Meet the MBA Class of 2024: George Alukal, Georgetown University (McDonough)

George Alukal

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“Risk management, then planning and analysis.”

Hometown: Hillsborough, NJ

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m learning the harmonica because it’s fun and portable.

Undergraduate School and Major: Rutgers University, New Brunswick – Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:  American Express, Manager

What excites you most about studying in Washington, DC?  The city is filled with professionals with different backgrounds than I’ve been exposed to previously. This gives me the chance to encounter new ideas.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Georgetown McDonough’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Global business is the future, and Georgetown McDonough’s Global Business Experience facilitates consulting knowledge in the global space.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Georgetown McDonough?  I’m torn between the Consulting Club and the Energy and Cleantech Club. Consulting is good to know, but energy and cleantech are some of our biggest future needs.

Georgetown McDonough programming focuses heavily on instilling a global mindset. Why is exposure to global diversity so critical to business success?  Business now involves global customers, workforces, and supply chains – you need to work with people from different backgrounds and locations. A simple thing like studying alongside people who were on the other side of the time zone difference may help you handle future logistical issues. If there is no strong corporate culture, you also may need to navigate cultural communication differences.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  Rather than one big accomplishment, I have had multiple small accomplishments in creating fair compensation plans in new or reconfigured roles that didn’t penalize the salespeople or break the bank. There had been incidents before, which included defining a bonus for priority industries and reining in payments for locations signed.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?  I took a role in planning and analysis and found I liked it, so I hope to go into consulting or corporate strategy.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? Many people choose the MBA to switch careers, so I would recommend Dark Horse. It’s about people from nontraditional backgrounds and the fields they succeeded in.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA program? There’s no magic formula. Have a coherent story that will show why you want this MBA and have relevant experiences. Do well on your standardized tests.

DON’T MISS: MEET GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH’S MBA CLASS OF 2024