Gagandeep (Gagan) Choongh

“As a first-generation student, I am resilient, driven, and ambitious about driving meaningful impact”

Hometown: Rescue, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love watching reality TV shows during my downtime!

Undergraduate School and Major: California State University, Monterey Bay; Psychology

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: University of Minnesota – Social Media Coordinator for the Work and Organizations Department

What has been your favorite part of the Twin Cities so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA?

I’m still fairly new to the Twin Cities, and my favorite part has been how close-knit and engaged the community feels. Despite being a metropolitan area, it has the warmth of a suburban town. Coming from a small undergraduate university where mentorship and support were unmatched, I knew I needed a similar environment. Carlson exceeded my expectations—it’s the best-kept secret! Everyone here is genuinely invested in helping students succeed, going above and beyond to provide support. As a dual-degree student in HR and Industrial Relations, choosing Carlson for my MBA was absolutely the right decision.

Carlson MBA spend a year in hands-on Enterprise programs for Consulting, Branding, Ventures, and Funds. Which program do you intend to enroll in? What excites most about your Enterprise program?

I am excited to say I will be joining the Consulting Enterprise! The breadth and diversity of the projects you get to be on gives great hands-on experience within different industries, which is exciting for me because I get to deepen my understanding of how different industries operate.

Aside from your classmates, experiential learning, and location, what was the key part of the Carlson MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? 

The key reason I chose Carlson is the support network it offers, which sets it apart from other graduate programs. During my first visit through the MHRIR program, I saw firsthand how the faculty and students worked together and are advocates for you it was incredibly easy to connect and build relationships. Additionally, the alumni network and career resources are among the best I’ve encountered. As a first-generation student, navigating the college and career process has always been a challenge, so I knew I needed to find a program that provided the resources and support I needed to be successful. Carlson embodies this.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

My biggest accomplishment is writing and publishing a case study on conducting ethical and cross-cultural research in a foreign country. Researchers often overlook the complexities of translating and replicating an experiment from their home country to an unfamiliar one. My work highlighted critical considerations, such as accurately translating scientific questions to ensure consistency, tailoring incentives to align with local norms, and navigating varying rules and regulations for conducting research. I worked with a very passionate team and we got this done in one summer! Very proud of us.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far:

My biggest accomplishment as an MBA student is being the president of the Graduate Volunteer Consultants. We work with local non-profits in Minneapolis and provide pro-bono consulting services. It’s a great way for students to get involved within the community and get work experience.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far?

There are too many to count! We recently had a Friendsgiving that was the largest we have ever had! Almost all first- and second-years attended and the food was outstanding! It was just a great day of mingling and lots of laughs.