Meet Washington Foster’s MBA Class Of 2025

Fritzky Leadership Fellows from the University of Washington’s Foster School overlooking Seattle

P&Q: What have MBAs told you is the most memorable, signature experience they’ve had in your program? Why did it resonate so much with them?

Town: “Of all the extraordinary opportunities this program provides, the Race, Culture, and Business MBA Immersion to the American South is one that truly stands out. Described by a recent alumnus as being “thought-provoking, impactful, and life-changing”, this course explores race in America and will challenge your understanding of the roles of business in both perpetuating inequity and effecting change. Students participate in pre-trip sessions before embarking on an immersive eight-day journey to the American South. This transformational experience provides students a lens through which to evaluate business in the U.S. social structure. This program and trip are co-led by Sankofa Impact, a Seattle-based nonprofit that brings people together for place-based education confronting our history of racism and uplifting stories of resistance, in partnership with the Foster School of Business and the Global Business Center. Irfan Vengasseri (MBA 2024) perhaps said it best: “It takes everything you have read about – the stories, the statistics, and the reports – and adds a human element that enables you to connect with your humanity. It makes you realize how systemic racism grew in the country, how it has sustained over the years, and why we must confront it.”

P&Q: Sustainability has emerged as a major attraction to prospective MBA students. How does your full-time MBA program integrate sustainability across its curriculum?

Town: “The purpose of the Foster School is to bring communities together to better humanity through business. Staying true to this purpose, we ensure through our curriculum that our graduates are adept at considering all angles of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in the decision-making process. For students who want to take this a step further, we offer the ESG Leadership Specialization. This 12-credit hour specialization is available to all Full-time and Evening MBA students. To earn this specialization, students must complete the required core course Ethical Leadership, plus 12 credits of electives or experiences earned across a set of courses approved by faculty as addressing environmental or social subject matter. Courses are offered on a rotating basis and include Climate Change and Capital Markets, Sustainable Design of Global Supply Chains, and The Power of Access: Impact Lending to Underserved Communities, to name just a few. Finally, our newest building, Founders Hall, is the greenest building on UW’s very large campus. It is constructed of mass timber and has been designed to achieve a 76% reduction in cumulative carbon emissions and to use 70% less energy and 53% less water than a comparable facility built with conventional methods and materials. This incredible building fosters an engaging learning atmosphere and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to sustainability in everything that we do.”

Foster Classroom

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?

Town: “Leadership development is an integral part of both your curricular and extracurricular experience here at Foster. Leadership courses in the core curriculum are designed to develop students into strategic decision-makers who can solve complex problems and be highly effective contributors regardless of their role within an organization. In the core, students are placed onto a new study team each quarter; these study teams are curated so that each group is as diverse as possible. To aid in students’ learning, each study group is mentored by a second-year student. To mentor a first-year study team, you must apply and be selected as a Fritzky Leadership Fellow, which is another outstanding leadership development opportunity here at Foster. Fritzky Fellows receive additional training in leadership development strategies, models, and methods of coaching. They also engage in a two-credit Leadership and Coaching Practicum during autumn and winter quarters, and they receive individual 1:1 coaching from a professional leadership coach.

Another key advantage that Foster MBA students have is the small size of the program and the abundance of leadership opportunities this allows. We have an active MBAA (student government) that offers leadership roles for both first and second-year students. There are also around 20 student clubs here at Foster, so there are plenty of leadership positions to go around. Not only are clubs a great opportunity to get to know your classmates better and pursue a professional or personal interest, they’re also excellent networking opportunities. Many of our student clubs work with our career management team to connect students with organizations around the Seattle area and beyond. If you are admitted to Foster, you will begin working with our Career Management team even before the program begins. Our career coaches take an individualized approach to career development, and this includes what we refer to as the “Three C’s”: Competence, Confidence and Connections. A big part of this is developing your ability to tell your story confidently and with enthusiasm, as well as developing your networking, interviewing and presentation skills. Finally, our “learn by doing” philosophy allows students to continue developing their leadership skills outside of the classroom through case competitions and consulting projects that are a required part of our learning experience.”

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

Town: “Our students have enthusiastically participated in a multi-school non-profit organization called Challenge 4 Charity (C4C) for over 25 years. C4C is a student-run consortium of student bodies at partner business schools whose purpose includes raising funds for Special Olympics and, more broadly, increasing both the awareness and involvement of students and professional school alumni in community philanthropy. The Foster School community believes strongly in both the right and responsibility of business leaders to improve the well-being of people and communities, and C4C is a great example. Through this program, Foster MBAs support Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Club, and other family-related local charities through volunteering and raising money. Each year, the students plan and execute a large C4C Auction in February. The auction is attended by community members, Foster alumni, current students, staff, and faculty. This event has always been wildly successful, largely due to the enduring commitment of our students to these non-profit organizations as well as the enthusiastic participation of the larger Foster and Seattle business community. Over the years, the auction has brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars, and students have volunteered countless hours for these important organizations. The event is entirely student-run from start to finish and is another example of Foster’s commitment to bettering humanity, including our Seattle community, through business. Foster MBAs are currently seeking to grow C4C’s impact by connecting with other values-driven MBA student groups interested in joining the effort to improve their communities.”

The University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. File photo

P&Q: Where are some of your students’ favorite hangouts? What do they do and why do they gravitate there?

Town: “One of the best parts of living in Seattle is enjoying the incredible scenery here. A highlight of the year, and one that brings people from all over the world, is when the cherry blossoms bloom in the UW quad. It is truly a unique experience to set up a picnic, study, or just relax under the shade of a 90-year-old Yoshino cherry tree in full bloom. Seattle also has incredible food and restaurants to explore, especially in our International District, where you can try new flavors or find comfort in dishes that are familiar to you from home. Our students also enjoy spending time in or near the water. UW has its own Waterfront Activities Center where students can rent canoes and kayaks and paddle around Lake Washington and the Montlake Cut. (If you’re familiar with The Boys in the Boat, this is where they trained!) Finally, there is nothing more magical than a Husky Football game on a crisp fall day overlooking Lake Washington. If you really want to have a unique UW experience, you can go “sailgating” and watch the game from a boat!”

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