Desha Dike

University of Michigan, Ross School of Business

“Hip-Hop dancer from the South turned tri-coastal engineer who wanders the world looking for adventure.”

Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana

Fun Fact About Yourself: Earlier this year, I got my motorcycle license.

Undergraduate School and Major: Columbia University, Chemical Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Global Clinical Distribution Lead at Genentech

Michigan Ross is best known for experiential learning programming like MAP, Living Business Leadership Experience, and the Leadership Crisis Challenge. What experiential program interests you the most? Definitely MAP. I’m a career switcher, and I really wanted to build real-world experiences in a new area that I could speak to during interviews. I’ve heard from MAP students who traveled to international countries, consulted with top companies, or worked on projects completely out of their comfort zones. Any of these are great experiences to showcase transferable skills like adaptability and problem-solving.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Michigan Ross’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I loved the marketing program here, specifically the industry clubs and amazing faculty. My goal is to switch from supply chain/operations to marketing, and Ross has a well-rounded program that combines theory and practice. Also, who would be better to learn about the intersection of brand and culture than the icon Marcus Collins himself?!

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Michigan Ross? I’m excited about the Social Venture Fund. Prior to business school, I was really passionate about education, health equity, and general community service. I led volunteer events and participated in mentorship programs, but the impact that one person can have volunteering part-time is limited. I want to learn how to deploy capital into social and environmental impact companies to have an exponential positive impact on society and then actually put my learnings into practice.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized that the Ross School was the right MBA program for you? Why? It was in the lead-up to Consortium’s pre-MBA recruiting conference that was supposed to happen over the summer. The previous Ross Consortium class was so helpful and dedicated several hours a week to ensuring our resumes and interview prep were up to par. The career office showered us with resources. Other schools didn’t seem to even come close to that level of support. It set the tone for the kind of community I wanted to be a part of going forward for the next two years and beyond.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026? Why? I think I do a pretty good job of making people feel at home. I’ve moved several times in my life, and had to build support systems from scratch many times over. It’s not only made me adaptable to new people and environments, but I’ve learned how to bring people together too. I hope to contribute to the Class of 2026 by building a sense of community in the various groups I am involved in.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far. In 2020, I was the distribution lead for a molecule that was used to treat COVID-19 patients in the early wake of the pandemic. I had recently begun my new role supporting Genentech clinical trials. Of course, the supply chain world turned upside down soon after. It meant lots of late nights and working on weekends to ensure patients got potentially life-saving medicine, but I was incredibly proud to be a part of such meaningful work so early on in my career.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Michigan Ross’s MBA program? Find people who have similar values and priorities to you and see what led them to pursue an MBA at Ross. In the application process, I find it is so easy to compare yourself and your goals to those of other people, who may or may not be motivated by the same things as you. Find 2-3 people who you relate to on a personal level, and take note of the activities, groups, and resources that are most useful to them. In interviews, you’ll be able to sound that much more authentic.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MBA CLASS OF 2026: THE ‘DO ANYTHING, BE ANYONE’ COHORT