Meet Cornell Johnson’s MBA Class Of 2025

P&Q: Two years ago, P&Q asked you to share how you’ve integrated AI, STEM, analytics, and digital disruption into your programming. Since then, what types of enhancements have you made in these areas?

Gaur: “We have made two kinds of enhancements regarding AI, analytics, and related topics. First, we have made considerable progress in bringing our Cornell Tech and Ithaca programs together with offerings like fintech, culture, and media technology intensives, and weekend classes on tech-focused topics. The other is the option to complete a STEM MBA, which we added three years ago; it has driven our elective courses to be more intentional about including management science and analytics topics. Our applied SQL and Python courses are hugely popular with MBA students.”

P&Q: How many courses outside the business school can MBAs take during your program? To what extent has your business school embraced coursework from other schools and departments at your university? Are students from other schools and departments at the university allowed to take MBA electives?

Gaur: “Johnson MBA students are allowed to take 22% of the courses required for their degree program from anywhere across Cornell University. Many students take advantage of this opportunity to take courses in business law in the Cornell Law School; human resources management in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations; and courses in specialized fields such as energy policy and computer science.

Given that Johnson is a part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business along with our sister schools — the Dyson School and the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration — Johnson students can also take as many electives in applied economics and management and in hotel administration as they wish, making the Cornell MBA flexible and versatile.

Graduate students from other schools and departments are welcome to take MBA electives and participate in some of our immersion curricula. This enables our MBA students to work in a cross-disciplinary environment with graduate students in engineering, industrial and labor relations, law, and other fields.”

P&Q: What is your biggest student-run event of the year and what does it reflect about your school?

Gaur: “Diwali is the largest and one of the most popular student-run events of the year at Johnson. Many students work tirelessly to put on a Diwali celebration that includes dance performances by students, faculty, and staff, traditional lamp lighting, celebrations of Indian culture, and more.

This event strengthens and showcases the multicultural community experience at Johnson in many ways. It’s truly an amazing sight to see nearly the entire Johnson community gather to celebrate the culture of a group of their classmates. Since it comes in the fall semester, it’s also a great time for second-year MBA students to bond with first-year MBA students. It’s the highlight of the year for many people.”

5 REASONS TO CHOOSE CORNELL JOHNSON

1) Ithaca: “After having lived in big metropolitan cities all my life, I am excited to spend two years in a small college town like Ithaca! I look forward to getting to know my classmates and exploring the hiking and kayaking activities around Ithaca together since it will be a new area to explore for most of the class. Having a major city like New York within reach is nice to have too for our urban adventures and connections to major corporations. I love the “choose-your-own adventure” that Ithaca seems to provide.”
Surbhi Inani (’25)

“I love the natural beauty of Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Ithaca wears all four seasons beautifully and has a charm during each one. Some of my favorites were experiencing the Flat Rock stream in the summer, skiing Greek Peak in the winter, and watching the sunrise on the slope or hiking at any time of the year. These moments were key to catching a breath during the MBA or catching up with friends.”
Monica Mercado (’25)

2) Leadership Development: “Understanding that many programs are alike in terms of academics and career outcomes, I wanted my MBA experience to focus on strengthening my intangibles. A central component of my MBA selection was finding a place that would enable me to refine my leadership skills. The Leadership Skills Program, the Johnson Leadership Fellows, Leadership Expeditions, and the Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows program will provide me with a robust training ground to better myself as a leader. I am on a mission to change the world.”
Seth Petty (’25)

3) Immersion Learning: “Cornell is a powerhouse name all over the world. However, what really drew me to this program was the immersion program in investment banking, which can give me unparalleled hands-on experience even before starting my internship. The opportunity to be mentored by esteemed professors while exploring all the recent deals in the markets is one-of-a-kind. Based on my conversations with current students, in some of the classes, they even get to pitch new ideas to leading companies’ executives. This is an unheard-of opportunity, and I am looking forward to it.”
Yossi Garmazi (’25)

4) Sage Socials: “I am very much looking forward to attending Sage Socials. Every Thursday afternoon, the event is held in the atrium of Sage Hall. This event gives students, staff, and faculty a chance to connect outside of the classroom over snacks and drinks. Attending this event as a prospective student really highlighted the close-knit community that exists at the Johnson School.”
Francis Mulcahy (’25)

“This takes place every Thursday at our beautiful main building, Sage Hall — which has a strong Hogwarts vibe! The social is a get-together for all 600 students in our program where we have the chance to mingle with one another. It reflects well about Johnson’s close-knit, small-class culture, as we have the opportunity to meet everyone and get to know them better. I attribute the strong Johnson bonding partly to this critical weekly social event.”
Calvin Tong (’25)

5) Johnson Follies: “My favorite MBA tradition at Cornell is Johnson Follies, where a group of students comes together to put together a variety of situational skits that make fun of the good, the bad and the peculiar of the MBA experience. We rent out the giant theater in Ithaca Commons and sell out tickets nearly every year. It’s a wonderful night where students, faculty and staff come together to have fun and laugh at ourselves, and the process of getting video ideas up and actually creating the videos is a bonding experience in-and-of-itself.”
Veronique Falkovich (’23)

ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS

“Take a deep breath and apply. If you have the conviction that this is your year to apply, don’t let anything stand in your way. Remember the university motto and Cornell University co-founder Ezra Cornell’s words: “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.” If Cornell is the place that you want to be, they will be ready to welcome you. So take a deep breath and apply!”
Seth Petty (’25)

“If you consider yourself an unconventional business school applicant for any reason whatsoever, tell the admissions committee about it. Dig into the “outsider” mentality; don’t shy away from it. The application process is a valuable one in developing your story and setting intentions.”
Jennifer White-Phalen (’25)

“To maximize your chances of admission, it’s crucial to recognize the significance of both your personal and professional experiences. Value each of these experiences, as they shape your unique story. When crafting your application, strive to present your journey in the most compelling way possible. Emphasize your personality, core values, and aspirations, allowing the admissions committee to understand the real you and why you are the best candidate for Cornell.”
Alejandra Chavez (’25)

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergraduate Alma Mater	Last Employer
Tristan Baker	East Greenwich Township, NJ	Rosemont College	GlobalFoundries
Kenza Bouarroudj	Paris, France	McGill University	Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab Hotel
Alejandra Chavez	Lima, Peru	University of Lima	Banco de Credito del Peru
Sharon Davidor	Accra, Ghana	Reichman University	Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Pedro de la Rosa Herrera	Saltillo, Mexico	National Autonomous University of Mexico	Embassy of Mexico in the United States
Darren Deng	Beijing, China	Brandeis University	Hutong Marathon Sports
Yossi Garmazi	Rishon LeZion, Israel	College of Management Academic Studies	888 Holdings
Bryn Hart	Davis, CA	Loyola Marymount University	DevaCurl (Henkel)
Surbhi Inani	Mumbai, India	Carnegie Mellon University	Microsoft
Francis Mulcahy	Ithaca, NY	Cornell University	Equinor
Seth Petty	Detroit, MI	University of Michigan	Accenture
Jennifer White-Phalen	Santa Monica, CA	Skidmore College	Koning Eizenberg Architecture

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