Rachel Zuckerman

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

“Perpetually curious Midwesterner. Leslie Knope-type turned MBA student. Combining business and government to do good.“

Hometown: Livonia, Michigan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I share a birthday with my former employer – the US EPA! EPA was founded by Richard Nixon on December 2, 1970. We also happen to be birthday buddies with other notable figures like Brittney Spears and Denis McDonough.

Undergraduate School and Major:

University of Iowa – Bachelor’s in Political Science and Journalism

Tsinghua University, Beijing (Schwarzman Scholar) – Master’s in Global Affairs

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Special Advisor for BIL and IRA Implementation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Chicago Booth’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was convinced by Booth’s flexible curriculum, which stood out to me as ideal for a student looking to build a multidisciplinary educational experience. This was especially important because I was not considering dual degree programs, given that I have a prior Master’s degree. This meant I needed to find the academic diversity I was looking for in one degree program. In addition to Booth’s generally flexible MBA curriculum, students are required to take 10 electives, including 6 of which can be taken outside of the business school. I am eager to fully immerse myself in Booth’s course offerings, while also exploring classes in law, public policy, and social work as electives. The University of Chicago is a world-class institution, and the ability to be a Booth student and simultaneously engage with other parts of the university fit the educational and professional experience I was looking for.

The Booth MBA is also known for being highly data-driven. Why does the program’s focus on quantitative analysis and decision-making appeal to you? How have you been able to leverage this approach in your career so far? One of the paramount reasons I chose to return to school is to strengthen my analytical and quantitative skills. I am drawn to work in the social sector because I believe it matters a lot—it is as simple as that. I want all kids to have a fair shot at achieving their potential, safe communities and a habitable planet, a strong and prosperous middle class, and people to trust in the role of government. These are not easy issues! There is limitless data, confounding variables, and tenacious advocates arguing for their version of the “right answer.” I am drawn to Booth’s strategic, evidence-based approach because effective social sector leaders must be able to untangle these enormous challenges and sort through the noise. I expect aspects of the MBA curriculum to really challenge me; nonetheless, the skills I develop at Booth will prepare me to ask sharper questions, better evaluate evidence, strategically innovate, and efficiently manage resources—all of which I believe are vital skills for delivering solutions to these important social issues.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Chicago Booth? I am looking forward to exploring Booth’s courses and activities at the intersection of entrepreneurship and social impact. There is ample programming and support via the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation and Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. For example, there is a class on Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and there are Social Impact Competitions in Chicago and across the country where students can pitch their ideas and solutions. I am especially excited about the Social Impact Lab, where students develop proposals for a community stakeholder on Chicago’s South Side. Government often faces substantial barriers to innovation, so I am eager to be immersed in the creativity, big ideas, and “builders mentality” that exists in entrepreneurial circles. There is enormous potential when the public and private sectors collaborate to develop and scale solutions, and I hope what I learn will help me seize those opportunities.

What has been your first impression of the Booth MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Booth story so far. I was really nervous to attend my first few Booth events—I expected to stand out like a sore thumb. I was apprehensive about what I would say and if I would be able to connect with other prospective students. I was concerned I would be repelled by the “stereotypical MBA culture.” To my very pleasant surprise, I was quickly proven wrong. It was easy to make friends, and people were kind, curious, and down-to-earth. I even met other students with a background in government and politics wanting to go to business school for similar reasons as me. After Booth’s “First Day” weekend for admitted students, several of us met up back in Washington, DC, and this became my first group of Booth friends.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA? There are few cities in America that are as dynamic as Chicago. The city is home to 2.7 million people, the third-most Fortune 500 companies in the nation, and substantial racial and ethnic diversity. For those of us from the Midwest, it represents our regional economic and cultural powerhouse. At the same time, Chicago faces persistent social and political challenges, with vast disparities in socioeconomic outcomes, overwhelmingly along racial lines, as well as stiff competition with the East and West coasts for talent and business. Chicago’s strengths and struggles make it an immersive learning lab and a microcosm of society. When studying in Chicago, you can immediately take what you learned in the classroom and apply it through the lens of your local surroundings. Relatedly, there is enormous talent and leadership in Chicago—from grassroots community leaders to corporate leaders—that students have the unique opportunity to learn from.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Three weeks after the largest climate bill in American history was passed by Congress, I joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work on implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. I had a unique role focused on integrating the President’s goals to create good jobs with strong labor standards into EPA’s $100 billion in new funding. This was a chance to think holistically about our national policy priorities, including how the clean energy transition could expand economic opportunity for workers across the country. I partnered closely with all of EPA’s program offices, colleagues at the Department of Labor, the White House, and other infrastructure agencies. In addition to being proud of what we accomplished, I learned a lot about how we can better collaborate across policymaking silos.

I could not imagine a more fulfilling role. The workers who bring these projects to life that we all benefit from—replacing lead pipes, installing energy efficient appliances, repairing electric vehicles—are too often an afterthought. This was a chance to affirm that both building an inclusive economy and the dignity, safety, and quality of life of everyday workers must be prioritized amidst historic federal investments.

Describe the best memory of your life. Why does that moment resonate with you? In the last few weeks of my senior year of college, I learned I would be receiving the University of Iowa’s most esteemed award for an undergraduate student, the Hancher-Finkbine Medallion. It would be presented at a special dinner in the presence of university leadership, faculty, staff, and other distinguished guests. The award and the fancy ceremony are not what made this memory so special, however. It is the fact that my mom, my greatest champion and role model, flew to Iowa City for less than 12 hours to be there with me that night. I can still remember her racing into the student union dressed in a work suit with her suitcase in hand. This moment was so special because my parents’ support was such an integral part of me ever being considered for such an award—I felt like my mom got the honor she deserved by being in the room that night. This memory reminds me that none of us get to where we are on our own. We must continue to uplift others and thank those that helped us on our way.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Chicago Booth’s MBA program? My advice is two-fold. First, start early (I know, it is easier said than done). To give the application process what it deserves, you will need to simultaneously engage in genuine self-reflection about your past experiences and future goals, reach out to mentors for letters of recommendation, and do test prep. I personally started with test prep to get that out of the way. Then in rapid fashion you will have to make decisions about what school is the best fit for you and think about moving to a new city, leaving your job, and all the other dimensions of starting school. If you are a deep thinker who needs time to process big decisions, like I do, you should not cram yourself or it will be really stressful.

Second, and most importantly, give yourself grace. The application process is tough. You can find yourself with regrets about what you did or did not do in the past. You can start to compare yourself with others. You cannot let the process define you. The reality is, some of this comes down to luck. Some of it can be boiled down to objective GPAs and GRE/GMAT scores, but there are also subjective judgments and a large pool of talented applicants. Shoot high, but no matter what, stay grounded in your purpose and remember that there are many pathways that can set you up for success.

DON’T MISS: MEET CHICAGO BOOTH’S MBA CLASS OF 2026