Julianne Nordhagen      

Columbia Business School

“Jet pilot turned flower farmer. Never without a deck of cards and a sense of humor.”

Hometown: Boca Raton, FL

Fun Fact About Yourself: 84% of the time, I can plug the USB cable in the correct way on the first try.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Southern California, Industrial and Systems Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: U.S. Navy, F/A-18 Fighter Pilot

What makes New York City such a great place to earn an MBA? There’s nowhere else that packs limitless possibilities, endless energy, and world-class networking into one zip code.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Columbia Business School’s MBA curriculum programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? CBS may be famous for finance and consulting, but Dean Maglaras’ push to expand the Data Analytics and AI Pathway is exactly what drew me in. I can’t wait to reshape and disrupt the future of AI with my classmates.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Columbia Business School? I’m most excited about joining the Silfen Leadership Series. It’s not every day you get the chance to hear directly from top executives who are shaping industries. Being a part of the hosting team offers an even greater opportunity to engage with executives and build connections beyond the stage.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? Why? You might assume being a single-seat jet pilot fosters a lone-wolf mindset; nothing could be further from the truth. The Navy’s ‘collaborate to graduate’ mantra shaped me into someone who thrives in high-pressure, team-driven environments.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far. Earning my Wings of Gold was an incredible milestone, but nothing will ever compare to the first time I soloed an aircraft. That moment was pure freedom. It was proof that all the hard work, discipline, and resilience had taken flight, literally.

What do you hope to do after graduation? I hope to launch a startup that plays a defining role in the ongoing disruption of the defense industry.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Columbia Business School’s MBA program? Reach out! MBA students are always excited to talk! Don’t be shy about sending that email or asking for a quick coffee chat.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MBA CLASS OF 2027: STUDENTS TODAY, LEADERS TOMORROW, INNOVATORS ALWAYS

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