Caitlin McHugh

The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business

“Community-driven go-getter and coffee enthusiast.”

Hometown: Post Falls, Idaho

Fun Fact About Yourself: I won runner-up in a Stanford Continuing Studies startup course, where I had the opportunity to pitch my idea in front of Silicon Valley investors.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Arizona, Eller College of Management, studied Management Information Systems

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Cirrascale Cloud Services, Product Marketing Specialist

What makes Austin such a great place to earn an MBA? Austin is a great place to earn an MBA for a few reasons. First, living in a city allows you to network with local professionals in person and build a professional community in your own backyard. Secondly, the city of Austin has diverse activities that cater to all preferences – from outdoor enthusiasts to foodies. It’s easy to find your niche. Lastly, the Tex-Mex is amazing.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Texas McCombs’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? One of the key aspects of the Texas McCombs’ MBA programming that influenced my choice was the smaller class sizes. I wanted an experience that encouraged me to establish more personal connections with fellow students, actively participate in class discussions, and take on leadership positions within clubs and organization.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Texas McCombs? The Graduate Entrepreneurship and Innovation Club excites me the most because one of the main reasons I came to McCombs is to explore different entrepreneurial paths. The club is a great opportunity to surround myself with like-minded individuals who share interests in this realm.

What has been your first impression of the McCombs MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell

us your best McCombs story so far: Everyone is down-to-earth and wants to connect on a personal level. It’s a community rather than a competitive environment. Even before I confirmed my admission, the proactive assistance and support from prospective and current students, along with the career team, truly stood out.

An experience I had at McCombs that left a lasting impression was when a large group of us volunteered to help clean up a local summer camp that offers free programs to Austin’s youth. Not only did we brave over 100-degree heat, but it was also a Saturday morning. Seeing everyone come together for a good cause was amazing, and we made it fun!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a Solution Consultant at ServiceNow, I was part of the team that closed the first sale of the COVID Vaccine Administration Management application for the commercial business segment. The solution helped the fast-growing startup in Atlanta distribute COVID-19 vaccines to employees of large corporations as well as underserved communities. My role involved helping to pull in the right people to support this critical, fast-moving opportunity. In addition, I provided a product demonstration to the startup’s leadership team and helped answer product questions to ensure the solution had the required capabilities.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience at McCombs successful? My MBA experience at McCombs would be successful if I left with a network of individuals in the entrepreneurship, venture capital, and finance spaces, as well as a solid business education foundation that I can leverage as a leader.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Texas McCombs’ MBA program? Build relationships with prospective students to learn more about their journey and favorite parts of the experience that you can incorporate into your application. It also never hurts to introduce yourself to the admissions team.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE TEXAS MCCOMBS MBA CLASS OF 2025