David Garrett

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

“I will capitalize on any opportunity to move! I love to run, practice yoga, pilates, cycle, and anything else that doesn’t involve sitting.”

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Fun Fact About Yourself: My first job was working the cash register at Chick-fil-A, so I say “My pleasure” in my sleep! This job taught me that small gestures of kindness can go a long way in how people view you and the organization you serve.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of South Carolina, Early Childhood Education

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Lead Kindergarten Teacher, The Walker School in Atlanta Georgia

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Rochester Simon’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?

Simon strongly believes in a personalized approach to growing its students. From professors to admissions to career services, the people who matter most are accessible to all. I noticed this during the admissions process, and it holds true once you arrive to campus. For those of us who are career switchers, I find that to be critical to one’s success.

Rochester Simon is known for being “unabashedly analytical.” Why does the program’s focus on quantitative analysis and decision-making appeal to you? How do you intend to leverage this approach as a student and professional? Leaders seek clarity through data to make impactful decisions as our world population grows and its problems grow more complex. Learning how to share stories using data provides another lens with which to drive impact. Looking at the world through these new lenses I seek to bridge the gap between the clarity that numbers can bring and the deepness and complexity of the human experience.

What are some advantages you’ve seen in earning your MBA in Rochester? There is so much accessible nature within and around the city! If I need a break, I can take a quick bike ride on the river trail that hugs campus. Also, If I need to watch a beautiful sunset, the large and breathtaking Lake Ontario is not far away.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Simon? I am so looking forward to Net Impact and Uncorked! While we spend time enjoying the hospitable Rochester community, we must give as much of our time and talents as possible to a community that is devoting so much to us. Plus, a little wine is necessary to keep us warm in the winter.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of the beautiful things about being a teacher is you are able to see the impact of your work every day! There isn’t one moment that stands out as momentous overall, but there’s one moment in a kindergarten classroom that happens yearly which puts everything in perspective. It’s when a child who’s struggling to read, reads their first word! It typically happens in late fall or early winter when teachers are running out of steam, and that moment is the fuel needed to push through until Winter Break.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I intend to work as an investment banking associate in New York City! Capital and the markets are impacting our world more and more every day. To have a meaningful impact one needs to understand the mechanisms that drive how organizations function. Investment banking is a great entry point into the world of finance, and it’s New York or nowhere.

DON’T MISS: MEET ROCHESTER SIMON’S MBA CLASS OF 2026