Paige Renken

Arizona State University, W. P. Carey School of Business

“I am a driven, detail-oriented, compassionate person who strives for high quality in everything I do.”

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Fun fact about yourself: I have attended two tennis grand slam tournaments and plan to attend all four in the coming years.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

University of Arizona, Bachelor of Science, Accounting

University of Arizona, Master of Science, Accounting

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Ernst and Young (EY), Auditor

Where did you intern during the summer of 2022? Chevron in San Ramon, CA

Where will you be working after graduation? Northrop Grumman, Principal Supply Chain Business Operations Compliance Specialist

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

MBA Association, VP of Marketing and Communications

First Year Representative Women’s Leadership Association

2022 Q2/6 Net Investor

Volunteer for special needs every Sunday

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of my MBA Association VP of Marketing and Communications role, sending a weekly newsletter to full-time MBA students and faculty. I made significant changes to the newsletter, including updating the day it was sent, adding a calendar of MBA events, and reformatting it. These changes have significantly increased the communication amongst the full-time MBA program resulting in more well-attended and intentional events.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am proud of successfully leading my audit team during a quarterly deadline. This quarterly review occurred in July 2020 during the height of COVID-19 with much uncertainty. I worked with the partners and clients in a work-from-home environment to beat the deadline and have a successful quarterly review.

Why did you choose this business school? I specifically chose the ASU MBA because of the supply chain program. As a top 3-ranked program in supply chain, I am learning from the best professors possible during a time when supply chain is more critical than ever.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite professor was Mikaella Polyviou. She is the best representation of why the supply chain program at ASU is ranked so highly. I took her procurement and supplier negotiations courses in the program. She did a great job engaging the class and helping me learn so much. I loved how she went above and beyond with each of her students. I learned real-world experience that I took to my internship and will use in my career.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course as an MBA was the Decision Modeling class by Reynold Byers. This class focused on creating Excel and Precision Tree models to find the optimal solution in any situation. I enjoyed learning how to take complex problems with multiple sets of data and factors to arrive at an answer. Professor Byers made the class interactive, and I have continued to use the information I learned in the class throughout the MBA program.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event is the Lunch and Learn, where we focus on one culture/country and learn about its heritage and traditions. These events allow us to learn about the various cultures we have represented in the MBA program. These events showcase how our business school welcomes and celebrates all the cultures and countries we have in the program. I enjoyed hearing my classmates talk about their cultures and learn about different areas of the world. We love learning about one another and expanding our world perspective.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back over my MBA experience, the one thing I would do differently is avoid imposter syndrome when starting the program. I was blown away by my peers’ accomplishments and cultures when I began the program. As a result, I could not add value to my peers and struggled during the program’s first quarter. However, through my peers and program operations team cheering me on, I learned that my experiences and skills differ from everyone else. I can add value through my compassion and drive, which I have continued to implement during the rest of my time in the program. As a result, I felt comfortable stepping up into a leadership position within the MBA Association.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about the ASU MBA program is that it only adds value to supply chain students. Although my concentration is in supply chain, I have seen my peers excel in the various other concentrations offered at the school. There are so many opportunities that I have seen my peers take advantage of.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? I love Phoenix because there are many things to do in Tempe and the various suburbs. Depending on one’s interests, there are sporting events, concerts, museums, hiking, and anything else that allows everyone to have fun.

What surprised you the most about business school? I was most surprised by the career coaching at the business school. At the start of the program, we had a class specifically focused on the internship search and helping us figure out what concentration and jobs we wanted to pursue after the program. I worked one-on-one with a career coach, Suzanne Sanchez, who helped me during my internship and full-time job search. I received many resources to ensure I made the best decision possible for my future career.

What is one thing you did during the application process that gave you an edge at the school you chose? I was honest about my ambitions and intentions during the application process. I made sure I portrayed my true self in the application and interview. I showed compassion, drive, and a love of learning.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire Marissa Simone out of my outstanding MBA peers. She always goes above and beyond in everything she does and tries to make everyone feel included. She plans social events for everyone and strives to bring fun to every situation. Her positive attitude and love of learning have been an inspiration to me!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I want to be a mentor to young professional women showing them it is possible to change careers and have a work-life balance. My second professional bucket list item is to be a company board member one day.

What made Paige such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“Paige Renken never intended to become the VP of Marketing & Communications for the MBA Association (MBAA), but she loves the role. Having come to the Full-time MBA program with a background exclusively in a quantitative field, she was at first hesitant to lead the charge in a position with which she was unfamiliar. However, after noticing her seniors’ passion for their clubs, events, and community-building, Paige noticed a gap in coordination among these groups. Multiple events often ran simultaneously, and first-year students often found themselves unable to participate due to their heavy workload, despite a strong desire to join. Through her role in MBAA, Paige has worked tirelessly to help clubs plan events and provide enough advance notice for all students on major upcoming events so that they may attend any events they desire. Paige is also quick to acknowledge that the growth in program communication is a team effort, and she would only be able to make these improvements with the help of those around her.”

TJ Coblentz
Program Manager
W. P. Carey Graduate Programs

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE LIST OF MBAS TO WATCH IN 2023