Sherry Zheng

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

“I lean into discomfort to grow, lead boldly, and create lasting impact.”

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love running and travelling. One of my goals is to run a marathon/half marathon in each country that I visit – no better way to explore a new city!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Notre Dame, Finance and Real Estate

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Supernova Technology, Senior Product Analyst

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Cornell’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? A major factor that contributed to my decision to pursue an MBA at Cornell was the Johnson community’s commitment to mentorship and sponsorship. I learned to differentiate the two, as well as understand the importance of both, after speaking with alumni, current students, and faculty during my recruitment process. You need mentors who will teach you the ins and outs along the way, but having sponsors who will stand in your corner and advocate for your success privately and publicly is just as important, and Cornell Johnson seemed to offer both. There have been so many instances where I’ve felt the genuine support of the Johnson community before even starting my MBA program, and I am excited to pay that forward and be a resource to my community and peers.

What excites you the most about living in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region? Ithaca’s proximity to New York City, while being surrounded by beautiful lakes, makes it the perfect combination of city and nature. Being able to enjoy the wineries and explore the hiking trails once we begin our busy class schedules will be a luxury and a welcome change of pace, and I look forward to sharing these experiences with my classmates!

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Cornell? One course that I am particularly looking forward to taking is Johnson Professor of Practice Risa Mish’s Critical and Strategic Thinking. After experiencing a preview of this course during Cornell Johnson’s admitted students’ weekend at Destination Johnson, I am extremely excited to continue my learning in this area. Being able to navigate business decisions when faced with incomplete information and unforeseen circumstances is extremely important, especially in our current business environment where novel developments in technology continue to reshape every industry. This class will teach me how to construct and deconstruct persuasive arguments and approach business problems systematically and thoroughly (among other topics). As someone who wishes to further their career at the intersection of finance and technology, I am looking forward to implementing these skills moving forward.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? Why? I think a unique quality that I possess is being a connection builder. As someone who has moved abroad at a young age, creating a home away from home has always been extremely important to me. I enjoy striving to make an impact by establishing meaningful relationships through community building and intercultural dialogue. This became especially important to me as I began my career at the intersection of finance, real estate, and technology. I would often find myself as one of the few females in the room; the importance of building trust and understanding with other female professionals in this space became especially apparent. I’m involved in organizations such as Women Impact Tech, and I volunteer with Notre Dame’s Asian Pacific Alumni Association Board. I hope to create an impact at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business through organizations such as the Forte Foundation and Women’s Management Council and continue establishing meaningful connections in the classroom and beyond.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I achieved one of my biggest career accomplishments during my time as a product manager at Home Partners of America. The firm was involved in a merger with another Blackstone Real Estate portfolio company, and I led the data integration and product consolidation efforts for the Consumer Products team. Through this project, I learned the importance of breaking down complex situations into actionable steps, especially in fast-paced environments with many moving pieces.

I developed a framework to guide cross-company collaboration and drive our team’s migration plan. I began with data mapping, then assessed individual products, and coordinated with leadership to evaluate the cost and overlap of each firm’s tech stack. This approach enabled us to streamline operations and ultimately add 17,000 rental properties to the partner company’s portfolio.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? I think being curious and having the courage to step outside my comfort zone is what will allow me to maximize my MBA experience. I want to take courses that will challenge my existing ways of thinking, join clubs that will expose me to subjects that I would otherwise not have explored, and go on trips with my classmates that I may not have gone on by myself. I believe curiosity allows you to become a better expert in your specialized area or subject of interest because you learn to notice connections between subjects, stories, and places that others may overlook.

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