Meaghan Morgan

The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business

“Learning to lead through empathy and striving to be a positive force always.”

Hometown: Vienna, VA

Fun fact about yourself: I once high-fived Taylor Swift! It was during her show at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. on May 12, 2013 while she was performing “22”. It was the coolest, and yes, she’s just as flawless in-person.

Undergraduate School and Degree: William & Mary, BA in Government

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? ICF, Senior Business Transformation Analyst

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? EY-Parthenon, Chicago

Where will you be working after graduation? EY-Parthenon, Senior Consultant

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Cohort Representative to Graduate Business Council, Graduate Consulting Group’s VP of Curriculum, VP of Allyship for eQual, McCombs Non-Profit Board Fellow, Board Fellows Executive Committee’s VP of Events, McCombs Ambassador Committee

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?

I’m most proud of planning and hosting the McCombs Board Fellows Winter Showcase, where we showcase projects our Non-Profit Partner Organizations and McCombs Board Fellows have been working on for the year. It was a fantastic way to see the McCombs community and local Austin community come together to celebrate the joint accomplishments of our Non-Profit partners and the McCombs Board Fellows, as well as introduce the McCombs Board Fellows for the upcoming year.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I’m most proud of pursuing my role at ICF — I was the most junior person on the team, and it was a big growth role for me when I first took it. My first project on the job was a whirlwind, but I learned so much so fast and had great support in the role.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose McCombs because of the close-knit student body of the program. Every current student I engaged with as a prospective student was able to speak to not just their own individual experience, but the experience of their peers — it highlighted that idea of “collaborative not competitive”. For me, if I’m taking two years off from my career to grow a network, I want to be in an environment where that collaboration and sense of community is encouraged. I was excited to be somewhere where I could actually get to know many, if not all, of my classmates.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor is Patrick Badolato. I took his course Financial Statement Analysis in Spring of my first year, and it changed the way I evaluate a company’s financial success. He encourages discussion and debate in his classroom, and there’s always a key takeaway at the end of each class. His perspective is very “no-BS” and well-informed, challenging many examples of companies we might view as “successful” and encouraging us to dig a little deeper.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite MBA course is Leading Innovation and Change taught by Alex Davern. What I love about the MBA is the mix of professors who grew up in academia and professors who grew up in industry. Alex’s course on Leading Innovation and Change offers a tangible, first-hand perspective on transformations he’s led as a former CEO, and I know I will utilize the frameworks learned in that course throughout my career.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? I love our weekly MBA Community Coffee. Each Wednesday, we have a local coffee shop (shoutout Lucky Lab!) bring in coffee that’s free for all students and sponsored by the McCombs Student Experience team. It is co-hosted with a student organization publicizing for an upcoming event or general membership. It’s also in the common area of our MBA building, Rowling Hall, so it’s a great way to pause and catch up with your classmates. I’ve learned about and signed up for so many clubs and events through Community Coffee, and I’m so glad we have it in the middle of every week — no matter how busy I am, I pause and chat with the folks who are tabling and my friends who are in the area. From there, I go about the rest of my day.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I wish I had taken more advantage of the SXSW programming in Austin! Unfortunately, it typically conflicts with our Spring Break, and it’s always a tough decision to choose between going on one of our global connections trips or stick around Austin. While I’ve loved our global trips, it would have been cool to experience and volunteer with SXSW one of my two years of the MBA.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about McCombs is that it’s a great school for staying “in Texas”. While that’s 100% true – and it’s a fantastic brand in the state – McCombs is a nationally-recognized program. I have classmates pursuing careers from Seattle to Dallas to New York with their McCombs MBA. As someone who eventually wants to make their way back to the Washington D.C. area, it was great to see that myth dispelled during recruiting for jobs and internships.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? There’s SO much to love about Austin! First and foremost, the breakfast tacos are unbeatable — make sure you check out Taco Joint and Veracruz, two of my favorites.

What surprised you the most about business school? During my recruiting for business school, I saw it as being a largely experiential degree — primarily learning from leadership roles, internships, and creating a network for myself. I think what’s surprised me is how much learning I’ve done within the classroom, and how much my coursework has changed my perspective in terms of how to think about navigating different issues as a business leader. Again, learning from professors who have both grown up in-industry and in academia creates a great balance of perspectives, and I get to be equipped with that knowledge as I navigate my career.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire my classmate (and roommate!), Ninutsa Marakvelidze. Ninutsa came to McCombs from Tbilisi, Georgia, and when she arrived it was her first time ever living in the US. Despite being the only person from Georgia in our program, she has created a community in Austin both within and outside of McCombs. Additionally, she persevered through the intense investment banking recruiting process and received both an internship and full-time return offer to Barclays in New York. She led the Wall Street for McCombs program as Co-Chair this past year for the Class of 2025, and helped grow the pipeline of McCombs students landing investment banking internship offers in New York. Ninutsa (and her mom, via FaceTime!) also taught me how to make the Georgian dish Khachapuri, which was a huge hit at our Super Bowl party. I’ve learned so much from Ninutsa and am so fortunate to call her a classmate and friend. I can’t wait to see what she does at Barclays and beyond.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? First, I’d love to manage a team — while I’ve facilitated projects as a project manager, I’ve never had direct reports! I’m hoping that the leadership skills I gained during the MBA will help me to be a great manager in the next 2-3 years. Second, I look forward to having kids and being a working mother, as my mother was when raising me and my sister. My mom is a huge mentor for me. Until I started thinking about having a family of my own, I don’t think I gave her enough credit for how difficult it was when she was growing at Gannett. The landscape for working mothers has come a long way since she was the first teleworker on her team, but there’s still a long way to go. I hope I can be both a role model for my future children and an advocate for other working moms.

What made Meaghan such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Meaghan Morgan isn’t just your average MBA student—she’s the kind of dynamo that lights up a room and makes everyone feel like they belong. As a Cohort Representative, she sent out weekly emails, ensuring everyone’s in the loop and feeling supported. Her involvement is extensive Cohort Rep, Graduate Consulting Group Curriculum, Career Course TA, McCombs Ambassador Committee member, and much more.

But it’s not just about the titles with Meaghan; it’s about the heart she puts into everything she does. Whether she’s mentoring fellow students or teaching as a TA, she’s always there with a smile, a laugh (the BEST laugh!) and a helping hand. As one of her classmates shares, “Meaghan is not only smart but she has found a way to be friends with EVERY person in our class. She is a light in everyone’s life and never misses an opportunity to support her fellow students.”

According to Professor Patrick Badolato, “Meaghan was an incredible and impactful addition to our Financial Statement Analysis class. I enjoy creating content, writing cases, and trying to predict business events with the materials. In this setting, Meaghan’s work effort, upbeat nature and focus was reassuring to the point of being inspirational. Walking in with new material a new case or application involves some apprehension… Meaghan was always prepared, making the desired connections across applications and overall offering an amazingly contagious positive energy to the classroom. McCombs is an amazing place with people like Meaghan.”

It’s no wonder her classmates rave about her – “She’s the kind of friend and leader that everyone wishes they had.”

So, when it comes to the Best & Brightest MBAs, Meaghan Morgan is the shining star we all need in our lives. Meaghan remains down-to-earth and approachable. She’s the kind of person who makes you feel like you’ve known her for years, even if you’ve just met.  She’s got a “smile that could light up a whole town.” Her blend of charisma, dedication, and sheer awesomeness makes her the perfect embodiment of what it means to be a McCombs MBA.”

Tina Mabley
Assistant Dean, Fulltime MBA Program
McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2024