Kelsey Van Hook

UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business

“I am an extroverted go-getter that likes to accomplish goals with a smile.”

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Fun fact about yourself: In 2018, I scuba-dived in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Undergraduate School and Degree: UCLA, BS in Biology

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? National Account Manager at Van Hook Dental Studio

Where did you intern during the summer of 2021? Janssen Pharmaceutical Leadership Development Program (JPLDP) Summer Associate, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

Where will you be working after graduation? Management Associate Program (MAP), Vaccines at Sanofi (formerly known as Sanofi Pasteur)

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:                                                                                                            

• Awards:
  • (2020) Faculty Scholarship
  • (2020) The Michael Johnson School Spirit Award
  • (2021) 2^nd Place Finalist at the UBS & USC Everyone’s Business Case Competition

• Leadership:
  • (2020 – 2022) Merage Student Ambassador
  • (2020) Board – Woman in Business
  • (2020) VP of Marketing for Challenge for Charity (C4C)
  • (2021 – 2022) Co-President of Challenge for Charity (C4C)
  • (2021) VP of Career Development for IDEA (DE&I Organization)

• Community: (2020 – 2021) Programs Vice Chair for Women in Bio LA

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? As Co-President of Challenge for Charity (C4C), a nonprofit organization with chapters across West Coast MBA programs, I had big shoes to fill as we returned to campus last fall. Our club was faced with key challenges, like transitioning to in-person volunteering/fundraising events and energizing the new cohort with our mission: supporting volunteerism and philanthropy. Our annual Halloween fundraiser hadn’t been put on since 2019, so I was eager to surpass prior fundraising goals and re-ignite the Merage community. There were some roadblocks with planning the event, especially due to COVID regulations, but we successfully hosted an on-campus fundraiser for over 125 guests. We raised over $4,000 via our first ever peer-to-peer fundraising platform, collecting donations until midnight of the event and surpassing our 2020 fundraising goal.

We were proud to donate 100% of our proceeds to C4C’s core charities: Junior Achievement, Special Olympics, and Second Harvest Food Bank. Beyond this, we were able to bring back the spirit of C4C and an annual tradition that will continue for years to come at Merage.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Working at Johnson & Johnson had always been a dream of mine. When I began recruiting for MBA internships, Johnson & Johnson was high on my shortlist. I admired J&Js patient-centricity, credo-driven culture and strong marketing arm. In early October, far before typical MBA recruiting, I secured my summer internship with The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of J&J. I felt an immense amount of pride and accomplishment, but I knew my effort wouldn’t stop there. I successfully completed my 12-week summer internship in August with a full-time offer and was proud of my quick ability to apply MBA-level concepts to an impactful project. I look back on my internship experience and am proud of my personal growth, deep connection to my project, and relationship-building capabilities. These experiential learnings will surely benefit me in my post-MBA career right around the corner!

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Merage for several reasons: healthcare concentration, Southern California location, and small class size. However, what attracted me most about Merage were the relationships that I had built with students and faculty during the application process. I connected with several Student Ambassadors and members of the Admissions Committee when I began applying. I was even able to tour campus and audit an in-person course with one of the Ambassadors. The Merage culture was welcoming, friendly, and supportive. I was eager to attend a program that focused on these attributes rather than competition. These attributes surely left an impression: I was empowered to apply and land the position of Merage Student Ambassador when I started the program in Fall 2020.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite professor at Merage is undoubtedly Tonya Bradford. Professor Bradford is a compassionate marketing guru. She is a wealth of knowledge in marketing – I appreciated her multi-industry perspective of marketing and real-world analysis of brands. She ignited my passion for this field from day one, and I was fortunate to take two courses with her during my time at Merage: Strategic Brand Management and Marketing. I’m excited to stay connected with her after my time at Merage and give back to future marketing classes through real case studies.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Our class started a new tradition in 2021: happy hours and sports competitions on the beach. Every Friday during Spring Quarter, we would venture over to Newport Beach and enjoy the afternoon in the sun. It was a great way to bond with our MBA community – we invited other programs and the second-year students to bring everyone together as COVID restrictions lightened and classes resumed in-person. We plan to keep the tradition alive this spring and kick off the quarter with a Beach Olympics event sponsored by Challenge for Charity and the Beach & Surf Club.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Taking a look at the last two years, I wouldn’t change anything. I accomplished all my goals that I had set pre-MBA: leading clubs, placing in a case competition, landing a dream internship. If I had to choose one thing, I would have liked to hold a board position on Merage’s student association, MSA. I’ve always been interested in student government, but decided not to apply as I had plans to study abroad during Fall Quarter. When I opted to stay in the states, the board was already full. Luckily, I’ve been able to partner with MSA and plan collaborative events as Co-President of C4C.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Given how strong UC Irvine is in academics, I anticipated that our program would be very competitive. Luckily, this wasn’t the case! Across recruiting and classes, I found our program to be very non-competitive. Because Merage has such a small class size, there is more collaboration and support than ever. We were able to bond over tough courses and interview questions and find creative ways to uplift one another – especially in a virtual setting. Our class formed study groups beyond our assigned study groups, ensuring one another’s success in difficult situations. I’m looking forward to remaining close with my cohort well beyond graduation.

