Bhavya Chawla

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business

“I am a spiritual, creative, fearless, organized problem-solver who wants to change the orthodox world.”

Hometown: Delhi, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I like sketching human faces

Undergraduate School and Major: J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology, Mechanical Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Suzuki Motors, India

When you think of Notre Dame, what are the first things that come to mind? How have your experiences with the Mendoza program thus far reinforced or upended these early impressions? The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Notre Dame is its kind-hearted people who wish you nothing but success. From the very first day of orientation and leadership launch to this day, I have encountered several instances of a robust support system always having my back. Whenever I see the Golden Dome, ND flag, and “God, Country, Notre Dame” written in golden letters, I feel a strong sense of belongingness. Feeling this strong sense of community within four months into the program is unusual and unique. I couldn’t have found this belongingness to Notre Dame, its community, classmates, and all the associated people anywhere else in the world.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Mendoza MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The small cohort size of Mendoza MBA class is its biggest strength. I have always wanted to be a part of a strong community and make lifelong friends in the MBA program. For someone like me who had to move to a foreign country thousands of miles away from my family to pursue my MBA, it is essential to have a social support system.

The class structure, small learning groups, experiential learning opportunities, and everyday career, academic events, and case competitions – all of these have been designed so that you have meaningful conversations with your classmates in a way that bonds us all at a core level.

We started the MBA experience with the “Leadership Launch,” which conditioned us to think about our core values in every decision we make in our careers and life. Every class, henceforth, was built on the concept of sticking to your values and doing the right thing in every “business situation.”

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Mendoza? Business Problem Solving is by far the most intellectually challenging, learning, extensive, and fun course I have taken. I always use the creative side of my brain much more than the analytical side. This course, taught by ex-McKinsey Partner Viva Bartkus, challenged my creative side and made me think about a problem statement holistically. The course gave me tools and methods to tackle any business problem as I move into the consulting world.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Leading network development of five South East Asian and African countries for Suzuki motors and solving its biggest expansion challenges has been my professional life’s most significant accomplishment. On an academic level, I have been preparing for my MBA journey for the last few years. But Notre Dame choosing me for one of its most prestigious fellowships, and deciding to come to South Bend for my MBA has been the biggest and best decision of my career. The day I landed a summer internship offer from my dream firm was the biggest day of my MBA life.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I was always fascinated by the drive of the entrepreneurs who dedicate most of their time to working on an idea and bringing it to life. Understanding the entrepreneurial aspects of the business was a key learning objective I came up with when I started my MBA journey. Keeping this in mind, I applied for a student internship program at IDEA Centre, Notre Dame’s Start-Up incubator and accelerator. The application and recruitment process were intensive as there are only a handful of positions, and students from all graduate and undergraduate programs having strong entrepreneurial backgrounds apply for it. After making it through the recruitment process, every day as an IDEA-Centre Insights Analyst intern is a new learning experience.

Mendoza is known as a purpose-driven MBA program that asks students to “Grow the good in business.” What is your mission and how has Mendoza been helping you realize it? I consider myself a very creative person who enjoys problem-solving and taking on new challenges. I came to Mendoza with a mission to pivot to strategy consulting and work with a great and people-centric organization working to solve the biggest challenges companies worldwide are facing.

Mendoza provided me with all the necessary resources to start preparing for my success. Even before I started my MBA, I joined Consulting Club preparatory sessions and utilized case prep resources provided by the school. During the summer, I also picked up some skills from the free access to a vast range of learning platforms provided to all MBA students. All these resources and help support supplied by Mendoza helped me land an internship offer from one of the world’s most prestigious, values-driven, and people-centric consulting companies.

DON’T MISS: MEET NOTRE DAME MENDOZA’S MBA CLASS OF 2024