A Glimpse Into Goizueta: A Week in the Life of a MBA Student

Thursday

5:30 AM – 7:30 AM | Wake Up and Hit the Gym

Third and final gym session of the week! Wrapped up my workout feeling accomplished and my trainer surprised us with flowers for Valentine’s Day, which was a nice touch.

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM | Managerial Accounting with Professor Karl Schuhmacher

Last class of the week! Today, we’re diving into traditional cost systems, how they work, their limitations, and strategies to overcome their inefficiencies. One key takeaway for me was how traditional cost systems can distort product profitability, often leading to misguided strategic decisions. This resonated because it reinforced the importance of choosing the right costing method to ensure accurate financial insights, especially in industries where overhead allocation is complex.

11:30 AM – 12:45 PM | IMPACT TA Coaching

IMPACT is one of Goizueta’s signature consulting-style experiential learning programs. The IMPACT core course builds the foundational skills of structured problem-solving, persuasive communication, and managing the work of a problem-solving team. In the spring, teams work on projects for actual companies, putting their problem-solving skills into action. This semester, the program lead, Lynne Segall, asked me to be a TA for the undergraduate version of the course. Today, my co-TA and I are teaching Step 2 of the Strategic Problem-Solving Process, which is breaking down the problem using a question-tree technique.

It’s definitely a bit nerve-wracking to stand in front of a class of BBAs and teach material I just learned last summer. However, they’re a smart, funny, and engaged group, which has made the experience fun.

2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | GAMES Weekly E-Board Meeting

I am the president of the Goizueta Association for Media, Entertainment, and Sports (GAMES). Today, I am leading our weekly meeting to finalize plans for our upcoming mini conference. Dhy, our VP of Communications, is putting the finishing touches on our marketing materials so we can start outreach to industry professionals. At the same time, Cydney, our VP of Events, is making sure everything is set with the facilities team and venue. We lock in our action items and leave feeling energized and ready to make it happen.

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM | Keeping Everyone at Goizueta Social (KEGS)

It’s one of the best traditions at Goizueta! Every Thursday, students gather to unwind and connect. This MBA week, it’s hosted by the Black MBA Association to celebrate Black History Month. In homage to Black Southern cuisine and our African roots, we served up a soulful spread of fried fish, chicken, macaroni and cheese, and Jollof rice—a perfect blend of deep Southern tradition and West African flavors. To drink, we featured Black-owned wines like Black Girl Magic Red Blend, House of Brown, and Viarae Prosecco, along with a Blackberry Smash crafted with Uncle Nearest whiskey. Our DJ is setting the vibe with a seamless mix of R&B, Hip Hop, Afrobeats, and crowd-favorite line dances.

I’m able to catch up with some 1-year classmates I haven’t seen since Summer Core. Now that we’re in the Spring Semester and people have fewer courses, I don’t see everyone as regular as I used to do. As the night winds down, I’m reminded of why I chose this program—the balance of academic rigor, career prep, and an incredibly supportive community.

Friday

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM | Morning Walk with Friends

I throw on my walking shoes and hit the Westside Beltline trail for a morning walk with friends.  Last year, we started a “Westside Walks” group, where we take turns picking the trail and bringing coffee for the crew. It’s the perfect way to get fresh air, good conversation, and my steps in. Today, we knocked out a 3.5-mile walk—a solid start to the day!

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Coffee Chat

After the walk, I showered and got ready to meet with a professional from a company that interests me for a networking coffee chat at Portrait Coffee. We had a great conversation about career paths, industry trends, and potential opportunities. One key insight I gained was the importance of storytelling in interviews and how being able to clearly articulate my experiences and impact can make me stand out as a candidate. I walked away with valuable insights and feeling good about the application process

12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Fabric Shopping with a Classmate

My classmate Hunter is the definition of a jack-of-all-trades. One of his many talents is sewing and upholstery, so he volunteered to help me make custom cushions for my kitchen breakfast nook. We decided to split the project into two days. Today, we met at Forsyth Fabrics to pick out fabric and gather all the materials so we can sew cushions together on Sunday. As a thank you, I treated him to lunch at Star Provisions, just down the street.

6:00 – 9:30 PM | Valentine’s Day Dinner at Home

Today is Valentine’s Day. After a super busy MBA week of school, I’m looking forward to some quality time with my boo. Bobby surprised me with flowers, chocolate, and gift cards to two of my favorite stores.

Since we’re going out for a fancy sushi dinner with two other couples tomorrow, we decided to keep it low-key tonight. A few summers ago, we took a pasta-making class in Italy, so we put our skills to the test and made short rib pasta from scratch, with tiramisu for dessert. Nothing beats a homemade meal and romantic night in to end the week.

Life as a Goizueta MBA student is a whirlwind, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Between classes, clubs, events, and personal commitments, every day is packed with learning and growth. And somehow, we still make time to have fun along the way!

Bio: This MBA week was written by Amber O’Donoghue is a one-year accelerated full-time MBA student with a concentration in marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. With a decade of experience in strategy and operations consulting, her career has been defined by successfully managing projects from inception to execution, solving complex business challenges, and collaborating cross-functionally to implement strategic initiatives across global locations. Amber is passionate about sharing diverse stories and perspectives while striving to make a meaningful impact in her community and uplift others on her journey to success. She is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Spelman College.

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