Rashauna David

New York University, Stern School of Business

“A cultured and curious business minded professional who advocates for people who are often overlooked.”

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was a competitive cheerleader for over 10 years.

Undergraduate School and Major: Hampton University, Business Administration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Deloitte, Technology Senior Consultant

What excites you the most about living in New York City and how do you see it enhancing your learning experience? What excites me the most about living in New York City is the hustle and bustle of the city. I thrive in places where people are constantly working to meet their goals. I truly believe if you can survive in NYC, you can survive anywhere. I am most excited about the many networking opportunities here in the city. As a student this will be crucial in establishing strong relationships to propel my future professional growth.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of NYU Stern’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? One thing that stood out to me about NYU Stern’s MBA Program was the opportunity to design my own path. The ability to choose not just one but up to three areas of specialization was very attractive to me as someone who has many interests. This opportunity gives me the ability to strengthen different skill sets.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at NYU Stern? I am most excited about the experiential learning class called Tech in the City. As an inspiring entrepreneur and investor, the ability to work with a high-tech startup in New York City is an opportunity that I want to take advantage of. The class will not only teach me what it takes to run a startup, but also allow me to apply my previous experience as a technology consultant to help the company grow – an essential skill I will need when embarking on my own venture.

What does EQ (Emotional Intelligence) mean to you and when have you seen its value in your career? To me, emotional intelligence is the ability to empathize with others. For someone to be emotionally intelligent, they must see things from different perspectives even when they may disagree with them. EQ has played out in my career in many ways as a consultant. Working as a product manager and scrum master, I’ve had to understand pain points of consumers while managing expectations with clients and internal firm leadership. This skill requires a balance of understanding, patience, and leadership.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment in my career so far has been getting accepted into NYU Stern on a full-tuition Consortium fellowship, being promoted to Senior Consultant at Deloitte, and landing my first role at a VC fund all within a year. I have been extremely blessed and want to thank everyone who has contributed to this success – Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) MBA Prep Program, my Deloitte leadership team, and HBCUvc.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I hope to work with a company that is pushing inclusivity and innovation in the market. I will continue being an advocate for change to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion remains at the forefront. I will advocate for diverse leadership, upskill diverse communities, and lift as I climb.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into NYU Stern’s MBA program? Be yourself and tell your authentic story. There is no need to compare yourself to anyone else, especially those you believe may have a stronger resume or background. Also, test scores are important but not everything. If you are struggling with a test, switch tests or look for schools that don’t require a test score. Many top institutions are offering test waivers, something I utilized at many schools I applied to. You got this!

DON’T MISS: MEET NYU STERN’S MBA CLASS OF 2025