Danica Barhumi

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“I am a curious person who enjoys learning by embracing different perspectives to bring ideas to life.”

Hometown: Lima, Peru

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was 3 years old, I got trapped in a zoo cage with a Puma.

Undergraduate School and Major: Universidad del Pacífico; Major: Business Administration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Cisco Systems, Partner Business Development Manager

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why? The principle that resonates most with me is Students Always. Learning has always been an important part of my life and I identify with Haas’s perspective that we are all lifelong learners. No matter how old or experienced we are, learning never stops and it is what opens the door to new possibilities.

When you think of UC Berkeley, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Community. Since the beginning of my application process, I’ve been impressed by the collaborative and smart community of students, alumni, and faculty. I was blown away by how open and caring they all were.  Also, I like that Berkeley sees diversity among people as a source of strength. Having colleagues from so many different backgrounds enriches the MBA experience.

Aside from classmates and the Defining Leadership Principles, what was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The flexible curriculum designed around experiential learning will allow me to apply innovation in real-life scenarios. I like that, in the MBA program, you begin personalizing your studies with elective coursework in your first year. Also, the extracurriculars are an excellent way to complement learning by sharing with an amazing network of people from different backgrounds.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? The Haas Technology Club. As someone with a technology background, I’m excited to connect with and learn from other students and alumni who are equally passionate about technology.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: It was building a pioneering educational program that transformed how sellers throughout Latin America developed consultative skills in technology solutions for the manufacturing industry. As a result of the program’s success, it was replicated globally.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation? Post-MBA, I plan to pursue a product management position at a fast-growing company that combines technology with purpose in the education sector. This role will allow me to learn how to manage the complexities of fast-growing organizations and create innovative solutions to tackle real world challenges.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program? Everyone is unique in their own way, but the most important thing is to identify what makes you unique and use it as your superpower. Embrace your strengths and stay authentic throughout the process.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE BERKELEY HAAS MBA CLASS OF 2025