that Data Analytics is a great springboard, but I want to pivot not only toward a different industry but also toward a different function within a company. Since my background is in biology, I wanted to take some time to learn about the different aspects of a business, best practices for general management, and different ways to solve problems. After graduation, I hope to have a role that leads a company toward impactful sustainable enhancements — to be determined where exactly this role will be, and I’m keeping an open mind!

What other MBA programs did you apply to? MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, UPenn Wharton, and Yale SOM

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA program? Take some time to reflect on your passions and interests, and focus your application on that — what makes your approach to business unique and how does that support the greater community? I would also suggest, in addition to attending events hosted by the admissions team, to check out events hosted by clubs and academic centers. Not only are the events interesting, but also offer a way to connect with current students and learn more about what’s going on at McDonough (and greater Georgetown) outside of the material on the website.

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