Douglas Scandrett

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

“Driven, strategic leader with a global perspective, grounded in a rural upbringing, balancing analysis, results focus, and empathy.”

Hometown: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada

Fun fact about yourself: I restore cars in my spare time! I’m currently working on a vintage Land Rover and hope to take a road trip on the Pacific Coastal Highway this summer.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Western University – Consumer Behavior, MSc – International Business and CEMS MIM – Ivey Business School, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, & WU Vienna

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Sklar Wilton & Associates – consultant (Boutique FMCG Management Consulting Firm)

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Summer Associate – Kearney – New York City

Where will you be working after graduation? Associate – Kearney – New York City

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

VP Careers – Out for Business LGBTQ+ Affinity Club

First Place – Deloitte National MBA Case Competition

Finalist – Johnson Crisis Management Simulation

Johnson Leadership Fellow

Consulting Career Workgroup Leader

Teaching Assistant for Management Presentations (NBA 5680)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? As the Vice President of Careers for Out for Business, I’m most proud of leading our school’s ROMBA conference cohort this past year. With early recruiting becoming more common, I knew this pipeline would be critical for our LGBTQ+ students to secure offers. The challenge was getting them interview-ready in just a few weeks which meant leading intensive casing, interviewing, and networking seminars and often pulling all-nighters. The conference, held in LA, was a whirlwind. Twenty students participated, acting as a support system during interviews and the career fair while also working to strengthen Cornell’s reputation as an LGBTQ+ friendly school, despite our small-town location. With everything happening three weeks into the semester, it was an intense sprint for everyone involved, but seeing about 80% walk away with offers made it all worth it.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My work with Ukrainian refugees. Back in Canada, I helped with the founding of 4Ukraine.ca, a charity dedicated to helping refugees rebuild their lives through career services. When the war forced thousands to seek safety abroad, many arrived with résumés that didn’t translate to North American hiring standards—listing details like marital status, gender, and even weight. These documents were often overlooked by recruiters, making an already difficult transition even harder.

I led the development of our résumé writing and editing program, recruiting over 60 volunteers and creating Ukrainian-language resources to help job seekers craft résumés that would get noticed. The goal wasn’t just formatting—it was about restoring confidence and giving people a real shot at employment in their new home. Though I had to step back when I started business school, I’m incredibly proud that 4Ukraine.ca continues to thrive. To date, the services and tools I have built have helped over 60,000 people take a critical step toward rebuilding their futures.

I’m not Ukrainian, but I believe in showing up where you can and using whatever skills you have to make a difference. This was my way of doing just that.

Why did you choose this business school? For me, it was all about the tight-knit community. After years in major cities, I wanted a place where I could truly connect with my classmates rather than just cross paths with them. At the same time, Johnson offered strong recruiting pipelines to all my target firms and the ability to study in New York City through Cornell Tech and NYC intensives, giving me the best of both worlds. My decision was finalized during diversity weekends, where Johnson students went above and beyond to welcome me, showing me firsthand the collaborative and supportive culture that sets the school apart.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? NBA 6430 – Managerial Spreadsheet Modeling was by far my favorite course. While many MBAs may not want to admit it, Excel is an essential tool in almost every post-graduation role, and mastering it is essential. This course provided a strong foundation in shortcuts, hotkeys, macros, and database functions—skills that employers expect but many MBA graduates lack. I came in with a strong knowledge of Excel but learned a ton of new tricks that made a huge impact on my productivity. Professor James Minas is amazing and delivers a highly structured curriculum, ensuring students master advanced Excel functions that streamline workflows and enhance efficiency in the workplace.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Johnson Follies is an incredible tradition —pure inside jokes, professor roasts, and a celebration of business school chaos. It perfectly captures Johnson’s tight-knit, self-aware culture and proves that no matter how intense things get, we never take ourselves too seriously. It’s very unfiltered once the professors leave, but it’s a lighthearted way to end the year and reflect on the good and tough times.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I would have made more time to socialize outside of Sage Hall! I was so focused on recruiting my first year that I missed out on many chances to connect with people outside of class. The MBA is just as much about building relationships as it is about academics. Looking back, I wish I had found a better balance early on. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to build some great connections in my second year and make amazing lifelong friendships.

What is the biggest myth about your school? That we’re just a finance school. While our IB program is undeniably strong, Johnson is far more than that. Chris Bordoni has been instrumental in expanding our consulting pipeline, attracting more top firms each year. Beyond consulting, Johnson is making significant strides in tech, marketing, and leadership development programs, proving that our strengths extend well beyond Wall Street.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? The FinTech Immersion at our NYC campus is all about AI, with a strong focus on how it’s shaping the financial industry. Each week, top professionals from leading financial institutions share firsthand insights on how AI is being implemented responsibly at scale within some of the nation’s top financial companies. With technology evolving so rapidly, these real-world perspectives provide context beyond academia. Beyond that, AI is being integrated into core classes and many electives.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Dan Rasmuson – We met in the first week of the program and quickly bonded over video games, technology, and travel. But what truly sets Dan apart is his relentless commitment to others. He’s taken on multiple leadership roles, contributed to admissions, and played a key role in the Association of Veterans. Whether helping 1Y students with interview prep or stepping up beyond expectations, he consistently goes above and beyond. Dan isn’t just involved—he’s the kind of person who lifts others up at every opportunity.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Gain hands-on experience in private equity, building on my background in cost transformation to deepen my expertise in value creation and operational strategy. Work abroad in a developing market, ideally in Africa or Southeast Asia. Having lived across multiple continents and with a deep love for travel, I’ve long wanted to immerse myself in a fast-growing economy. The chance to navigate new challenges, adapt to different ways of doing business, and gain firsthand experience in a rapidly evolving market is something I’m eager to pursue.

What made Doug such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“Doug is a standout in the Johnson community not just because of how he contributes, but also because of how he lifts up those around him to make significant contributions. Doug took on several notable leadership roles, including VP of Careers for Out for Business, Consulting Career Work Group Leader, and Johnson Leadership Fellow, a role in which he coached a first-semester MBA team. Taking on multiple leadership roles while excelling in the classroom and in case competitions is a testament to Doug’s determination and talent, but the real differentiator is how he approaches these roles.

Doug genuinely seeks to serve his peers in everything he takes on and thinks deeply about what would be most valuable for those around him, guiding his efforts as a leader. The time he spent coaching his core team, developing professional development opportunities for his club constituents, and guiding his CWG members through consulting recruiting has had a lasting impact not just on those individuals, but on the broader student body. His thoughtful and generous leadership has set a high standard for student leaders at Johnson and will remain part of his legacy.”

Jackie Barrett
Associate Director, Leadership Programs
Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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