Folake Obasanya            

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

“The ones who are crazy enough to change the world are the ones who do.”
That’s a quote from Steve Jobs—and I am one of the crazy ones.

Hometown: All over but primarily McKinney, Texas

Fun Fact About Yourself: I LOVE to rock climb—both indoors and outdoors!

Undergraduate School and Major: Baylor University, Social Work

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: DEI Analyst at Leader’s Edge Consulting Firm

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? I chose Simon because of the option for STEM designation. Growing up, I avoided STEM because it felt intimidating and less accessible for women of color. During the pandemic, I taught myself how to code, and that changed everything. It gave me the confidence to dive into computer science, a field where I don’t see many people like me. It hasn’t always been easy as an African American queer woman in tech, but those challenges have made me even more determined to grow. I’m excited to take on new ones through Simon’s program.

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? For me, data tells a story—it shows us how to tackle problems in creative ways. I’ve seen how bringing in diverse perspectives can lead to solutions that no one else thought of, especially when those perspectives come from people who aren’t always heard. I love digging into the numbers to find those insights, and that’s exactly what excites me about Simon’s approach. With these skills, I’ll be able to help businesses make decisions that not only improve the bottom line, but also impact communities in meaningful ways.

What are some advantages you’ve seen in earning your MBA in Rochester? The alumni network here is amazing. There’s this whole “pay it forward” mentality that’s so inspiring. Everyone is pushing each other to reach higher, and I’ve felt that in my cohort too. We support each other through everything—wins big and small. It’s like we’re all in this together, and that’s been such a rewarding experience.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Simon? I’m really excited about Simon Vision Consulting. I love the idea of working on real projects with actual companies. There’s something special about applying what you’re learning to solve real problems. It’s the best way to get hands-on experience and make an impact while you’re still in school.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: At my undergrad institution, my mentor and I created “Leave Your Mark,” a program that trains student leaders on cultural humility. It gets them to think about their own experiences and how those compare to marginalized communities. To date, over 30,000 students have gone through the program, and it’s still going strong. I recently went back to visit, and seeing the flyer for it was such a proud moment for me—it’s nice to know I made an impact that’s still felt today.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I’ve always been driven by helping others, starting with my work as a social work intern, where I made a one-on-one impact. Later as a teacher, I scaled that to support hundreds of students. Then, as a coding instructor, I reached even more—empowering young women and nonbinary individuals globally through coding. As a DEI consultant, I’ve had the opportunity to work with top leaders to drive change across entire organizations. After graduation, I want to keep scaling that impact, working at a Fortune 500 company to help even more people live with purpose, inspire growth, and create positive change in the world.

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