Todd Harrity

HEC Paris

“I am a former professional squash player.”

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself:  During my professional squash career, I lived in Cairo, Egypt for two years to learn from the best players in the world.

Undergraduate School and Major: Princeton University, Psychology

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Professional Squash Player. Member of the USA National Team. Sponsored by the United States Squash Association

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of HEC Paris’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? HEC Paris was my top choice because of its proximity to Paris, and the diversity of both its students and the career paths they choose to pursue. I want the opportunity to contemplate and explore different career options during my program. HEC will provide the chance to do that.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at HEC Paris I love HEC’s emphasis on leadership and its hand-on approach to learning. I am especially excited about HEC’s ‘Outdoor Leadership Seminar.’

HEC Paris is just 17 kilometers from Paris. What do you see as the best part of earning your MBA so close to Paris? Paris is a big draw for me. I am always inspired by large, cosmopolitan cities, and Paris is perhaps the most recognizable city in the world.  I think Paris is a great and fascinating place to study business because it is a metropolis that has so many career opportunities.

Why did you choose a 16-month program over a one-year program? How do you see a HEC Paris MBA giving you an advantage in the marketplace?  I think HEC Paris’s 16-month program is the perfect duration for an MBA for me. It will provide enough time to explore while also not taking too much time out of the workplace.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: The biggest and most enjoyable accomplishment of my career so far is winning two gold medals at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. It was particularly special because I shared this experience with my team mates at the time. There is no greater feeling than representing your country, and being able to celebrate a great victory with teammates.

What has been the defining experience in your life? How has it prepared you for the rigors of business school and your career in general? One defining experience in my life was my move to Egypt to live with and learn from the best squash players in the world. It was such a big culture shock!  But learning how to navigate the new environment will serve me well in my program and also my career beyond. In Egypt, I had to relate to and make friends with people of a very different cultural background. This was the most personally enriching experience of my life.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful?  In two years, I want to be beginning a new career track which I find meaningful, challenging, and enriching. At HEC, I want to develop and hone my leadership qualities, while also obtaining an excellent business education, and forming a diverse network of friends from all around the world. I want to look back at my program and appreciate how much I learned and grew.

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