Eloise McIntosh

University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business

“Rooted in courage, refined by resilience, grounded in family – endlessly evolving & exploring.”

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Fun Fact About Yourself: I survived cancer at age 15 – and built a company inspired by that fight.

Undergraduate School and Major: Queen’s University, Commerce, Honors

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Good Hood Club, Co-Founder & Managing Director

What makes Austin such a great place to earn an MBA? If you want to be an innovator, a builder, or a changemaker, Austin really is the place to be. Austin stands apart from other top MBA programs because it is a vibrant city with active growth. It really is a place where students, entrepreneurs, and creators aren’t just learning within an ecosystem but helping to shape one. Personally, I am empowered by the fact I get to grow alongside the city, not just within it.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Texas McCombs’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Apart from McCombs’ academic rigor, prestigious reputation, and strong alumni network – all obvious reasons to choose it – I was particularly drawn to the intentionally tight-knit class size and community-driven culture. The program’s smaller cohort structure lays the groundwork for genuine connection and collaboration in an ego-free environment. Students truly get to learn with each other, not just alongside each other. It is a world-class program that remains deeply human – and I think this combination is what makes McCombs truly special.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Texas McCombs? As someone who classifies themselves as a “career explorer,” the opportunity to try new things – especially with no strings attached – is incredibly valuable. I have always learned best from doing, hence why I am excited about the McCombs+ Projects, as they embody that exact spirit of discovery and learning.

When you think of the University of Texas, what word comes to mind? Why? Nostalgia. Coming from a family of Longhorns, I have always been infatuated with UT – the energy, the spirit and the pride. There is something so special about an institution rooted in deep tradition yet constantly trailblazing, leading with innovation and change.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: By far, my biggest accomplishment has been witnessing, in real time, the impact of my work on the childhood cancer community. When I started the Good Hood Club, my goal was not only to create a platform to share my own story with cancer, but to build a space where others felt comfortable enough to share theirs – and we did exactly that. We collaborated with patients, survivors, and their families to design custom hoodies that represented their stories and their strength in comfort. Being able to build a career so deeply personal and empowering has been one of my proudest achievements.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience at McCombs successful? One of the things that drew me to McCombs was its deeply human element – a large emphasis on introspection, reflection and personal growth alongside my professional development. I consider my MBA experience a success if, two years from now, I have learned something about myself – who I am, what I want to do, and where I want to go. McCombs truly nurtures this process and that is the exact environment that I am excited to be in.

© 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.