Claire Bohrer

Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business

“I am adaptable, self-reflective, and looking forward to whatever is in store after graduation.”  

Hometown: Basking Ridge, NJ

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a balloon holder—I was so excited to be a part of one of New York’s most iconic holiday traditions that I didn’t mind the freezing cold or waking up at 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Fordham University, BA in International Political Economy & French Studies – after receiving my MBA from Fordham this will make me a “Double Ram.”

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Prior to starting my MBA, I worked as a retail planner at Michael Kors in New York.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? I interned at JPMorgan Chase, working in their NYC office.

Where will you be working after graduation? I will return to JPMorgan Chase where I’ll be enrolled in their Chase Associate Program.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: My time at the Gabelli School has included serving as an elected class representative for the 2024–2025 academic year. As a class rep, I worked with the Full-time MBA’s program directors to address student concerns and improve communication between the administration and the student body. I am also the co-president of Fordham Women in Business (FWIB), which is one of the oldest clubs at the Gabelli School, and entails organizing a year’s worth of events that highlight the accomplishments of women in the Gabelli School community.

Finally, since the spring of 2025 I’ve worked as a graduate assistant with the school’s Student Success Center, liaising between students and our incredible group of career advisors. I’ve enjoyed this role for the opportunity it’s provided to work closely with our advisors and to ensure that students across the school know how to utilize the services and insights that these advisors offer.

I am also a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am immensely proud of the Fordham Women in Business Annual Conference, which was held in March 2026. The theme for this year was The Power of Connections, and we leaned into the concept by doing extensive outreach with our alumni network. It was heartening to see so many of our alumni return to campus for an event that was all about showing up for one another and connecting with the new generation of Gabelli students. Throughout the day I witnessed many people making new connections—knowing that I helped facilitate the growth of the Gabelli School network made all the hard work worthwhile.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My proudest professional achievement was my two-year assignment in Tokyo, Japan while working for Gap. I was sent there to oversee the establishment of an in-market store planning team and the experience led to professional (and personal) growth that I hadn’t anticipated.

While abroad, I was required to adjust my American work style to complement Japanese business norms. This led me to recognize that my style of communication—straightforward and opinionated—is not the only way to do business. I also worked through the unique experience of communicating through interpreters daily as some of my colleagues did not speak English. I never realized how longwinded I was until I was forced to pause and wait for an interpreter to translate my every sentence. This taught me to be more aware of my speech and tighten up my communication. I left Japan a much more effective communicator, and one who could flex her style as needed.

On a personal note—I ended up meeting my husband, a Tokyo native, while I was living there. Suffice to say I got a lot out of the experience!

Why did you choose this business school? Of course, there was the location (conveniently situated in midtown Manhattan, making it easy to jump from class to an in-person coffee chat). What gave the Gabelli School the edge was the community. Having attended Fordham as an undergrad, I knew how down to earth the student body is and the graduate school is no different. Sure, people are competitive and here to land great outcomes for themselves, but there’s also a willingness to share opportunities and help one another. It’s not uncommon for people to post job openings on the Full-time MBA’s WhatsApp group so that everyone knows about the opportunity. I think we all know that when one of us succeeds it uplifts the entire Gabelli School community.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I would have to hand that honor to Professor Benjamin Cole. He teaches Strategy for all first year MBA’s and teaches Blockchain: Industry Disrupter & Creator as an elective. Although the subjects couldn’t be more different, he taught both with enthusiasm and a commitment to ensuring that students don’t just walk through the motions of the class. He has high expectations for his students, never letting us forget that he was once an MBA student himself, and was insistent that we hold ourselves to the same standards that would be expected of any of the big-name MBA programs.

While I learned a lot about strategy and blockchain as subject matters, Professor Cole helped to improve my presentation skills, which set me up for success during my summer internship. As a final project in the Strategy class, we gave consultant pitches, which Professor Cole video recorded. He then set up time with us individually to watch ourselves present and to discuss how we can be more effective public speakers. Watching my presentation may not have been the highlight of my semester, but it did help me identify some nervous habits that I could improve, leading me to be a more confident presenter during my internship.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite class was Professor Dennis Hanno’s Entrepreneurial Mindset. Although I don’t have ambitions to start my own business, I found that the topics covered in the class could be applied to any role. For example, Design Thinking, which is a human-centric approach to design where the user’s needs are at the center of all decision making, is just as relevant to work on a consumer banking app as it is in launching a new beauty startup.

The course also gave me greater appreciation for those who do strike out on their own. I had a vague understanding of some of the steps that go into developing a pitch and finding funding, but no conception of the work that fills most entrepreneurs’ daily lives. It wasn’t until we were tasked with developing our own business plan as part of a new venture project that I was struck by the logistical complexities and extensive planning that occurs before the pitch.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? At the end of the spring semester, just as classes are ending and finals are about to begin, the Student Success Center brings in a Mister Softee truck—a staple of the NYC streets once it begins to warm up—and treats each student and faculty member to free ice cream.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the Gabelli School has many traditions and events that are more glamorous and upscale. But there is something so special about enjoying a soft serve cone on a warm spring day, standing on the sidewalk with the Fordham campus to your right and Lincoln Center to your left. It’s an opportunity to breathe out the stress that comes with the end of the semester and breathe in the anticipation of a New York City summer. The distinctions between students, professors, and career advisors begin to melt (pardon the ice cream pun) and we all can share what we’re looking forward to in the upcoming summer months.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? If I could do anything differently, I think I would try to participate in case competitions. When I started business school, one thing that took a bit of getting used to was navigating all the opportunities that are thrown your way. There are case competitions (both school sponsored and those organized by external groups), day-long conferences, evening panels, company site visits, networking happy hours, hackathons…the list goes on. I gravitated to conferences and company site visits because I wanted a straightforward way to get facetime with people at firms that I was interested in.

