Meet Georgetown McDonough’s MBA Class Of 2025

Georgetown McDonough MBA Students

P&Q: What are some key elements in your teaching of leadership? What types of options does your school offer that deepens student experience with leadership and makes them more competitive in the marketplace?

Dasmohapatra: “Georgetown McDonough offers a well-rounded leadership education that focuses not only on the theory of leadership, but also on practical application, personal growth, and ethical considerations, preparing our graduates to become effective and principled leaders in their careers. The focus of the MBA education is on creating global principled leaders who inspire and motivate others to work together for the greater good, fostering positive change and sustainable progress.

Some of the highlights of our curriculum include the opening term course that launches the MBA leadership curriculum called Leading Teams for Performance and Impact, which explores the dynamics of diversity and inclusion, implicit biases, conflict and civility, and giving and receiving feedback. Another highlight of the program is the Leadership Communications course which is designed to hone the skills necessary to communicate effectively in diverse business environments. This course culminates with our signature Executive Challenge event – a day-long, team role-play “case competition” that simulates a day in the life of a senior leader where the students get to present in front of senior alumni leadership.

The McDonough MBA program emphasizes global leadership, offering study abroad programs, global consulting projects, and international immersions to help students understand the complexities of leading in diverse cultural and global business environments. Additionally, the MBA program offers integrated modules with courses focused on ethical leadership which underlines the importance of values-based decision making in business, offering the students a chance to explore the moral and ethical dilemmas they might encounter as leaders.

Other activities and programming include: the LEAD (Leadership and Emotional Intelligence in Business) program, which focuses on the development of students’ leadership skills and emotional intelligence through workshops, experiential learning, and coaching; the MBA Leadership Fellows Program which is designed to nurture leadership capabilities among students; guest speakers and conferences to expose students to diverse perspectives on leadership; service leadership opportunities; leadership coaching development throughout the student MBA journey; opportunities to join leadership clubs and organizations, among others. The school also invites experienced business executives and leaders to serve as executives-in-residence, providing students with opportunities to learn from their insights, experiences, and best practices.”

MBA students looking out at the McDonough campus.

P&Q: Two years ago, P&Q asked you to share how you’ve integrated AI, STEM, analytics, and digital disruption into your programming. Since then, what types of enhancements have you made in these areas?

Dasmohapatra: As the former academic director of Georgetown McDonough’s M.S. in Business Analytics program, continuing to infuse data analytics concepts into the MBA curriculum is an important initiative to me. Our MBA program offers cutting-edge opportunities to embrace the future of business in AI and analytics, which is exemplified through innovative elective courses such as Mobile and AI Strategies, Products and Business Models, Database Development and Management, and Fintech Revolution, to name a few. The school continues to offer the MBA Certificate in Customer Analytics and Insights as a response to a growing interest among businesses to use consumer-rich data to make decisions.

To address how technology is transforming the economy, society, and the nature of work, Georgetown McDonough launched the AI, Analytics, and Future of Work Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to develop innovative solutions and solve problems for the common good in three focus areas: The Promises and Pitfalls of AI; Technology and the Workplace; and Digital Technology and Inclusive Growth. Through research, convening, and education, the initiative informs students, faculty, business leaders, and policymakers on how to devise solutions for the emerging workplace. A featured event from the initiative in 2023 was a seminar series for faculty and students where senior leaders and experts in AI from a variety of industries and government organizations provided their insights on a multitude of topics including ChatGPT and the Future of Work.

The Georgetown MBA program continues to innovate and grow its offerings of STEM-eligible courses. Currently, the program offers 43 STEM-eligible electives, in addition to eight core courses that fulfill the STEM eligibility requirements. Commensurate with the offerings, we have hired faculty in multiple functional areas (notably, operations, accounting, marketing, management, strategy, and policy) with teaching and research focused on analytics.

Additionally, we are increasing our focus on using AI and analytics, machine learning, and data visualization in our admissions, academics, program management, and career outcomes to improve internal efficiency and effectiveness.”

McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University: Washington D.C., Architect: Goody Clancy

P&Q: How many courses outside the business school can MBAs take during your program? To what extent has your business school embraced coursework from other schools and departments at your university? Are students from other schools and departments at the university allowed to take MBA electives?

Dasmohapatra: “MBA students can take up to 13.5 credits outside McDonough. We encourage students to take advantage of the rich diversity of courses from other nationally-ranked schools within Georgetown, including the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McCourt School of Public Policy, and the Georgetown University Law Center. We also partnered with these schools to offer dual degree programs such as an MBA/Juris Doctor, MBA/Medical Doctor, MBA/Master of Public Policy, and MBA/Master of Science in Foreign Service to meet the growing demand for business leaders with cross-functional expertise. Students from other schools and departments are allowed to take MBA electives if they satisfy any prerequisites and space is available in the course. Additionally, McDonough students can take courses outside the MBA program through a full-time international exchange study abroad at one of our partner institutions.

Georgetown University participates in the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, in which member institutions share resources by allowing current students to engage in limited cross-registration. This includes American University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Howard University, and the University of Maryland at College Park.”

P&Q: What is your biggest student-run event of the year and what does it reflect about your school?

Dasmohapatra: “Our most significant student-run event of the year is the student-run International Festival which takes place in November. This spectacular celebration truly embodies the essence of our school’s spirit, showcasing the vibrant diversity and rich cultural tapestry that defines our MBA Program. Our MBA Program encompasses students from more than 40 different countries, so the International Festival stands as a testament to the inclusive and global nature of our institution. This event goes beyond merely celebrating the various nationalities represented in our student body; it serves as a platform to foster intercultural understanding and appreciation. By offering cultural experiences, performances, global cuisine, and interactive activities, the festival provides an immersive experience and reflects our school’s commitment to embracing diversity and promoting a truly global mindset among our students. It is a manifestation of our belief that embracing diversity is not only essential for personal growth but also crucial for driving positive change in the global business landscape.”

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.