Momoko Ishida

University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

“MBA student grappling with sleep deprivation by day; tech PR freelancer by night.”

Hometown: Tokyo, Japan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a makeup geek, coffee addict, and a sitcom nerd

Undergraduate School and Major: The University of California, Berkeley (B.A. in Sociology)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: The Hoffman Agency, Senior Account Executive

Integrative thinking is one of the cornerstones of the Rotman MBA experience. What does integrative thinking mean to you and how have you been able to apply it thus far? Integrative thinking, to me, means acknowledging that there is more than one way to approach a problem. By staying curious and keeping an open mind, you often stumble onto something that lets you see things you didn’t previously. Many of the Rotman MBA courses have introduced me to new subjects I hadn’t learned before. Working with students from truly diverse backgrounds who are not afraid to share their views has helped broaden my perspectives, enabling me to interact with the world in ways I hadn’t been able to.

What has been your favorite part of Toronto so far? Why? I love how different each neighborhood in Toronto is. There’s a place for everyone.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Toronto Rotman’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I liked that Rotman offers personalized services like SDL (Self-Development Lab), and the school also offers experts in different fields who are easily accessible to students. You can design your own experience and get personalized feedback from professionals in specific areas.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Toronto Rotman? Finance 1 has been my favorite course so far. We had an amazing professor, and it introduced me to Finance, a subject I hadn’t formally studied before. I realized that I’m interested in many things I hadn’t even thought about before coming to Rotman. The MBA program exposes you to a wide range of business subjects, and you have an opportunity to identify what you like and don’t like before finalizing your post-MBA plans.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: There are many external accomplishments I’m proud of but can’t disclose the details of here. However, what I can share as one of my biggest accomplishments is the communication skills I have developed over the years, working with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from C-level executives to seasoned reporters. I learned how to communicate with different stakeholders in a way that builds trust, and one of my most valuable assets is the relationships I have formed in the industry.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I’ve participated in multiple case competitions, which has been a challenging but rewarding experience. Whether you win or not, you learn how to frame and solve problems in different verticals and how to work with people you have never worked with before, under significant time constraints. I learned a lot about my strengths as well as shortcomings through working with different teams in the competitions.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? I will always remember my first day at Rotman fondly. Having arrived in Canada less than 48 hours before the orientation, I was jetlagged and sleep-deprived on the first day, but I was also moved by how warm and kind everyone in the program was. “Warm” and “kind” were not the words that would come to my mind when thinking about MBA students, so I was pleasantly surprised. Rotman invests a lot in maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment, and you can feel that as soon as you walk into the building.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Toronto Rotman’s MBA program? The positive experience I had with Rotman’s admission process played a significant role in my decision to study at Rotman. The school makes the entire process very comfortable so that you can focus on showcasing what you can offer rather than worrying about jumping through hoops, trying to navigate a complicated admission process. Presenting your “spike factor” is a unique element of Rotman’s admission process – initially, I wasn’t sure how “spikey” I should be, given it’s a business school. In the end, I decided to take a risk and shared my passion for makeup, even including a picture of (slightly bloody) special effects makeup work I’ve done in the past. I don’t think you need to worry about being “too out there” with Rotman. On the contrary, I would say one of the most useful things to think about before applying is what unique experience you can bring to the table and how to communicate it.

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