Meet Imperial College’s MBA Class Of 2025: Alia Friedman

Alia Friedman

Imperial College Business School 

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA, USA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a 700+ day streak on Duolingo

Undergraduate School and Major: Carnegie Mellon University, Cognitive Science & Human-Computer Interaction, with a minor in Computer Science 

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Software Engineer, Morgan Stanley 

What were some of the key motivating factors behind pursuing your MBA, and why did this seem like the right time for you? I always knew I wanted to pair my engineering background with a business degree – this made an MBA a natural progression for my career journey. After three years of working at Morgan Stanley with incredible colleagues and working on interesting technical projects, I felt it was the right time to step out of my comfort zone, embrace new experiences and gain new knowledge.

Tell us your first impressions of Imperial College.  Imperial College Business School’s MBA students have completely surpassed my expectations. My classmates bring a mix of ambition, curiosity, and global perspective. What particularly stands out to me is how seriously everyone approaches their studies. Business schools sometimes have a reputation for being less academically focused, but at Imperial, academic success is clearly a top priority. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by peers who are just as committed to learning as they are to excelling in their future careers.

Aside from your classmates, what were one or two key aspects of Imperial’s MBA programme that led you to choose this Business School and why were they so important to you? I wanted a business school where problem-solving and innovation were embedded into the curriculum, and Imperial delivers exactly that.  I was also looking for a business school which had a strong engineering background as part of the broader university. 

Another key aspect was a programme which had an international focus. Imperial College Business School has built global experience into its curriculum and is located right in the centre of London! These factors made it the right choice for me.

What makes London such a great place to earn an MBA? In London, there are always things to do, in addition to all the great offerings at Imperial. London is also a truly international city. You never know who you might meet here!

What module, club or activity excites you the most at Imperial? I love being the cohost and producer for Imperial Investment Insights Podcast which I created with the support of Imperial Investment Society! It’s been an incredible opportunity for me to meet with all sorts of people and to work with my terrific podcast team. 

I also love being the business editor at Felix, the student newspaper. It’s given me a platform to work on my writing and to make new connections with people across the financial community.

Looking at the admissions process, what was the moment when you realised Imperial was the right for you? Why? The moment I received my admission offer. At first, I was a bit hesitant about moving to London and was still trying to make the final decision. Then, the very next day, I ran into someone in New York who told me she had just been accepted to Imperial for a master’s program—and she was absolutely thrilled. The coincidence of meeting her, combined with her excitement and enthusiasm for Imperial, solidified my choice. I took it as the universe nudging me toward Imperial and I accepted the offer the very next day. 

What are two things you have learned at Imperial that have surprised you so far — one academic and one non-academic? My biggest academic surprise has been how much digital learning has evolved since I was an undergraduate. Back then, we had some recorded lectures, but Imperial has truly invested in its digital platforms. Each lecture is recorded, captioned (which is incredibly helpful), and even tagged by sections, making revision much easier and providing a reliable resource for reference.

On the non-academic side, I’ve been surprised by how seriously student clubs are taken here. This might be more of a UK phenomenon, but compared to the U.S., clubs here seem to hold an outsized importance for both career development and networking. The level of professionalism in these clubs, from undergraduate to MBA level, never fails to impress me.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far. A standout accomplishment in my career was leading the enhancement of a key component on one of Morgan Stanley’s risk modeling platform to support non-cash collateral. This initiative directly impacted a portfolio exceeding $10 billion by improving risk assessment and required collaboration across multiple teams. It was an exciting challenge, and I am proud to have delivered a solution with such high impact.

Looking ahead one year, what would make your MBA experience successful? Success for me would mean taking full advantage of everything Imperial has to offer! One of the best things about being back in school after working is that you can truly appreciate the freedom business school gives you to try new things.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Imperial’s MBA? Have a clear and compelling answer to the question, ‘Why Imperial?’ From my experience, the admissions team values candidates who have a strong sense of purpose and can articulate how the programme aligns with their personal and professional goals. With so many great reasons to choose from, that shouldn’t be a challenge!

DON’T MISS: MEET THE ENTIRE IMPERIAL COLLEGE MBA CLASS OF 2025