Sade Oyalowo  

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“An inventive copywriter transitioning to entertainment marketing.”

Hometown: Bowie, MD

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a twin.

Undergraduate School and Major: Hamilton College – English

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Penguin Random House – Copywriter

What excites you most about studying in Washington, DC? The most captivating aspect of studying in Washington, D.C., for me lies in its racial diversity. I think representation is incredibly important, especially as a POC, so I’m excited to be surrounded by different cultures, traditions, and perspectives.

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? It was important to me that the MBA program I ultimately chose had some sort of global consulting project that would be required for students. I firmly believe such experiences contribute to well-rounded business acumen. That’s why I’m really excited about Georgetown’s Global Business Experience (GBE). I have zero experience with international consulting, so GBE seems like an exciting opportunity to gain that exposure.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Georgetown McDonough? It’s a tie between the Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA) and the Beer Appreciation Society (BAS).

I’m hoping to pivot into the entertainment and media industry after I graduate, so I’m looking forward to the educational and networking opportunities that GEMA will offer.

I really love IPAs so I think joining BAS will be a fun time and a great opportunity to meet other classmates who have an appreciation for beer.

Georgetown McDonough programming focuses heavily on instilling a global mindset. Why is exposure to global diversity so critical to business success? I believe that diverse perspectives fuel innovation and are essential for understanding and catering to diverse consumer markets effectively. When I worked at L’Oréal, I was a member of Kiehl’s Global Social Media team. Our shared objective centered on enhancing brand visibility for Kiehl’s products across numerous social media platforms in diverse global markets. By collaborating with teams worldwide, we were able to facilitate a unified brand identity, while also offering perspectives that would have otherwise remained untapped.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a copywriter, seeing my own words in various social and digital ads has always been such a big accomplishment for me. Among the notable campaigns during my time at Penguin Random House, contributing to The 1619 Project, co-created by Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times writers, and The New York Times Magazine, was an absolute highlight. The ads that I worked on had the highest online engagement out of all the previous projects I’ve worked on, so I’m super proud of that.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? If, by the end of these two years, I can secure a marketing position in my desired industry and establish lifelong connections, my MBA experience will be a success.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA program? Give an equal amount of focus to every aspect of the admissions process—studying for the GMAT, writing your essays, and preparing for your interviews. Test scores are important and it’s imperative to prepare as best as you can. However, if you do poorly in your interview and/or lack thought-provoking essays then it may counteract all the hard work you put into attaining that good score.

DON’T MISS: MEET GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH’S MBA CLASS OF 2025