Katrina Corbosiero

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

“I’m a changemaker, reality TV fan, amateur dog rescuer, and spreadsheet fanatic.”

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I always have dog treats in my car in case I come across a lost or stray dog. I found my dog Morgan on the streets 8 years ago!

Undergraduate School and Major: Mills College, Economics and International Relations

Graduate School and Major: University of East Anglia, International Development

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ednovate Charter Schools, Director of Development and External Affairs

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? One thing that drew me to Kellogg is the abundance of social impact opportunities. There are tons of social impact classes, a robust social impact club, and the Golub Capitals Board Fellows program where you can get hands-on experience as an ex-officio board member at a local nonprofit. Kellogg also offers a Charity Auction Ball where the Kellogg community raises thousands of dollars for charity. It was important to me that the program I attend offer opportunities to get involved with the local community and deepen my social impact experience.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Northwestern Kellogg? I’m excited about Moral Complexity in Leadership: An Exploration through Literature, a course, taught by Professor Brooke Vuckovic. It’s a discussion-based class that uses literature to pull out common themes of classic moral quandaries leaders face and explores how leaders can effectively address them in present time. I’m looking forward to learning from my classmates’ perspectives (and feeling like I’m in a book club!).

What has been your first impression of the Kellogg MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Kellogg story so far. One day, I saw a post in Slack calling for any former teachers who were recruiting for consulting to react to the message (fittingly, with an apple emoji). I discovered that a group of 2nd years who had made the transition from education to consulting were offering their time to support 1st years like me during the recruiting process. They’ve spent countless hours offering networking advice, coaching us on how to approach case interviews, and serving as a safe space to ask any and all questions. I had never imagined I’d receive so much support from other students during my MBA. But I shouldn’t have been at all surprised; the pay-it-forward mentality at Kellogg is super strong.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA? Moving from LA to the Midwest was honestly a little daunting, but I love it here. My weekends are often filled with eating croissants at the Evanston farmer’s market, walking my dog along the lake, and going into the city with friends. Evanston offers a peaceful, quieter atmosphere with easy access to the city, and Chicago has incredible food, great museums, and beautiful architecture.

Kellogg is known for a team-driven culture. What quality do you bring as a teammate and why will it be so important to the success of MBA class? Creating an inclusive environment. At the start of my career, I was often the quiet one in meetings. I’m so grateful for managers and mentors who created safe spaces and uplifted my voice in meetings, and I do my best to be that person for other quieter folks in group conversations. We all benefit when everyone’s voices and perspectives are heard.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: At the height of COVID, half of our students at Ednovate Charter Schools had at least one parent lose their job, making it hard to buy groceries and pay for basic needs. I worked closely with our team and donors to rapidly mobilize volunteers and secure critical resources. Together, we were able to distribute $100K+ in gift cards and 10K+ pounds of fresh produce to families in need!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? COVID highlighted how much of a bubble the education space was in. While many other industries were able to adapt and even thrive in this new world, I saw schools struggle every day. I loved my job, but I realized that I needed to be in a strategy seat to have the impact that I wanted. I want to zoom out to a 30,000-foot view and help organizations solve problems before they become intractable. That was the impetus for me to pursue my MBA. I’m looking forward to pursuing a role in strategy consulting and, long-term, I hope to take this new skillset and experience back into the education space.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? The TBOY podcast is such a great way for prospective MBAs who are coming from “nontraditional” backgrounds to get familiar with business terminology and current events. It makes business news super accessible and fun!

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Wharton, HBS, Sloan, SOM, Ross, Fuqua, Darden, Tepper

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA program? The Kellogg interview provides a great opportunity to showcase what you’re passionate about and why you think Kellogg is the right place for you. Make sure you understand your why, craft a cohesive story, and do your research on what Kellogg’s looking for.

DON’T MISS: MEET NORTHWESTERN KELLOGG’S ENTIRE CLASS OF 2024