Morgan Gilliam

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

“Former educator, current student, forever lifelong learner and goal-getter powered by: caffeine, curiosity, and conviction.”

Hometown: Farmington Hills, Michigan

Fun Fact About Yourself: Track and Field is in my DNA; my paternal grandfather broke the record long jump at Drake University in the ‘60’s, my dad was on a 4×100 meter relay team that broke the high school state (Michigan) record in the ‘80s, and I was the 4×200 meter relay team that broke the school record my junior year of high school.

During my first year of coaching – I worked with a talented group of athletes– the team earned the Men’s Division I State Runner Up title (Top 2 overall) for the first time in the school’s history!

Undergraduate School and Major: Michigan State University­–Interdepartmental Biological Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Farmington Public Schools, Biology and Chemistry Teacher and Varsity Track Coach at Farmington High School

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. I experienced the power of the ‘Trojan Network’ before I was even accepted into Marshall. As a non-traditional applicant, I had to rely on my network of friends who were also considering business school, and acquaintances as much as possible.

One day, I was chatting with a dear friend who attends UCLA for Law School. I told her that I was interested in applying to business school. She remembered that one of her friends she met at a charity event was very involved at Marshall, so she recommended I have a coffee chat with her. We had the chance to connect, and she gave me some great tangible advice to help me as application deadlines were fast approaching. After applying and finally gaining admittance into the program, she was one of the first people to welcome me to Marshall. It was certainly a full-circle moment.

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world and offers something for everyone culturally, socially, recreationally, and professionally. In a city like LA, there is no shortage of innovation across various sectors as it is home to many different industries: entertainment, tech, and real estate, just to name a few. People from all over the world are drawn to LA, there is the opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life, especially professionals across the Southern California region, just by proxy of living here.

In addition to the career pivot and having the opportunity to explore opportunities career-wise, I viewed the MBA as a chance to for me to expand my current network to the West Coast. Relocating to a major world-renowned city like Los Angeles from the Midwest was super daunting, but school was almost like a safety net that provided me with a built-in network and a neutral ground to meet others also new to the area.

There are several perks to earning an MBA in LA, but by far one of the best ones has to be the beautiful sunny weather!

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? As a former educator, I have not only taught my students using the project-based learning (PBL) methods (also known as experiential learning), but I’ve also developed a curriculum of my own using that same framework. Now that my role has transitioned from teacher to student again, I know that learning through doing is most engaging and active form of learning, so it was high on my priority list in terms of what I seek out of the academic component of my MBA.

There are many business schools that use casing, or projects, even cross-country treks as opportunity to apply what you learn in the classroom in realistic ways. But in terms of experiential learning, Marshall has blazed the trail when it became the first business school to require international travel for its students over 25 years ago. I am confident travel being integrated into my academic experience will broaden my understanding of business and allow me to hone the skills needed so that I can lead anywhere, and at any capacity.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at USC Marshall? I attended a Big Ten school for undergrad and football is paramount to the culture in the Midwest. When I learned the news of USC joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024, I was elated! Marshall hosts tailgates throughout the season to support charity, and what better way to raise money, and connect with peers, people in the community, alums, and working professionals than through football?

Serving the community is also very important to me and I know there are many ways I can do so. However, as a black woman at a top MBA program, I believe there is a tremendous opportunity for me to leave a legacy that amplifies and celebrates the nuanced experience we have as MBA students through representation. I plan to do so through taking on leadership roles within the Black Graduate Business Leaders (BGBL) and, Graduate Women in Business (GWiB).

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I competed for (and secured!) a grant that allowed me to spearhead a service-learning project called Put Your Waste in the Right Place. I used the grant money to purchase equipment to provide my students with a hands-on learning experience. As a result of this project, I caught the attention of school administrators, and I was invited to join a team of teachers to restructure and innovate learning tasks for the entire district.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into USC Marshall’s MBA program? My advice has two parts. First, before you even apply to the program, set a goal to speak to at least three Marshall MBA students: one current first year, second year, and an alum (bonus points if you can connect with another prospective Marshall MBA).

A first-year MBA student will be able to offer you information on a more granular level and it will generally be the most current, since he or she is in the class that has most recently completed the application process.

A second-year MBA can draw from the experiences of a full year of business school and the summer internship to help you gain a deeper understanding of the program’s culture, curriculum and resources.

A Marshall alum will have a different perspective because they will be viewing the MBA in hindsight, so they may be able to impart some valuable nuggets of wisdom onto you. He or she may have even done some self-reflection and could possibly provide insight into what they were most proud of and what they wish they would’ve done differently.

Secondly, LinkedIn is a powerful tool! If you search “USC Marshall MBA candidate” on LinkedIn. Read through the different profiles and select a student you share something in common. Then, reach out and ask if he or she would be available to chat. I’ve had a 100% success rate when it comes to asking Trojans for coffee chats.

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