P&Q’s MBA Admissions Director Of The Year For 2023: Cornell Johnson’s Eddie Asbie

In 11 1/2 years in admissions at Cornell Johnson, Eddie Asbie has learned a lesson or two. The first that comes to mind: Be flexible.

“I think with education, but definitely in the MBA space, you have to be flexible, because there have been a lot of changes,” he says. “I was recently talking about the MBA world and MBA admissions 10 years ago to where we are now, and it’s completely different. And we have to understand industries and how companies look at things — what’s most important — and really being flexible in this space is something that you have to be aware of and really recognize.

“I think that as a program, if you don’t stay on top of what’s changing, you are going to be left behind. This is one of the things that Johnson has done well, at least within my time.”

Teamwork, he says, is as essential in admissions as it is in any aspect of graduate business education — perhaps more so.

“I think about my team and the teamwork that it really takes,” Asbie says. “MBA admissions takes a lot out of you in the cycle. And there are some years where your numbers are great, there are some years where you’re struggling and you are struggling right to the end. But honestly, I think about where I am and I think about my team. My team has really been able to show flexibility to think outside the box. They really put in a lot of hard work. I know that that’s part of the reason why we’ve really been successful moving forward.”

SHOWING THE LOVE

Fairness is Eddie Asbie’s guiding principle.

“In MBA admissions, I believe in being fair and equitable in our process,” he says. “I think of morals, I think of ethics throughout this process. And I tell candidates all the time — and I think about it from an applicant standpoint — I hold you and this community in the highest regard. So when I and my team are reviewing an application, when we are thinking about candidates and what’s best for our community and what we’re looking for, I think that’s really important from an admission standpoint.

“But also, from a candidate standpoint, be honest and truthful about your experience. I know that there are times where it could be little white lies, whether it’s the amount of time that you actually worked, to what your roles and responsibilities actually were, to the reasons why you actually left the job. Be honest, and be consistent.”

It’s natural that MBA candidates try to sell themselves to the school. Asbie believes in selling them the school — not only before they’re part of the community, but after, too.

“The way I look at it all the time is, candidates go through this process where they are trying to sell themselves,” he says. “And maybe they are trying to impress us, to say why they’re a good candidate for our program. But then once they get admitted, I think of it sometimes as the reverse: They want us as a school to show them the love. So when you get a call that you’ve been offered admission, you get your offer letter, there are times where there are a couple of months or even a few months before you have to put down that deposit. In that time our community is reaching out to say congratulations, to talk about events that are happening. And really, candidates want to feel the love, and we want to make sure that we are showing them the love, because there’s a reason why you’re admitted. We want you to be a part of our community, but also we talk about fit. We also want to make sure that this is a good fit for you as well.

“So that’s the consistency piece of it again: I know that we’ve put a lot of work on our students or other members of our community, but I think at the end of the day — and I think you can see, of course, in the last couple of years with our profile — it’s paid off. Wish us luck for this upcoming year as we hope that we can continue this trend!”

‘MY DOOR IS OPEN AT ALL TIMES’

Asbie touted the virtue of consistency in an interview with P&Q earlier this year to mark the release of Cornell Johnson’s MBA Class of 2025 profile.

“Johnson has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion and making sure our students continue to be successful beyond the MBA,” Asbie told Poets&Quants in September. “We went into the recruiting cycle for the Class of 2025 focused on growing the number of diverse students, including women and students of color, by showcasing our strengths through consistent outreach to candidates every step of the way in the admissions process and highlighting the many resources to support our under-represented students.

“We partner with our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, affinity groups, and alumni to host sessions focused on creating a sense of belonging for rising business leaders. Also, we continue to utilize our strong partnerships with organizations such as The Consortium, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Forte, and more that have allowed us to grow the number of diverse students.”

But he doesn’t just tout consistency in admitting students — he believes in it once they’re in the program, and once they’re graduated.

“I stay in contact, I tell my students, ‘My door is open at all times,'” he says. “And it’s funny, I stay in touch with a lot of applicants who actually didn’t come to Johnson. We’ve established great relationships and I still follow their journeys. But of course in particular with our current students and our alums. And we laugh a lot about what their process was like, the first time I met someone at an event or a phone call or what their interview was like or what their challenges, their successes, their wins, what they were like while they were here at Johnson. And it is rewarding.

“As far as the reason I love this work, I had an alum who graduated in 2016. He reached out to me, I’m going to say, within the last six months or so. And he’s just like, ‘Eddie, I’m not sure if you remember me, but I just want to say that you gave me a chance and this MBA was so life-changing.’ He gave me a history of what he and his family are doing. And I went back and I replied, ‘Absolutely, I remember you. I remember your application, I remember the interview process, talking about you in committee. I remember your two years, your journey.’

“Those are the things that get me excited about the work that I do. When you get the thank-yous as far as giving me a shot or how this has changed my life, that gives me the motivation to do what I do.”

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