Ashley Mascarenhas

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

“I am an empowered LGBTQ+, first generation American and college student and graduate, woman of color.”

Hometown: Beaumont, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love building and flying kites. This hobby of mine is how I de-stress and take a moment to reflect on everything going around me. It’s also a great activity to enjoy nature and just be happy.

Undergraduate School and Major: My major was in Business Administration with the emphasis in Management and Human Resources. I am a transfer student who received an AS-T from Crafton Hills Community College and my Bachelor of Science from Cal Poly Pomona.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: I was a store manager for the retail company Zumiez for nine years.

What has been your first impression of the Marshall MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Marshall story so far. My first impression of the Marshall MBA students and alumni was pride. I had this overwhelming feeling of being proud that I get to be surrounded by a large group of talented individuals that come from all walks of life. As a person who loves to learn from others, having the opportunity to have conversations with my peers and the alumni has already helped me grow professionally and personally. The most exciting part about this is that this is just the beginning. This shows what the Trojan family is all about. It’s not just about networking, it’s about creating those intentional connections here at Marshall.

My best Marshall story so far was TAM Day during our orientation week. This was all about teamwork with your CORE teams that you will be a part of for life. Engaging with my team in the activities and events of the day challenged us physically and mentally. Ultimately, it led us to being the #1 core that day. This day will always be one of my favorites as it truly set the tone for what our class of 2025 is going to do in our time with Marshall MBA.

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? Los Angeles is the perfect place to earn your MBA, because of the amount of diversity it has. Everyone around the world wants to come to California especially Los Angeles. You cannot think about California or let alone the United States, without including Los Angeles. There is so much culture, personalities, ideas, perspectives, and ways of living in this city. You are going to experience and learn from a wide variety of lenses when earning your MBA in Los Angeles. The best part about that are the challenges to push you out of your comfort zone and being comfortable with the uncomfortable. Lastly, being in one of the most diverse cities in the world is going to allow you to create networking connections that will last even after your MBA.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of USC Marshall’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The key part of why I chose USC was their mission statement of Human Leadership. I am person that enjoys all aspects of leadership and understanding the importance of elevating those around you to reach their full potential. Additionally, I enjoy the strategy of “learn by doing” especially coming from a polytechnic university during my undergrad. USC emphasized this concept and connected to my personal values of what I was looking for in a graduate program. Being a Southern California resident who has always dreamed of attending USC, was the perfect cherry on top in my decision.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at USC Marshall? The club that excites me the most at USC Marshall is Marshall Pride. I am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, so it excites me to be part of the excellence of my fellow brothers and sisters. Being able to extend the inclusivity and equity at Marshall through PRIDE is an intention I had when looking at what clubs I wanted to join. Creating an environment of belonging and a sense of purpose is what drives me personally. I believe that Marshall Pride expands that space and I’m looking forward to being a part of that through community, volunteering, leading, allyship, and advocation.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment in my career has been seeing my previous employees continue to thrive in their own careers and personal lives. I had the absolute pleasure of recruiting, hiring, and developing some of the most talented individuals I have come across in this life. Watching them from where they started in their careers with me to where they are now has given me satisfaction professionally and personally. I’ve had team members be excited to share with me about being promoted, returning to school and obtaining a college degree, and manage their own teams through similar lessons or techniques that we experienced when working together. When I hear these success stories, it empowers me to continue elevating those around me and proud to be part of their story.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into USC Marshall’s MBA program? For the potential applicants, my advice to them is to be authentic, focus on their intentions, and understand the value you will bring to USC Marshall based on your professional, personal, and educational experience. Being authentic is the most important part of the process and it intersects with intentions and value. Authenticity is your “why”, Intentions are your “what”, and Value is your “how”. Remember: Be proud of how far you’ve come. The fact that you are here applying for USC Marshall MBA and want to be here, is the start of it all. The best of luck to all our future USC Marshall MBA candidates.

DON’T MISS: MEET USC MARSHALL’S MBA CLASS OF 2025