Fanny Tavera

University of Washington, Foster School of Business

School: University of Washington, Foster School of Business

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Fun Fact About Yourself: I took two intensive Mandarin courses in preparation for my study abroad program in Shanghai, China. While I am not as strong as I once was, I still try to practice with Duolingo and friends.

Undergraduate School and Major: Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Inicio Ventures, Capstone Fellow

What makes Seattle such a great place to earn an MBA? Seattle is home to a thriving business community, from Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks, to many start-ups! For students looking for a strong connection to the tech ecosystem and a tight-knight community, Seattle is the place to earn an MBA.

Aside from your location and classmates, what was the key part of Washington Foster’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? To start with, I chose to obtain an MBA to develop a holistic business acumen, focusing on finance, strategy, business valuation, and leadership. I strive to become a well-rounded leader, inspiring and driving change worldwide.

At Foster, I have been able to leverage a global student body, a culture biased toward action and a practical learning approach. Additionally, Foster has many experiential learning opportunities available for students as early as the Fall quarter to really put to practice what we are learning in the classroom. Lastly, Foster’s partnership with The Consortium showcases its commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion in top MBA programs.

Ultimately, these factors contributed to me choosing Foster School of Business.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Washington Foster? I have a diverse set of experiences that have been fueling my desire to create from scratch, differently or improve things. Coming into Foster, I knew I wanted to be engaged with the Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital Club. It is led by highly passionate students, who are interested in empowering and connecting Foster students to resources across the UW campus and the Pacific Northwest.

Additionally, I was selected as the first-year class rep for my section, which is a tremendous opportunity. I am excited to collaborate with my cohort and the administration team to create a great experience for current and future students!

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far: This quarter, I had the opportunity to work as a Venture Fellow with Inicio Ventures, an impact fund focused on increasing the wealth gap in the US by supporting and investing in Latinx founders. During the first quarter, I worked alongside 7 other fellows from across various MBA programs on the inaugural campus fund. We researched, sourced, developed the nomination process, vetted and selected 12 Latinx founders to receive $5,000 in non-dilutive funding for their startups.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? As part of the Venture Capital course I took this Fall quarter we read Secrets of Sand Hill Road by Scott Kupor. It is a fantastic book for those interested in understanding the Venture Capital ecosystem from both an entrepreneur and VC perspective.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Washington Foster’s MBA program? The admissions committee works really hard to seek the best applicants. Remember, you possess unique stories, backgrounds and perspectives and you should aim to bring that to light through your essays. As such, I recommend allocating more time than you think on your essays. Oftentimes this is overlooked by applicants, but it is also an important aspect of the overall admissions process.

DON’T MISS: MEET WASHINGTON FOSTER’S MBA CLASS OF 2024