Ross Drwal

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“I am a passionate person that values family, friends, and lifelong learning.”

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Fun Fact About Yourself: I played Division-I football in college

Undergraduate School and Major: Yale University, Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:  Assistant Vice President – Aon Intellectual Property Solutions

What excites you most about studying in Washington, DC? In Washington, D.C., political and economic decisions are made on a daily basis that impact people throughout the world. At Georgetown, we get to learn the theoretical framework on how these decisions impact people and institutions, but we also have the opportunity to see these decisions come to life right in our backyard!

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Georgetown McDonough’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Georgetown has a very strong reputation for its commercial real estate program. There is an MBA Certificate in Global Real Estate that students can do, which essentially teaches students how to be a commercial real estate investor from professors who have extensive real estate investing experience.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Georgetown McDonough? The commercial real estate club excites me the most because Georgetown has built a strong reputation in the commercial real estate industry, and the club allows people interested in the industry to build strong bonds with each other and grow their knowledge about real estate investing.

Georgetown McDonough programming focuses heavily on instilling a global mindset. Why is exposure to global diversity so critical to business success? Globalization has impacted almost every company that exists in one way or another. To be successful in business, one must have a framework to understand how other countries can impact your business dealings and how to navigate these decisions. I had to work with people throughout the world and understand how to communicate effectively and appreciate business norms in other countries.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I helped grow two new commercial insurance products to market that impacted firms ranging from Fortune companies to high-growth startup companies. One product helped companies transfer risks related to intellectual property infringement. The other product allowed high-growth startups to leverage their intellectual property value to secure debt capital.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? In two years, I would consider my MBA experience successful if I grew as a leader and created relationships with people in my class that can positively impact my life as a person and as a professional.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA program? Georgetown is a school that values diverse thinking and people, so be yourself and show the admissions office how you can help promote diversity in a variety of ways.

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