Yuliia Kravets

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“A hard-working individual dreaming big and a tireless mom of two sweet angels.”

Hometown: Kyiv, Ukraine

Fun Fact About Yourself: While my son goes crazy about collecting sea shells, I am passionate about aquascaping. When I travel around the world, I often look for unique items to put into a large aquarium at my home and to create an entire ecosystem submerged under water.

Undergraduate School and Major:

Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman                 2009-2010                                                                      Faculty of International Financial Affairs

Edinburgh Napier University                                                                                       2008-2009

Faculty of Financial Services Management

Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman                  2005-2009

Faculty of International Economics and Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: JSC FUIB (First Ukrainian International Bank) – Marketing Communications Manager

What excites you most about studying in Washington, DC? I am truly amazed at the dynamics of Washington, D.C. It is an amalgamation of modern and old, funny and responsible, priceless and affordable. The city provides great networking opportunities, so you just need to be in the right place at the right time. Hosting students from all over the world, Washington is one of the most diverse places, where different cultures, backgrounds, and belief systems intertwine to create a perfectly shaped organism.

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? I believe Georgetown is the right place for me to learn how to do business globally. Its focus on transnational companies will provide me with valuable insights into how the business really works. Also, the school’s curriculum is flexible enough to allow students to enjoy their lives, which is extremely important in the process of learning.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Georgetown McDonough? I have been interested in marketing since my university years. For this reason, I would choose the Graduate Marketing Association as the most exciting way to spend my time outside of regular classes. GMA will refine my existing empirical knowledge of marketing with theoretical material and practical workshops. As a result, GMA will make me and those others interested in marketing well-rounded professionals in the field.

Georgetown McDonough programming focuses heavily on instilling a global mindset. Why is exposure to global diversity so critical to business success? In the first place, it makes you more responsive to consumers’ demand regardless of the industry you work in. By improving your understanding of other cultures, you enhance your reaction to culture-related market fluctuations. Also, it improves your negotiation skills by demonstrating cultural realia and showing how various organizations in different environments function.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimea and the eastern part of Ukraine. Residing in Kyiv, I often communicated with refugees who had lost everything: their homes, relatives, and businesses. Within a year, I co-founded the Donbass Assistance Group, which has provided financial and psychological help for people fleeing from the east. Over the period from 2015 to 2021, we helped over 100 families find their new homes and settle into a foreign city. This is an important accomplishment for me.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?  I am genuinely in love with marketing. My short-term goal after graduation is to start working for a large international company as a marketing director.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? The book Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is among the most inspirational ones I’ve ever read. For three reasons, this autobiography has left a lasting effect on me. First of all, I am in awe of Mandela’s degree of tenacity throughout his life. Simply because he thought that every person had the right to equal opportunity, Mandela committed his life to battle racial injustice as well as construct an egalitarian society. Second, I was struck by Mandela’s unwavering sense of purpose. Despite spending 27 years in jail as a political prisoner who had been wrongfully charged, Mandela did not give up his beliefs. I was amazed by the unique perspective that Mandela promoted all throughout. He viewed himself not just as a freedom fighter in South Africa but rather as a fighter for justice and for the whole continent.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA program? Do not overthink. Be honest with the admission committee and free to show your worth. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if needed.

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