Meet Minnesota Carlson School’s MBA Class Of 2023

A CLASS PROFILE

Quit isn’t in Emma Foster’s vocabulary, either.  She holds 3 Division III swimming championships. Patrick Hines played 60 concerts as part of a Star Wars music tour. Speaking of space, Aditi Biswas is a LEGO aficionado who only took 5 hours to build a 1,969 piece model of the Apollo 11 rocket that landed on the moon (Yeah, engineers).  And how is this for a way to pay tuition?

“I can make balloon animals,” jokes William Cao, a research technologist at the Mayo Clinic. “In college, I taught a weekly balloon animal-making class at the after-school youth center I volunteered at. The kids were generally very bad at this activity and instead directed all their efforts to crafting balloon swords with which to menace the other children and staff. After several months of their reign of terror, I was promptly removed from this tenure-track post.”

Last fall, Carlson accepted 88 students into its MBA Class of 2023. That represented an increase of 14 students from the previous year. The class brings a median 690 GMAT to campus, which is supplemented by a 321 median GRE and a 3.45 median undergraduate GPA. Women comprise 32% of the class, with international students (19%) and students of color (16%) also represented. Another 19% of the class possesses military experience.

As undergraduates, 22% of the class majored in business. Engineering (20%), Social Sciences (18%), Science and Mathematics (17%), Humanities (9%), and Economics (9%) majors hold sizable shares of the class. Professionally, the largest segment of the class held positions in Public Administration, Government, and Military (14.77%), The class also includes students who last worked in Finance & Insurance, Scientific & Technical Services, Manufacturing, Health Care, and Information Technology.

A CITY OF LAKES…AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN

As a whole, the Twin Cities have emerged as one of the most popular parts of the Carlson experience. In 2021, 18 area companies dotted the Fortune 500 list, combining for $610.3 billion dollars in annual revenue in 2020. The list is headlined by 5th-ranked UnitedHealth Group, a company with annual revenue topping $250 billion dollars.  Target, Best Buy, and 3M also made the Top 100, with CHS, U.S. Bancorp, General Mills, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Land O’Lakes, and Ecolab also cracking the top half of the Fortune 500.

Medicine is one area where the Twin Cities region thrives. In the first quarter of 2022, Minnesota healthcare startups raised $475 million dollars in seed funding — more than all of 2021 combined. Medical device and digital health companies gobbled up all but $44 million dollars of that funding, which makes Carlson’s Medical Industry specialization all the more potent in the marketplace.

“The Twin Cities have a different nickname: Medical Alley,” notes Ikram Khan. “ The tag stems from area clusters of corporate, middle market, and startup might driving innovation in healthcare. My two years in Minneapolis, a global healthcare innovation hub, will allow me to be part of the health innovations hub and create a network with global health leaders. The city hosts more than 18 Fortune 500 companies, many of which are global health leaders such as Mayo Clinic, UnitedHealth Group, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and vibrant MedTech startups supported by Medical Alley.”

Still, the caliber of business opportunities is easily matched by the quality of life.  William Cao describes Minneapolis as being a big city with a small town feel. “The balance I think is perfect! And Minneapolis in the summer and fall is positively idyllic. Nothing but excellent weather, blue skies, beautiful foliage, happy families out and about, and not a single thought given to the inevitable and inescapable frozen tundra that will soon consume all these things.”

Jeremy Bovan gives an equally bullish take on the Twin Cities. “The Minneapolis/St. Paul area is unlike anywhere else I have lived before and is undoubtedly my favorite Midwest metropolis. In the spring, summer, and fall, there are greenways and bike paths in every direction along and across the Mississippi River.  In the winter, there is a skyway system where you can basically get from one end of the city to the other without facing the elements. The city has all of the major sports, as well as theaters, parks, breweries, and cuisine. The Carlson School is on the West Bank of the Mississippi on the edge of the city so you can easily live downtown and walk or take the light rail to class.  With so much to do, the city makes it easier to balance study and leisure.”

Seasons change…and so too does school leadership. In March, Sri Zaheer announced her decision to return to the faculty after 11 years as dean. Over her tenure, she raised over $200 million dollars, more than doubling the school’s endowment. At the same time, she raised Carlson’s undergraduate population by over a third, while doubling the number of master’s degrees offered by the school. While the MBA program is considered a proverbial “small school,” Carlson houses over 5,000 business schools across its programs. That doesn’t even factor in Carlson’s formidable faculty, whose publishing prowess — volume and quality — ranks the school 11th in the world according to The Financial Times.

5 (MORE) REASONS TO CONSIDER THE CARLSON MBA

1) Small Class Size: “What I like the most about the Carlson School MBA program is the small class size. Because of my career as an orchestral French horn player, I feel like I thrive and am the happiest in environments that are small sizes. My current MBA class is about 90 students, which is more or less the same size as a standard symphony orchestra. I want a place where I know everyone’s name and can strike up a conversation with anyone. This is what I get at the Carlson School.”
Patrick Hines (’23)

2) School Philosophy: “The administrators and students at the Carlson School discussed developing business leaders for a better business world, people who have big goals but are also committed to social impact and sustainability. It has an international requirement, with enrichment trips to Sweden, Morocco, and Ghana, among others. It also offers dedicated specializations in Corporate Innovation. In the process, the Carlson School focuses on making sure its students are exposed to a variety of perspectives. As an international myself, I was looking for a program that valued entrepreneurship and pushed its students to consider today’s problems from a socially conscientious standpoint as much as a business one.”
Lucia Madero Murillo (’23)

