Meet the MBA Class of 2024: Jena E. Brown, USC (Marshall)

Jena E. Brown

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business                 

“Like a boxed wine, I am economical, fun, reliable, and a great addition to Catan.”

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Fun Fact About Yourself: My husband, Swasey, is also in the USC Marshall Full-Time MBA program, and we have two kids under four years old, so our MBA is truly an adventure!

Undergraduate School and Major: United States Military Academy, Civil Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: U.S. Army, Military Intelligence Officer

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. My best Marshall experience so far is my classmates and meeting new people from all over the world. Diversity is something that Marshall promotes when applying to their MBA program, and I was excited to see it reflected immediately at orientation. I feel like my knowledge of different cultures and perspectives has already grown and will continue to expand through my time at Marshall.

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? After living in Houston, Los Angeles has significantly better weather. Weather aside, LA is unique for its diversity, incredible food, many beaches, and other outdoor and enriching activities. The West Coast is also the hub of entertainment, technology, and business ventures focused on making the world a better place. Exploring a new place with my family and new friends is one of the best aspects of Los Angeles.

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 Trojan Family is an authentic and tangible thing. Coming from the military, I knew that I wanted to attend an MBA program with a strong and supportive network as I navigate my next career. I have received so much support from Marshall graduates. This includes the Forté Foundation conference held this summer in Downtown Los Angeles, Trojans in Graduate Career Services, Trojans currently in the MBA program, and Trojans I have never personally met but have been able to reach out to via LinkedIn. The Trojan network is worldwide and invested.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at USC Marshall? I am most interested in the Marshall Consulting & Strategy Club (MCSC) as I want to pivot into consulting. I look forward to working with my peers to prepare for case interviews, mentorship from 2nd-year students, and learning from career strategists while navigating through the consulting recruiting process. I enjoy solving complex problems that will grow my thought processes to formulate creative and efficient solutions.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment so far in my career is being the first person in my family to attend graduate school. One of my parents graduated from college and none of my grandparents even went to college. The MBA program is not only a great opportunity for me to grow as a professional, but it will set up my children to have the freedom and stability to choose whatever career field they want. College and higher education are not for everyone, but if that is something they want to pursue, I will be able to help them achieve that goal and am proud of the example I am setting for them.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I highly recommend any media that allows you to easily digest information and stay up to date on current events. Life gets busy applying to MBA programs and transitioning back into school. If you have time to read, I recommend subscribing to The Morning Brew, The New York Times, or Wall Street Journal. If you are in a place with traffic or a longer commute, podcasts I recently enjoyed during this transition back to school are the WSJ What’s News, WSJ Minute Briefing, and NPR Up First. It is important to know how current events shape the world around us and their implications for you or others. By listening to different news sources and not relying on algorithmically sourced news from social media, you will experience information through another lens which will enable you to broaden your thought process.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into USC Marshall’s MBA program? First, never self-select out of a school. Connect with current students or alumni. Take the time to read and re-read your essays. When you think you are finished, have at least two more people read them. Find a good mentor to help you through the process and practice for the admission interviews. USC is unique in that they do not have an option for letters of recommendation, so make sure you tell your story and know your why. Never forget that you are unique Your background has formed you into who you are, and share how you want to continue to grow with Marshall.

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