Meet Carnegie Mellon Tepper’s MBA Class Of 2026

Leadership is changing. In years gone by, the leader was the boss. He was top of the food chain, the decision-maker whose fire-and-brimstone dictates grabbed everyone’s attention. Now, the role is far more nuanced. Not only is the leader a strategist and communicator, but a facilitator and uniter whose brand personifies the firm’s deepest values and aspirations.

The best leaders don’t always have the answers, but they ask the right questions at the right times. They may not always be the smartest person in the room, but they’ve invested the time to recruit and grow the people who are. That takes a special kind of talent – the kind that’s developed at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. Call it a balance of quantitative rigor and soft skills – where the science and art of management connect.

A WELL-ROUNDED LEADER

On one hand, the programming is research-oriented, fact-based, and data-driven. Here, students apply models to collect and interpret the right data, identifying patterns and forecasting probabilities – always challenging assumptions and precedents to uncover roots and minimize unknowns. At the same time, the Tepper MBA focuses on arming students with the emotional intelligence, cultural competence, collaborative mindset, and problem-solving skills needed to build relationships and persuasively communicate ideas.

Daiki Kawata, who previously worked in Japan’s railway industry, joined the Tepper Class of 2026 specifically to receive the full spectrum of leadership training. “While I can develop hard skills as a business leader through the quantitative approach courses offered by Tepper, I’m refining my soft skills through 1-on-1 mentorship as a member of the Dean’s Scholar Program, which specializes in leadership training. Furthermore, with around 40 clubs available for a class of about 160 students, there are ample opportunities for leadership positions in extracurricular activities – and I want to try these challenges. I want to take advantage of these programs and opportunities to maximize my learning from the classes.”

Tepper’s emphasis on soft skills may come as a surprise to some. After all, the MBA program has long been associated with applied mathematics and economics – not to mention analytics and artificial intelligence. Aside from its renowned theater program, Carnegie Mellon University is considered ground zero for finding top engineering and computer sciences talent based on U.S. News university rankings. According to Anushikha Sharma, a 2024 P&Q Best & Brightest MBA, Tepper doesn’t just cater to quants. Instead, it pairs an evidence-focused analytical thinking model with a servant leader spirit.

“The Tepper curriculum is diverse and continuously evolving. We aim to be human-informed and data-driven,” she writes. “The program goes beyond teaching statistics and analytics. It also places a strong emphasis on developing empathetic leadership, interpersonal communication, and the ability to leverage influence across global organizations.”

IDENTIFYING BLIND SPOTS AND CURBING LIMITING BEHAVIORS

That doesn’t minimize the value of Tepper’s solid foundation in quant fundamentals, adds Curtis W. Lloyd, a U.S. Naval Academy grad who has studied both Arabic and Nuclear Power. “I have learned that instinct can take you far, but proof can take you farther, with increased conviction. I am largely self-taught in my current, minimal analytics skills. However, I have found even a conversational knowledge of data, and the ability to form clear problem statements and requests to be a strong differentiator throughout my career, to-date.”

Among the MBA Class of 2026, each member has come to Tepper to improve in a different area of leadership. Kyle Berney, who has already made the transition from biologist to financial product manager, plans to master Python and SQL in business school. Speaking of transitions, Aster Chmielewski, a senior consultant at Deloitte, hopes to move further from being an individual contributor to an influential leader. For Teyonna M. Jarman, who performed at the 2024 Super Bowl, the best outcome would be gaining greater “confidence and leadership presence.” In contrast, Olivia Demkowicz wants to break away from familiar – and limiting – tendencies.

“I hope to enhance my ability to make informed decisions quickly, even with limited information. I am someone who loves to over-prepare,” admits Demkowicz, a product marketing manager from Emerson. “However, I understand that in dynamic business environments, timely decisions are often required without the luxury of detailed preparation. Through the Tepper School’s intensive one-on-one coaching and personal development opportunities, I hope to build the confidence and agility needed to excel in these situations.”

Divyesha Malhotra is a software engineer from India who once danced in the ICC Cricket World Cup opening ceremony. She came to campus with a plan to leverage school resources to solidify her leadership skills. “I hope to take advantage of the ALC (Accelerate Leadership Center) professional and peer coaches to really help me grow as a leader and find ways to improve communication, presentation and networking skills. My aim is to really understand my bright and blind spots when it comes to my EQ and how I can leverage and tweak it.”

SATISFACTION FROM A JOB WELL DONE

That said, Malhotra will certainly be comfortable at Tepper. Most recently, she co-designed an “AI-powered actionable [insights] suite,” which enabled clients to do “seamless drill downs of data at multiple levels of organizations, projects and releases.” Similarly, James Kromka created an electromagnetic product that captures data after knee replacement surgeries. True to the Class of 2026’s industrious spirit, Olivia Demkowicz rolled out a “floor-to-cloud solution,” while Anthony Raymond Edwards – most recently a Microsoft analyst – launched a product at Walmart and Sam’s Club.

“Seeing the product thrive in these major retail outlets and knowing that my efforts contributed to its long-term success is a source of great pride for me. The process showed me how difficult it is for a company to get a product into a storefront. Since then, every time I see a product in a store, I just think of all the steps it took to get to that point.”

Teyonna M. Jarman experienced a similar moment of satisfaction for Cherry Technologies, a startup where she served as the Chief of Staff. “I’m most proud of being on the front lines as we raised Series A and B funding, growing the company from 5 employees to over 150 in just 4 years. I wore many hats while we built out our operations and sales teams from scratch, and the company still continues to grow and thrive today…There’s nothing like looking back and realizing you were a part of launching a full-blown company. Not many people can say they’ve done that, and I’m proud to say I’ve done it more than once!”

