Saron Mechale

University of Michigan, Ross School of Business

“Curious learner, dancer and recovering maximizer, still humbly figuring out this life thing.”

Hometown: Born and Raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and was living in Providence, Rhode Island.

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love doing accents and have been told I have a pretty good British accent.

Undergraduate School and Major: Brown University, Social Analysis and Research

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Founder of superfood snack startup, goTeff. goTeff is a snack food brand using ancient grain Teff, staple diet of world-champion Ethiopian runners.

Michigan Ross is best known for experiential learning programming like MAP, Living Business Leadership Experience, and the Leadership Crisis Challenge. What experiential program interests you the most? I am excited to explore the Sanger Leadership Center and particularly participate in two programs: The Crisis Challenge so I can grow my skills as a leader when working with a team to respond to a business crisis to solve an unprecedented challenge within a limited time. I am also excited to participate in the Legacy Lab because one of my goals for the MBA is to have time to reflect on my personal strengths and weaknesses with the goal of intentionally aligning myself with my future vision and goals.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Michigan Ross’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was impressed by the number of top 10 dual degrees available at Ross, as I am still particularly interested in the sustainability dual degree. I also came to the welcome weekend at Ross and could tell there is something unique about Ross and the school spirit here. That was evident at all levels from the leadership to students and the alumni. There were panels with alumni from more than 10 years ago as well as alumni from just a few years out speaking about their experiences with such fondness. The Michigan network is impressive not just in size, but how much the alumni want to give back. This was also clear in Ross alumni who graduated over a decade ago and volunteered to come to our welcome weekend.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Michigan Ross? I am excited about joining several clubs and activities, such as Michigan Business Women, and traveling through the diverse group of Treks at Ross. I just went to MTrek in Hawaii and had an incredible time and met an amazing group of people. I was able to partake in activities like skydiving, cliff jumping and manta ray snorkeling, which were not only bucket list items for me but also a great way to bond with my classmates.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized that the Ross School was the right MBA program for you? Why? I applied to Ross after doing a campus visit and learning about all the action-based learning opportunities. As someone coming from an entrepreneurship background, I learn best through doing and Ross felt like a school that would allow me the most hands-on experiences I needed as I transition to the corporate world. For instance, I was impressed by the fact that MAP allows you to do a consulting project for top companies around the world.  while you are still a student. Even more, you can do this in a way that will make you even more equipped for your summer internship. In the process, it will give you exposure of working with different companies in addition to your summer internship—and all this while integrated into the curriculum.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026? Why? What I hope to bring to Ross and my class of 2026 is a genuine passion to explore a holistic approach to success and leadership. Since entrepreneurship can be so demanding, I have spent a lot of time thinking about what a fulfilling lifestyle would look like for me. I am really passionate about how to create work life balance while still achieving the impact you want in life. This is true whether it’s dance and meditation for my mental health, church and family as my community, or weekly and monthly goal-setting for my professional and personal goals,

I hope to share this passion and curiosity with my classmates and contribute to the conversation of success from a holistic perspective.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I started a food company with no culinary background. As an international student (i.e. on student visa at the time) and fresh out of college, it was one of the most challenging things I’ve done. Therefore, my biggest accomplishment so far has been the product creation process itself and winning an Innovation voucher/award from Rhode Island Commerce for the unique product and process of my startup.

I’ve had customers who experience multiple allergies and can’t have other snacks in the market; wrestle with serious digestive issues who avoid breakfast entirely because they can’t find clean ingredient alternatives; and endure cancer treatment and can’t have products with high sodium or high fat content. They have come up to me to say that my product has helped them enjoy snacking and breakfast again. I was honored and humbled to see people respond so positively to something that took a lot of time, energy, and intentionality to create.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Michigan Ross’s MBA program? Do as much research as possible, including talking to current students and alumni ahead of time for the programs where you are applying. The more you know and understand the culture of each school, the easier it will be for you to demonstrate that in your application. This will also help you select the school that is best fit for you after admission.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MICHIGAN ROSS MBA CLASS OF 2026