What surprised you the most about business school? Business school brings together people from different walks of life. Despite our diverse backgrounds and rich experiences, I was surprised at just how much we all have in common. Getting your MBA is a very different experience than undergrad – here, there is a greater understanding of accountability and responsibility. We are in business school to crush our goals and transform our careers, all while having a good time! I expected to meet both life-long friends and mentors at Merage, but not to this extent. I am so grateful for my time here and can’t wait to watch my friends succeed in their post-grad roles!

What is one thing you did during the application process that gave you an edge at the school you chose? I heavily leveraged my networking skills throughout the application process. I was genuinely interested in attending Merage and building lasting relationships with those that I met along the way. I began to connect with members of the Admissions team and Student Ambassadors to learn more about the program from their perspective and get advice on submitting a top-notch application. Throughout the process, we were able to get to know one another on a more personal level, and I really started to feel like I was a part of the Merage family.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire Beeta Shahnazari. Beeta is the current president of our student association and manages a fully stacked board plus operations for 13+ graduate organizations. She is a double Anteater and absolutely loves supporting our program, all while getting others involved and trying new ways to engage the community. Beeta’s excitement for her education and future career in finance is contagious – it’s been a pleasure studying alongside her for almost two years. I can’t wait to see how far she goes!

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? As an undergrad at UCLA, I was pre-med and wanted to pursue a career as a physician or PA. It wasn’t until my junior year that I decided I wanted to pivot and jumpstart my career by working in healthcare from a business perspective. I knew that I could still impact patient lives and access to medicine through nontraditional avenues. This inspiration to work in business stemmed from my entrepreneurial spirit, passed down from my parents. My parents have owned a dental laboratory for over 40 years, and I have seen first-hand the drive, spirit, and grit that it takes to run a well-oiled business. Their strength inspires me daily to continue pursuing a career through the business of medicine. 

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Join a nonprofit board
2. Hold a C-suite position

How has the pandemic changed your view of a career? This is an interesting question. My gut instantly thinks of relationships in the workplace. It is more important than ever to understand that your coworkers, managers, and mentors have personal lives beyond office walls. I appreciate that the pandemic has broken some of these walls and reminded us that at the end of the day, we are human. Work-life balance is something that cannot be overlooked, especially when working in a hybrid model (like we’ve had to do for class and summer internships). I’m hopeful that I will embark on richer relationships in my career and find deeper empathy towards others in difficult situations.

What made Kelsey such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022?

“It is a true honor to write this recommendation for Kelsey Van Hook. I had the pleasure of meeting Kelsey when she came through the admissions process. I knew she was someone special, her passion, enthusiasm, and drive were something that really stood out. She truly embodied all the qualities we look for in our student body. We all knew she would make an impact on our class and the Merage School during her time in the program. And I continue to be amazed at Kelsey’s constant dedication and commitment to shape the future Merage School student experience for years to come.

Since starting the program, Kelsey has given back to the school and her classmates in many ways. In her role as Student Ambassador, she has interacted with hundreds of prospective students, guiding them through the application process and being a champion for the school. Kelsey’s hard work and leadership has been shown time and time again. One such example was over the summer; Kelsey was tasked with planning a series of engagement webinars to help incoming students plan and prepare for the start of the Fall quarter. These webinars are a vital part of our recruitment yield strategy. This series of webinars showcased her high level of detail, collaboration, and innovation she put it to providing incoming students all the tools necessary to be successful in their time at Merage. Her research and strategic approach to the execution of these events lead to success and helped our first-year students navigate through the many challenges that come from being a Full-Time MBA student. In one session, she shared her own personal roadmap, and how she prepared for the job search which led to her success, this piece of information was invaluable and something that will be used for years to come. It was a huge contribution that helped pave the path for successfully lading an internship and job post MBA.

On a personal note, Kelsey is one of those students that I know I will remember years down the road, and I look forward to keeping in touch with her and following her as she advances through her career. I have all the confidence that amazing things are ahead for her as she joins Sanofi in their Management Associate Program. She has made a tremendous impact on the Merage School and her classmates, and someone I have truly enjoying working so closely with.”

Lindsay Haberman
Associate Director, MBA Recruitment and Admissions

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2022