Nicholas Tobin

Stanford Graduate School of Business   

“Committed to getting the most out of, and giving the most to, life.”

Hometown: Windsor, Canada

Fun Fact About Yourself: I failed my driver’s license test twice before passing when I was 16.

Undergraduate School and Major: Economics and French at West Point

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ranger Intelligence Officer, 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Army

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Stanford GSB’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Stanford GSB’s programming stood out to me because of its intentionality with developing the student as a whole person, rather than simply imbuing them with the requisite skills for a high paying career. GSB’s emphasis on personal and interpersonal development is important to me because I know I’ll reap the benefits for the rest of my life, in and out of the office.

What has been the most important thing that you’ve learned at Stanford GSB so far? The most important thing I’ve learned at GSB so far is the importance of divergent thinking with regards to what your future might hold. Being open to serendipity in career and personal opportunities can lead to incredible life paths that you may not have foreseen or been open to originally.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Stanford GSB? My favorite class has been Capital Markets and Institutional Investing; the course was rich in both content theory and application and I left it even more curious about portfolio allocation and manager selection. One of our professors was an accomplished academic on the board of a sovereign wealth fund, while the other was a practicing CIO at a multi-billion-dollar foundation. The varying perspectives received from these two experienced professionals really enriched the conversations we had in class.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates you’ve met so far? Give an example why this is true. They’re exceedingly interesting. The people I’m fortunate enough to spend time with here have the most incredible stories to tell. In the classroom, they’ll tell stories about lobbying in DC or singing around the world on tour. In one-on-one conversations you might get to hear about the unforeseen difficulties with running a non-profit or what it’s like to forgo a dream job on Wall Street to play professional lacrosse and work at an accommodating company. I could listen to these people all day.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being able to help people through counter-terrorism work in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? My biggest accomplishment so far has been in the personal growth that I’ve experienced since getting here. I left the Army in August, just before school started. Since then, I have worked to broaden my perspectives beyond what I had learned there. I have added nuance and variation to my leadership style with the help of courses like Leadership Laboratory and Business Ethics. I am excited to continue this progress in Touchy Feely (Interpersonal Dynamics) next quarter and as an Arbuckle Fellow next year.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? Skiing all day in Whistler, Canada with 150 of my closest classmates before watching Michigan win the National Championship at the après-ski.

What advice would you give to a prospective applicant looking to join the Stanford GSB Class of 2026? Do not try to be anyone you’re not in your application. Admissions can likely see through this, and even if they don’t, when you get here you’ll want to know that your authentic self is at home here.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE STANFORD GSB MBA CLASS OF 2025