3) Healthcare: “The Carlson School takes advantage of this regional strength through its Medical Industry Leadership Institute (MILI). The institute boasts coursework on industry best practices, scientific developments, new technologies, and legal requirements. MILI also sponsors trips and case competitions, not to mention an annual fall conference that brings together local leaders to discuss healthcare analytics. In addition, the institute provides a platform for MBA students to complete hands-on projects or evaluate startups through its valuation lab.
Ikram Khan (’23)

4) Fun Activities and Traditions: “TAPS, or Thursday after Professional Stuff, is usually the best part of my week! At the end of every school week, Carlson students go to a brewery to hang out and relax. To a one, my classmates are interesting, outgoing, intelligent, and creative people and it’s been great to get to know them more informally!
William Cao (’23)

“Every spring, the incoming Full-Time MBA class is invited to Minneapolis for Carlson Up Close. This event is an excellent opportunity to meet future classmates, explore your new home and begin building your network with peers, corporate recruiters, and faculty. As someone pivoting careers, Up Close alleviated my concerns about going back to school and allowed me to realize I was more than just a number at Carlson.”
Kevin Bubolz (’21)

“In true Midwestern form, Carlson hosts a Tailgate Tent or two at every home football game. Coming from a small liberal arts school out west school with no football team, I was somewhat apathetic about attending my first gigantic state school tailgate. What’s so special about hot dogs and hamburgers in a parking lot? What I found was a prime example of the community that this program creates. We always had Part- and Full-Time MBAs at our tables, as well as alumni of the program who were excited to welcome the next class to the Carlson fold. The welcoming, open atmosphere and celebration of our home team reflect Carlson’s approach to the classroom and to business: collaboration and cooperation get you further than the competition. Creating spaces (in parking lots or in classrooms) for everyone to leverage their strengths is a huge emphasis at Carlson that shines through every facet of the school’s culture.”
Samantha Clute (’21)

“The C4C Charity Auction! The event, which is celebrating its 16th year, brings together Full-Time, Part-Time, and Executive MBA students along with the school’s alumni and faculty, to support local causes. Since the event’s inception in 2005, it has benefitted 17 charitable organizations, raising more than $390,000. The event is beautifully run, winning multiple student awards, including Club of the Year and the People’s Choice Fun Event awards of 2020. It’s the highlight of our year!
Jeffrey Merkel (’21)

5) Faculty and Alumni: “Apart from the experiential learning and location, our school’s world-class faculty and extensive alumni network were the key motives behind my decision. I was excited by the wide range of core and elective course offerings, such as management of innovation and change, responsible supply chain management, financial management, etc., that fit my career interests.”
Aditi Biswas (’22)

ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE CARLSON APPLICANTS

“Be a polished version of yourself, but be yourself.  Reflect on some of the key responsibilities or leadership challenges that you have experienced and learn how to describe them in the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This is still your story, but preparing and practicing in this way will allow for better communication of your story in a shared format. Think back through your experience and identify different types of challenges you faced, so that when you are asked, you can respond from a mental rolodex.”
Jeremy Bovan (’23)

“Pick the brains of current MBA candidates and alumni. I don’t work in the admissions office, I’m sure they can bombarded with amazing resumes and GMAT/GRE scores, so what will differentiate you from the rest? It is your passion for your goals and your desire to better yourself, your family, and your community. When you get asked a question in an interview, or are filling out questionnaires for the application, if you have strong passion and desire, Carlson will hear it loud and clear.”
Bobby Kava (’23)

“Visiting Carlson and connecting with current students was the biggest differentiator in my application process. Most business schools appear similar on paper, but visiting provided me with an insider’s view that I leveraged in my essays. This knowledge also helped me to convey my interest to the admissions committee and provided an opportunity to start developing my network early. I understand in-person visits may not be an option at this time, but would highly recommend it once it is available.”
Kevin Bubolz (’21)

“For Full-Time MBAs the question, “Are you a career switcher or accelerator?” comes up constantly. As a career switcher from medical device into the healthcare provider space, I knew it would behoove my application to have some experience in that arena on my resume. The two years prior to my MBA, I was a volunteer and then worked as a medical scribe in an Emergency Department. It was the fastest way to get a crash course in care delivery and build my empathy for the working environment of doctors, nurses, techs, and support staff. After I received my acceptance letter, a member of the admissions team told me that my Fairview experience, as brief and unorthodox as it was, was the difference that made the difference.”
Jeremy Merkel (’21)

“The application process can be stressful and overwhelming, particularly when coming from a non-traditional background (I certainly didn’t work with anyone who had their MBA!). I think that the most impactful thing that I did throughout the process was staying true to my goals and motivations. I knew what I wanted out of an MBA, even if I didn’t have the jargon to describe it nailed down yet. Telling my story—not the one I thought recruiters might want to hear, but my authentic impassioned journey to business – helped give my voice credence and made my application uniquely my own.”
Samantha Clute (’21)

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Aditi Biswas	Pune, India	University of Pune	Honda Performance Development
Jeremy Bovan	Oscoda, MI	Northern Michigan University	U.S. Army
William Cao	Rochester, MN	Williams College	Mayo Clinic
Emma Foster	Wayzata, MN	University of St. Thomas	PwC
Patrick Hines	Cincinnati, OH	Temple University	University of Wisconsin
Silvy Kalra	Delhi, India	University of Delhi	Open Road Alliance
Bobby Kava	Pago Pago, American Samoa	U.S. Military Academy	U.S. Army
Ikram Khan	Lucknow, India	Hamdard University	Medaxis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.
Lucia Madero Murillo	Monterrey, Mexico	Boston College	Liz Gately Scouting
Thiago Nunes	Uberlandia, Brazil	Universidade de Uberaba	Tetra Pak
Bailey Webster	Prescott, Wisconsin	University of Minnesota	Minnesota Crop Improvement Association (MCIA)