Christina Ingraldi

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

“Insatiably curious, curly-haired champion for diversity.”

Hometown: Westchester, NY

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a goal to visit all 50 states, and I’ve already visited over 30! My latest state was Alaska, which I visited a week before starting at Marshall.

Undergraduate School and Major: The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Marketing and Management double concentration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Blue Nile, Strategy Manager

What has been your first impression of the Marshall MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Marshall story so far. Marshall students truly are a family. I’ve been impressed with how willing my classmates and Marshall alumni are to support each other and dedicate time to helping each other succeed.

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? As someone interested in Entertainment, I get to be in the heart of the industry. Beyond Entertainment, there is a diverse set of industries accessible to all my classmates. We’re able to network in-person at these offices and then leave the coffee chat to relax at the beach.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of USC Marshall’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The flexibility and global exposure embedded into the curriculum were key reasons why I chose Marshall. Marshal helps build a foundation of business knowledge for all MBAs during our first year of course classes. Included in the core is PRIME, which is an unparalleled opportunity to travel internationally and directly apply learnings to an international business. After the core is completed, we have an entire year of electives, which we have full agency over, to craft our learning to our core interests—we can even take classes outside of the business school.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at USC Marshall? I’m most excited to join the Business of Entertainment Association. Here, I can meet and support a community of peers who are also interested in all aspects of the Entertainment industry and increasing representation within it.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my last role, I was able to play a key role in the diagnostic of a core business line. I owned analysis of current sales performance and market research, cumulating in a cross-functional 2-year growth plan. I got to present monthly updates on this project to the entire C-suite.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I think that an MBA is a great time for you to reset both professionally and personally. In that frame, I’d recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s a great book that provides tools for sustainable, positive change in your habits. Plus, it’s easy to read and enjoy.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into USC Marshall’s MBA program? Do the research and reflection up front to truly understand why you want an MBA and why Marshall is a good fit for your goals. This will help make the application easy to write and highlight what is authentically you. Marshall wants unique applicants with diverse perspectives, so don’t be afraid to show what makes you special.

DON’T MISS: Meet USC Marshall’s MBA Class Of 2024