Jaquelinne Cervantes

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

“I am an easy-going person with a twist.”

Hometown: Houston, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love to work out and I also play the drums on Saturdays at church with my parents.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Houston – BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Exxon Mobil – Mechanical Contact Engineer

Rochester Simon is known for being “unabashedly analytical.” Why does the program’s focus on quantitative analysis and decision-making appeal to you? How do you intend to leverage this approach as a student and professional? My background is in STEM, so the program’s focus on quantitative analysis makes it sounds like it will be a challenging yet rewarding journey. As for the decision-making side of the program, I have always wanted to get more experience in this area. I know Simon will prepare me for these types of scenarios to be able to make better decisions, not only in the workforce, but throughout my life. I tend to challenge myself as much as I can as a student in the safe space Simon provides, so I can be a better, more understanding professional. I would also want to share my experiences with other students and professionals.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Rochester Simon’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose to come to Simon because it made me feel included and inspired. I wanted to be the one telling my success story to future students, so they could also feel inspired to give back to the community one day.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Rochester Simon? I really want to take Pricing—it will be a great asset to my education, especially within the marking realm. This will make me even more valuable to any company. It will also challenge me since I have never taken a pricing class or anything that sounds close to it.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment so far has been gaining admission into a master’s program. For the longest time, I underestimated my abilities, but I finally got the courage, applied, and got in!

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? A great book that I have read recently is The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz. It touches upon the four aspects of life that you should live by in order to be happy and stay true to yourself. This is what getting into Simon means to me—being committed to a journey that I have decided to take, while also learning and understanding new things throughout the experience.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? I need to learn how to balance my social life with my academic life. I tend to focus on academics a little too much sometimes. So having classmates with whom I’m connected will definitely help me be a lot more successful and make me a well-rounded individual.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Simon’s MBA program? Write your heart out! Really reflect as to why you are applying to Simon’s MBA program or any other program.

DON’T MISS: MEET ROCHESTER SIMON’S MBA CLASS OF 2024