Looking back, I realize that participating in cases would have been a great opportunity to apply what I was learning in class, while also interacting with people across different firms. You certainly can’t say yes to every opportunity that comes your way but if I could do it again, I’d try to vary the types of activities I was saying “yes” to.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? In Professor Benjamin Cole’s strategy course, we covered the Harvard Business School case, “Bernd Beetz: Creating the New Coty.” I appreciated the lesson that company culture needs to be at the forefront of a business turnaround—if people feel stifled or weighed down by endless bureaucracy it will be reflected in their work and likely sluggish business results. As CEO, Beetz introduced a culture that celebrated speed and innovation. By offering autonomy to brand managers fresh ideas began to circulate and old brands began to see new life—and stronger sales.

The notion that entrepreneurship can flourish in large conglomerates is something that I have taken with me. Be it at school or at work, I’m on the lookout for groups and opportunities that champion risk-taking and creativity.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? There’s nothing about New York City that hasn’t already been said so this question is a tough one…I think for me it comes down to the fact that you never have to have the same weekend twice. I like to fill my weekends with some routine activities like running through the park, but I always fit in something new. Last weekend it was heading out to Flushing, Queens to peruse the food court at New World Mall—a must visit for lovers of Asian cuisine—and next week I’m planning on seeing a movie at Film Forum, a nonprofit theater in the village. We work so hard as MBA students. We deserve to have weekends that recharge us and give us something to talk about on Mondays.

What business leader do you admire most? I have strong admiration for Ron Vachris, the CEO of Costco. Despite my being an MBA student, I appreciate the fact that Mr. Vachris did not pursue a graduate degree—in fact, he started his career with the firm as a forklift operator. His ascension demonstrates that a deep understanding of a company’s operations and its culture are credentials that are best learned outside of a classroom.

I also admire Mr. Vachris’ decision to reaffirm Costco’s commitment to DEI. The company’s dedication to this is an example of principles in action—and also just good business sense. Costco has always been one of my favorite firms—I’d love to work there one day!

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? The Gabelli School’s faculty and administrators not only expect students to leverage AI in their coursework and career exploration, they require it. From day one, we were taught how the thoughtful use of AI can help to organize our internship search and assist us in everyday tasks such as creating impactful visuals in data analytics. I even was encouraged to use AI in a few surprising instances, such as during an ideation session.

Prior to starting my MBA, I had assumed that use of AI would be frowned upon and that professors would disparage it. However, I quickly learned that the Gabelli School encourages the use of AI simply for the fact that it is a required skill in the real world. We wouldn’t shy away from using Excel to calculate the discounted cash flow of a project—Excel is a required skillset for those who want to work in banking. AI is simply a new skillset that business students are required to be fluent in if they want to be competitive. I no longer shy away from leveraging AI in my workflow, it’s something that I’m proud to demonstrate my understanding of.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I greatly admire my classmate and fellow Chase summer intern, Mac Dill. Mac is one of the Gabelli School’s ROMBA scholars and serves as our class vice president on the Student Advisory Council—two roles that highlight his commitment to his community. He is approachable, down-to-earth, and very funny—all while still maintaining a professional demeanor. The Gabelli School is lucky to have him!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Working overseas again is top on my list. I’d also love to work on a team that is focused on corporate strategy—I enjoy working on operational details but I’m excited by the opportunity to work on projects with a broader scope and large organizational impact.

What made Claire such an invaluable member of the MBA Class of 2026?

“Claire has made a lasting impact on both her classmates and the broader Fordham community. Through her leadership roles on campus, she has consistently led with purpose and intention. From the start of her MBA journey, Claire approached her personal and professional goals with focus, discipline, and maturity — and she has exceeded even her own expectations, most recently earning a role at JPMorgan Chase as a Chase Associate Program (CAP) Associate.

One of Claire’s defining qualities is her commitment to paying it forward. Throughout the current internship recruiting process, she served as a trusted resource for her fellow MBA students, offering guidance, encouragement, and practical support. As a Graduate Assistant with our Career Development office, she went above-and-beyond with researching internships and full-time opportunities that were ultimately aligned with her peers’ job aspirations. She was consistently generous with her time and insights, demonstrating a level of selflessness that strengthened the entire cohort. Her success has never been just her own — she has brought others along with her.

In her leadership role with Fordham Women in Business (FWiB), Claire was instrumental in executing impactful programming, from the annual conference (The Power of Connections, which explores how authentic relationships and meaningful conversations serve as catalysts for real opportunity) to engaging guest speaker events. She and her team were intentional about listening to member feedback and delivering experiences that truly resonated. In addition, Claire played an integral role in overseeing a Women in Finance event for FWiB as well as leading initiatives as part of our Gabelli Graduate Dean’s Council.

Claire’s ability to combine thinking with genuine care for her community is what makes her such an invaluable member of the Class of 2026 — and it is a quality that will continue to define her success in the next chapter of her career.”

Joe Dieguez
Director of Career Development
Student Success Center | Career Development – Graduate Programs
Gabelli School of Business

DON’T MISS: THE 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST MBAS: CLASS OF 2026

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.