Yuval Safra

Georgia Institute of Technology – Scheller College of Business

“Professional swimmer. Naval sergeant. Fish out of water.”

Hometown: Timrat, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself: I swam enough kilometers throughout my career to circle the globe.

Undergraduate School and Major: Georgia Institute of Technology, Business Administration with a concentration in supply chain and operations management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Israel Swimming Association, Professional Swimmer

When you think of Georgia Tech, what are the first things that come to mind? How have your experiences with the Scheller MBA and the larger university thus far reinforced or upended these early impressions? When I think of Georgia Tech, I always think of a home away from home. Coming here for undergrad was the first time I lived in the United States, and Atlanta became my second home. Now, as a Scheller MBA student, I have gotten to work with the smartest group of people I have ever been around, and they have reinforced my love for this city and this institute. The MBA experience has definitely been different from my time at Scheller as an undergrad. However, one thing that stays the same is that the people here push me to grow and learn and constantly be better.

What has been your favorite part of Atlanta so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? I haven’t been to Atlanta since graduating in 2016., When I came back a few months ago, I was blown away by the number of buildings that were constructed and the rapid expansion. The sheer number of employers moving into the city and the opportunities that are available are endless. It’s also a fantastic place to live because there’s something for everyone: nightlife, great food, hiking, and an international airport that connects anywhere you want to go.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the Scheller MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose Scheller because of its strong supply chain curriculum and career services. I completed a supply chain concentration in undergrad and was able to experience the high-quality professors here who are leaders in the field but wanted to broaden my supply chain knowledge and skill set even further through the MBA program. I also was attracted to Scheller’s dedicated career services team in the Jones MBA Career Center as someone who wanted a hands-on approach to succeeding as an international student with a non-traditional background.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Georgia Tech Scheller? I have really enjoyed the Consulting Club so far. It is a great resource for students that are considering going into consulting as a career post-MBA. The club helps students prepare for the consulting recruiting process through case interview workshops and guidance. Second-year MBA students that worked at various consulting firms share their own experiences and mentor us hopeful consultants.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being a professional swimmer, I have competed in multiple Olympic qualifying events, world championships, and European championships. Yet, my biggest accomplishment was finishing 4th at the European championships in the 25km race in the North Sea. That race was one of the most challenging of my career and my proudest finish.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: I finished second in Deloitte’s national supply chain case competition on a team with three of my classmates. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had so far in the program. The ability to tackle a complex problem with my classmates and leverage each other’s experience and knowledge was exciting and made me appreciate the level of talent that is present in the program.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Scheller MBA program? Be curious, be humble, and be yourself. Scheller values hardworking, kind people from all different backgrounds. You don’t have to have a technical background to gain admission to Georgia Tech, speaking as someone who was a professional swimmer and a staff sergeant in the military.

DON’T MISS: MEET GEORGIA TECH’S MBA CLASS OF 2023 AT SCHELLER COLLEGE