Samantha Schulteis

Yale School of Management

“I’m an early rising, driven 23-year old, seeking to bring change back to my hometown.”

Hometown: Biglerville, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself: I grew up on a 230-acre fruit farm in rural Pennsylvania

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Duke University, B.S. in Environmental Science, Class of 2023

Yale School of the Environment, Master of Environmental Management, Class of 2026 (joint MEM-MBA candidate, first year of a three-year program already complete)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

* Came straight to grad school from undergrad.

* Most recent internship: Consultant Intern at Guidehouse in Boulder, Colorado with the Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure Solutions Team.

The Yale School of Management is regarded as a purpose-driven program. What is your mission? How will your MBA at Yale SOM help you fulfill that mission? Making small-scale farming viable in a time of climate change is undoubtedly my driving passion. I plan to carry this commitment through my career, improving farmer livelihoods by addressing inefficiencies of our agricultural supply chain.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Yale SOM’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was most drawn to Yale SOM’s program for giving students the opportunity to expand their studies beyond the business school, either through fulfilling MBA degree requirements or completing a joint-degree program. Through the SOM-YSE joint-degree program, I can cultivate the managerial skills and expertise I need to help turn our extractive economy into a regenerative one. Coursework at YSE will teach me how to identify leverage points for addressing these inequalities precipitated by irresponsible natural resource use. Earning an MBA will give me the business toolkit and credibility needed to be a leader of economic reform. When paired together, these two degrees will give me the skills and expertise I need to make an accelerated impact on a rapidly changing world.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Yale SOM? I am excited to join the joint-degree community that span Yale School of the Environment and Yale School of Management. From my experience at Yale School of the Environment thus far, these students take a very pragmatic approach to environmental solutions, likely due to their core curriculum background. In other words, these students ask the most insightful questions in class. Outside of school, this group is fun-loving and easy-going. I look forward to joining the joint-degree cohort!

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026? While I was growing up, I witnessed first-hand many of the trials and tribulations that accompany any family farm operation, providing me with an unparalleled understanding of many modern challenges faced by agricultural producers. Pairing my unique upbringing with an academic understanding from a respected college degree puts me in an uncommon position amongst my peers. I can empathize with farmers and communicate their needs to high-level professionals.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I do not have any full-time work experience because I entered Yale’s joint-degree program directly after graduating with my bachelor’s degree. However, I can speak to my biggest academic career accomplishment.

I conducted a self-led research project during my final year of college on a topic of special interest to me: reducing on-farm food loss. After conducting a literature review and interviewing over two dozen farmers, I wrote a senior thesis and presented my work to faculty. I also shared my findings with food rescue organizations, providing recommendations to increase farmer participation. My thesis won an award for being the best in the department, and I was also awarded the 2024 Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society’s Writing Award.

What do you hope to do after graduation? In a time of exacerbating climate change and hunger, food loss desperately needs to be addressed. After graduation, I intend to work as a consultant in the agricultural supply chain to help reduce on-farm food loss. Although I am continuing my education away from my family’s farm, I am constantly bringing my new knowledge home, where it is needed now more than ever.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Yale SOM’s MBA program? Applicants should prepare for the admissions interview as their candid selves. Tell your real story, and don’t rehearse your responses too much (although it can be tempting). Try to visit campus for both your interview and accepted students’ day!

DON’T MISS: MEET YALE SOM’S MBA CLASS OF 2026