After serving in the U.S. Navy SEALS, Curtis W. Lloyd moved into autonomous vehicles industry. He looks back fondly on sitting in the backseat while his driverless vehicle navigated San Francisco at 2 a.m.

“The car wound itself through the hills and narrow roads, navigating lanes with shared traffic and pedestrians smoothly and efficiently along a route that we had loaded to explore the extents of the operational domain. This was the culmination of years of work of brilliant people, in multiple locations, and I was able to be one of the first to experience it before the CEO’s demonstration ride and announcement the following day. The late nights, the long days, the difficult regulatory and public information campaigns all fade away in the moment when science borders on magic in a way that was specifically designed to be…boring.”

LONG-TERM PLAN

What does Lloyd hope to achieve now? “After nearly 12 years of military service, moving every few years and constantly travelling, I found it difficult to integrate into a community and make lasting connections. I am very much looking forward to working with the counselors and coaches to complete my transition to a post-military lifestyle, develop my local connections, expand my network in the Pittsburgh area, and find my next mission with expert guidance.”

Kyle Berney knew that Tepper was the right fit after interacting with alumni and students. He describes the program as “unmatched” – whether it is the “AI concentration, product management track, and location within the Carnegie Mellon University and Pittsburgh ecosystem.” Along with sharpening his technical and interpersonal skills, Berney hopes to re-enter the tech industry. His classmate, Aster Chmielewski, also plans to return to a tech role – but in the pharmaceutical industry.

“Specifically, I plan to work in the specialized field of cell and gene therapy – a cutting-edge approach that essentially reprograms human cells and genes to treat cancers and rare diseases. Throughout my career, I have worked closely with technology, but I want to use my time at the Tepper school to deepen my understanding of complex technological challenges and develop the business acumen needed to lead in solving these problems.”

A CLASS PROFILE

As a whole, the Class of 2026 includes 158 students, down from the 171 students who populated the previous year’s class. True to form, Tepper admissions is rather selective, accepting just 27% of applicants during the 2023-2024 cycle. That said, the class produced a slight dip in testing scores, as average GMAT slid from 705 to 697 and average GRE dipped from 324 to 323. The class also averaged a 3.26 undergraduate GPA.

Another difference from the previous class? The percentage of international students fell from 53% to 39%. Despite this, there are 27 countries represented in the Class of 2026, up from 24 countries among the second-year cohort. Women account for another 32% of the class, with underrepresented minorities and LGBTQ students holding 25% and 11% shares.

As undergraduates, 37% of the class earned Engineering-related degrees. Another 24% hold degrees related to Business. The remainder of the class studied Economics (10%), Math and Physical Science (10%), Social Science (6%), and Art and Humanities (6%). Career-wise, Financial Services and Technology professionals each hold 14% of the class seats. Government and Consulting represent 12% and 10% shares respectively, following by Manufacturing (9%), Consumer Goods and Products (7%), Healthcare (6%), Entrepreneurship (6%), Energy (3%), Real Estate (3%), and Entertainment and Media (2%).

THE CAMPUS CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

You could describe 2024 as a coming out party for Tepper. It was one of the first times that the school had cracked the Top 10 in a major ranking, as it jumped nine spots to 9th in the 2024-2025 Bloomberg Businessweek MBA Ranking. Notably, the school achieved the 3rd-best score for Entrepreneurship, while ranking 5th in both the Learning and Networking categories. At the same time, Tepper’s ranking also improved in U.S. News & World Report, CEOWorld, Fortune, and QS. The MBA program is also highly-respected outside the walls of the Tepper Quad. In a U.S. News survey of business school deans and MBA directors released last April, Tepper ranked as the top business school for Project Management, while posting the 2nd-best scores for Business Analytics Information Systems, and Production (along with finishing 7th for Supply Chain). At the same time, Tepper finished among the 10-best in a Princton Review survey of students when it comes to faculty.

It isn’t just the full-time MBA program where Tepper excels. In the 2024 P&Q Online MBA Ranking, Tepper placed 2nd in the world.

Entrepreneurship is another area where Tepper has made strides. In fact, the university’s entrepreneurship efforts are centered around the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, which is located in the Tepper Quad. Call it the hub of startup culture at Carnegie Mellon University. It attracts over 350 students from every part of the university – the kind who can provide expertise and potential partnerships with MBA students. The Swartz Center offers a range of services, including the VentureBridge Accelerator, Project Olympus Incubator, Startup Lab, and Makerspaces. Along with space, the center provides access to funding, technical expertise, and mentorship – not to mention hosting over 100 events annually ranging from networking to competitions to workshops.

“I believe the Tepper school’s appeal lies in its integration of Carnegie Mellon University’s technological expertise and innovation environment with the business world,” explains Daiki Kawata. “Although I have no entrepreneurial experience myself, I am interested in leading the development of new business ventures in the future. The Swartz Center, which provides ample opportunities and resources to gain entrepreneurial experience, offers the chance to test business ideas and participate in the process of turning them into viable businesses. There are many programs such as Undergraduate, MBA, MSM, MSBA, [and] MPA, so collaboration with these students at Swartz Center may provide the best opportunities to engage in innovation.”

Next Page: An interview with the admissions director and profiles of 12 members of the Class of 2026.