Easlynn Lee

MIT, Sloan School of Management

“Endlessly curious, a passionate community builder, and art enthusiast dedicated to fostering equity and positive social change.”

Hometown: Houston, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was featured on the NASDAQ marquee in Times Square as part of corporations celebrating Giving Tuesday and the Pledge 1% movement.

Undergraduate School and Major: Spelman College, Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Social Impact Manager at Dropbox

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of MIT Sloan’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? MIT Sloan’s curriculum has been described as “Choose your adventure.” I find this quite liberating, and it fits this idea that my MBA journey is going to be full of discovery. MIT Sloan offers structure and support where needed, but also gives students the opportunity to explore a variety of business endeavors. MIT Sloan’s certificate options really piqued my interest and were an important factor in my decision. Given my strong interest in pursuing a career in product inclusion, I knew the Digital Product Management Certificate offered at MIT Sloan would enrich my skillset, aligning product and business goals with creating an equitable world.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at MIT Sloan? In 2021, I took a virtual mock operations management class taught by Professor of the Practice Zeynep Ton. This class solidified my interest in applying to MIT Sloan. Now as an MBA candidate, I look forward to taking her operations strategy class in person. My favorite company value at Dropbox was to “Make Work Human” and it’s a value that I’ll always take with me going forward. Professor Ton’s holistic and thoughtful research and approach to explaining operations and supply chain exemplifies that value, and I’m excited to learn more about the role of operations in creating ethical and sustainable business practices.

Action Learning Labs are one of MIT Sloan’s biggest attractions. Which lab interests you most? How does it fit with your interests? There are so many intriguing Action Learning Labs available at MIT Sloan that it’s difficult to select just one! I’m interested in participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab). G-Lab allows students to learn from, and partner with, entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Having worked in social impact and corporate philanthropy for the past few years, I believe hands-on learning and gaining insight from an array of diverse perspectives, both locally and internationally, is essential to global stewardship and citizenship.

When you think of MIT, what are the first things that come to mind? How have your experiences with the Sloan program thus far reinforced or upended these early impressions?  When I think of MIT, a strong commitment to innovation, community, and collaboration comes to mind. There’s no doubt that MIT develops empathetic problem solvers. I really took my time to get to know students, faculty, and alumni by attending admissions events and shadowing classes when possible. After conversing with students and alumni, I always left inspired and felt like I had a mentor or friend rooting for me to become a Sloanie. I was embraced by the spirit of “Sloanies helping Sloanies” from the very beginning and look forward to cheering on and being a resource to prospective students as they embark on their MBA journey.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: During my time as a Social Impact Manager, I launched our company’s global days of service, attended the UN General Assembly, and managed relationships with human rights organizations around the world. In the wake of 2020’s call for BIPOC equality, I led our efforts to empower nonprofits led by communities of color. The result was a fund for nonprofits paving the way in the racial justice movement, which raised over 1 million dollars. This is my biggest accomplishment to date; I was able to use my voice and realm of expertise to make a difference as well as pay an opportunity forward.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Michigan Ross, Northwestern Kellogg, Texas McCombs, UPenn Wharton

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? It’s been a privilege to work at a tech company prior to business school, and I’d like to return to the tech industry after graduation. My post-MBA goal is to work in Product Inclusion. My hope is that social impact and product goals will continue to become aligned as companies invest more in the communities their products serve.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into MIT Sloan’s MBA program? My advice is to make sure your application showcases the different elements of your personality and lived experiences. Ask yourself how each part of your application helps tell your story and your impact. Be reflective and curious throughout the process; get to know current students and alumni, and embrace your unique interests and passions.