Alex Kim    

University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business

“Lover of diving into the unknown – No idea where I’m going to end up, but I’m excited to get there.”

Hometown: Various Suburbs of Chicago, IL

Fun Fact About Yourself: In elementary school, my fun fact about myself was that I hated musicals. Then, one day, my parents dragged me to see Wicked, and it changed my life. I am now an ardent musical theater supporter.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, M.S., Materials Science and Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Program Manager, Research Theory (501-c(3) Nonprofit)

What makes Austin such a great place to earn an MBA? As cliché as it may sound, the best part of getting an MBA in Austin is, without a doubt, the people. From the moment I arrived in 2021, I felt embraced by the warmth and openness of this city. Whether grabbing a coffee and a breakfast taco or waiting in line at the DMV for my new Texas driver’s license, I was met with genuine kindness and curiosity—people eager to connect, to share their stories, and to make me feel like I truly belonged.

Austin is a city that allows meaningful connections to be formed effortlessly. Between the run clubs, live music, and open-air bars, I was surrounded by a community that felt more like home than anywhere I had been. And that same spirit extends to my experience at Texas McCombs. My classmates aren’t just brilliant and ambitious—they are the kind of people who lift others up, create opportunities for connection, and always look for ways to contribute to something greater than themselves.

At McCombs, you don’t just build a network—you build friendships, a support system, and a lifelong community. And that, more than anything, has been the most rewarding part of this journey.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Texas McCombs’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Coming from a nontraditional background—five years in the Army followed by a year at a nonprofit—my primary motivation for pursuing business school was simple: I wanted to understand how businesses operate at their core. Finding a school with an outstanding learning environment was my top priority. Texas McCombs stood out for two key reasons: its high-quality classroom experience and its strong emphasis on experiential learning.

From the moment I stepped into Rowling Hall, McCombs’ dedicated MBA building, I could see that this was a place designed with learning in mind. The various classroom setups—pod-style group tables, traditional lecture halls, and intimate study rooms—demonstrated a clear commitment to adaptable teaching styles focused on enhancing the student experience. The attention to detail in the building’s design, combined with a faculty selected for their expertise and effectiveness as educators, made it clear that McCombs invests heavily in creating an engaging and impactful learning environment.

Beyond the classroom, McCombs’ hands-on approach to business education was another major draw. Programs like McCombs+, which allows students to consult on semester-long projects, and the various Fellows programs, where students intern with sponsor businesses, offer invaluable real-world experience. Additionally, the wealth of opportunities provided by clubs and courses enables students to tackle real business challenges across industries, ensuring that learning extends beyond textbooks and lectures.

Ultimately, McCombs is able to bridge theory with practice, equipping students with the knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to thrive in the business world. McCombs was the perfect choice for someone like me—eager to learn, grow, and make an impact.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Texas McCombs? I want to answer this in two ways: what has been the most exciting part of my MBA journey so far, and what I’m most looking forward to.

Coming into business school, I had a solid grasp of how operations and finance function within a company, but marketing felt like an ambiguous, less tangible concept. That all changed when I took the core Marketing Management class. I quickly realized that marketing isn’t just about advertising—it’s about deeply understanding customers, analyzing data, and using strategic insights to drive corporate decision-making and create value. The level of strategy and analytics involved was far more complex and intellectually stimulating than I had expected. It was a true paradigm shift—one of those moments where I discovered a new passion I hadn’t even considered before, which is exactly the kind of eye-opening experience I hoped to gain from my MBA.

Looking ahead, I’m incredibly excited about the Global Experience opportunities at McCombs. The chance to travel, immerse myself in different cultures, and see firsthand how business operates on a global scale is something I can’t wait to explore. These experiences will broaden my perspective and help me apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world business challenges across different markets, while exploring other countries with the classmates I’ve come to call my friends.

Ultimately, the MBA journey at McCombs is exciting because it can challenge assumptions, spark new interests, and open doors to unexpected opportunities—both in the classroom and beyond.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized Texas McCombs was the right program for you? Why? During orientation, we participated in an activity where we shared personal stories with a group. One student spoke about how his father owned the largest Harley-Davidson dealership in Mexico, inspiring his own entrepreneurial ambitions. Another shared how he ran away from home at a young age and how the opportunities he was given saved his life, fueling his desire to succeed so he could give back to his hometown. By the end of that session, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be—surrounded by an extraordinary group of individuals from whom I would learn and grow.

Listening to these stories reinforced a belief I’ve always held—that the people around you play a crucial role in shaping your success and that success isn’t just about personal drive but about the community that challenges, supports, and inspires you. As I embark on this journey, I’m eager to learn from my classmates and contribute my own experiences, helping us all grow together.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my last job in the Army, I spent a lot of time working with community and business leaders to help plan and execute recruiting events. One day, during the last event I helped organize, one of the community leaders I had worked with turned to my replacement and told him he had big shoes to fill. As someone who felt like I was just doing the job I had in front of me, I didn’t think I had been going above and beyond in my role. But by repeatedly showing up with the people I had worked with and being a consistently reliable performer, I had built a strong enough reputation that I had become “big shoes.” Even two years after I left, I still find myself in contact with some of the people I met through the job and benefitting from the goodwill I built up throughout my time in US Army recruiting.

This experience reinforced the power of consistency, reliability, and genuine relationship-building. It showed me that leadership isn’t always about grand gestures—it’s about showing up, delivering results, and earning trust over time. As I move forward in my career, I carry this lesson with me: our impact isn’t always immediately visible, but through dedication and integrity, we leave lasting impressions that extend far beyond our time in any given role.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience at McCombs successful? Being in a job that excites me and being able to look back and say that I had fun.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE TEXAS MCCOMBS MBA CLASS OF 2026