Sharon Davidor

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

“Impact-driven, resilient and a phenomenal Ghanaian Israeli woman.”

Hometown:  Accra, Ghana; Tel Aviv, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have lived across three continents — Africa, Asia (Middle East), and North America. I am scuba certified with my favorite dive spots in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, and Phuket, Thailand. I have traveled to 19 countries and planned trips to Croatia, Bosnia, and Italy before starting business school. I live for the adventure of life, trying new things and making each moment of life count.

Undergraduate School and Major: Reichman University, Economics and Business Administration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Associate in Venture Debt and Innovation Banking

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Cornell’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Johnson’s investment banking immersion, led by Johnson senior lecturer Drew Pascarella, was a key factor in my decision. This experiential learning is second-to-none, as it will give me the opportunity to work on multiple investment banking deals prior to the summer internship. Given that I have no previous experience in investment banking, I am confident that this highly reputable program will help me cultivate and strengthen skill sets such as advising corporate clients and conducting merger and acquisition activities, leading to securing a full-time offer at a prestigious financial institution.

What excites you the most about living in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region? I am excited to finally take a break from city life and move to the southern tip of Cayuga Lake to enjoy its beautiful landscapes, waterfalls, and organic farms. The college town will provide the right environment to build tight-knit relationships with my classmates and focus on my studies.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Cornell?

Women’s Management Council: I look forward to working with and supporting other women at the Johnson School and beyond, just as I was welcomed and supported by the WMC as a prospective student.

Leadership Programs: I believe the next stages in my career will present an opportunity to lead. I look forward to developing my leadership capabilities by leveraging the practical leadership development program at Johnson and opportunities to practice leadership skills in a student-run organization. I am particularly excited about the course Power and Politics in Organizations.

Women’s club basketball: Funny enough, I was on my high school’s basketball team, and I did not get to play in the final inter-high school competition because I sprained my ankle. I would love to explore what club basketball has to offer.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being passionate about small and medium-sized businesses and the direct impact they have on our communities and economy, I was privileged as an account manager at RBC to support commercial businesses, providing financing to help them stay afloat during the COVID-19 shutdowns.

What do you hope to do after graduation at this point? After a successful career in commercial banking in Toronto, I decided to pursue an MBA to develop the financial acumen and leadership skills needed to pivot into the advisory business in investment banking. Here, I can have a direct impact on corporate clients on the C-suite level while providing support to achieve their strategic goals. Post-graduation, I hope to secure an investment banking associate offer from a financial institution in New York City.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Cornell’s MBA program? Cornell’s MBA program has a tight-knit community keen on “paying it forward.” Fit is a very important factor for both the applicant and the school.

I highly recommend networking with current and past students to learn more about the Johnson experience to best understand your fit. Every Cornellian I reached out to was down-to-earth and very helpful in my application process.

Once that step is complete, it is important to craft your application in a way that sheds light on the common values you share with Cornell and the resources you will be leveraging for your development during the program — personally and professionally. Let your research shine through your application!