Caroline Murray

The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business

“Dallas raised, San Diego seasoned, Austin barbecued, with a side of coffee and karaoke.”

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Fun fact about yourself: I am a huge fan of Latin music; I once flew to Colombia to see Shakira’s hometown complete with a photo in front of her 20-foot bronze statue!

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of San Diego, Honors BBA in International Business and Spanish

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Manager at World Trade Center San Diego

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? Strategy& – Dallas, TX

Where will you be working after graduation? Senior Associate Consultant at Strategy& – Austin, TX

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: While at McCombs, I served as Co‑President of the Graduate Consulting Group, where I helped support one of the largest recruiting pipelines in the MBA program. Because consulting accounts for close to a third of all MBA recruiting, my focus, along with our executive team, was to enhance the case interview curriculum for both first and second‑year students by creating a more individualized and comprehensive approach to the complex process.

As a CleanTech Fellow interning at Tesla on the Global Sustainability team, I contributed to building out the company’s global decarbonization strategy by developing a model to analyze factory‑level emissions and track regulatory compliance, and by supporting their annual Impact Report through cross‑functional data collection and stakeholder interviews. Similarly, through the MBA Impact Investment Network Training (MIINT) program, I helped lead our McCombs team to the grand prize at the 2025 Wharton Finals, securing $50K in seed funding for ReJoule with a winning pitch that combined rigorous due diligence, valuation analysis, and a clear impact thesis.

Finally, as a Board Fellow with the Seedling Foundation, I worked alongside the board and executive leadership to design the “Adopt a School” marketing campaign aimed at strengthening long‑term revenue and expanding mentorship opportunities for children with incarcerated parents in the Austin area.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of my participation in the MIINT impact investment practicum and VC pitch competition because it pushed me to think like an investor while staying grounded in impact. Over the course of an academic year, our team developed a comprehensive investment thesis and got a firsthand look at how VCs evaluate impact‑oriented firms. It was especially meaningful to leverage my classmates’ diverse backgrounds in entrepreneurship, finance, and policy to advocate for an innovative startup in the energy space. Applying concepts from our curriculum with the amazing Professor Meeta Kothare and meeting some of the most influential people in impact investing made the experience both intellectually challenging and incredibly rewarding.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? One of my proudest career moments was in my role prior to the MBA as Manager of the MetroConnect export accelerator program, where I helped founders translate global ambition into tangible international growth. The program took 15 San Diego companies from across industry sectors through a series of executive workshops aimed at various aspects of international expansion. From there, it equipped them with cash grants to help execute on their global ambitions.

One standout experience was supporting Access Trax, founded by entrepreneur Kelly Twichel, who aimed to enable access to hard-to-reach terrains for people with disabilities via portable traction mats. Throughout her time in the accelerator, I watched Kelly show up to every workshop and advising session prepared, coachable, and relentless in her commitment to serve more customers abroad. Her dedication culminated in winning the MetroConnect grand prize, giving her critical resources to continue expanding into markets such as Costa Rica and Canada. Seeing her utilize the program to scale a mission‑driven business is still one of the most meaningful highlights of my career.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose McCombs because it offered the rare combination of a vibrant city, a ripe energy business environment, and people who felt like the right fit for the next chapter of my career. I had the opportunity to connect with then current students Avery Klunick and Rhia Bell, who took time out of their busy recruiting and academic schedules to answer all my burning questions; they both embodied the kind, determined nature that I’ve since found is characteristic of most McCombs students. When you add in a community of classmates and faculty who are grounded, ambitious, and always eager to watch college football, it became clear that McCombs was the perfect fit for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor was Trent Thurman, whose Leading People course reshaped how I think about leadership in a very practical way. He moved us beyond abstract theories and into specific tools for creating effective environments where people can do their best work. The frameworks we used around feedback, motivation, and managing difficult situations applied to everything from team projects to internships. He made sure each student had the tools to succeed in leadership roles, whether it was inside the walls of McCombs or at the top levels of business.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course was Energy, Technology, and Policy, taught by Professor Fred Beach, because it brought together the technical, political, and global economic dimensions of the energy industry. I appreciated how the class challenged us to think critically about the effectiveness and viability of emerging energy alternatives, rather than accepting any solution at face value. The mix of perspectives in the room led to thoughtful discussions about trade‑offs, timelines, and real‑world constraints. It was the kind of course that made it impossible to look at an energy headline the same way again.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Tailgates and Tokyo come to mind! Growing up a Longhorn fan, it was very full circle to be able to sit in Darrell K. Royal stadium as a student. McCombs organized tailgates for faculty, students, and alumni, which was a great way to meet the wider network of Longhorns in Austin and beyond. Likewise, it has become somewhat of a tradition for the Japanese McCombs student to plan a trip to Japan for the second-year class. This winter we had the amazing opportunity to visit Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tokyo. A huge shoutout to our classmates, Taka and Rio, for organizing the whole thing!

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back, I am immensely proud and grateful for my MBA experience. If I could change one thing, I would have taken advantage of one of the many global programs UT offers. While I took part in the Washington DC campus program, I would have loved the chance to experience a new country through a structured academic lens. The opportunity to visit companies abroad and meet business leaders in their home markets would have added another dimension to what I learned in the classroom.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? The most impactful case study for me was the Airbnb in Amsterdam case, which highlighted the complexity of balancing innovation, regulation, and community impact. Working through the perspectives of the company, the city, and local residents underscored how easy it is to overlook critical stakeholders if you do not intentionally bring them into the conversation. The biggest lesson I took away was the importance of making sure you have the right people at the table when decisions are being made.

What business leader do you admire most? I deeply admire Kendra Scott, both for the business she has built and the way she shows up for the Austin community. As an Austin native, she has created a brand with products that people genuinely love while staying accessible and engaged locally. Her decision to launch the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at UT Austin is especially inspiring because it invests directly in the next generation of women founders. She is a great example of how success and community impact can go hand in hand.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One meaningful way McCombs has integrated AI into programming is by encouraging us to use it as a support tool in our coursework rather than a replacement for our own thinking. In group projects, we have used AI to quickly gather background information, pressure‑test ideas, and draft initial outlines. From there, we spent our time refining the analysis and narrative ourselves. That experience reinforced for me that AI is most powerful when it handles the repetitive or time‑consuming tasks so we can focus on judgment, nuance, and creativity.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Throughout my two years at McCombs, I had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing individuals like Catherine Carty, Mary Harvey, and Annie Pohl, who I look forward to seeing thrive in their post-graduate roles. In addition, a classmate I want to highlight is Soham Mukherjee. I had the distinct pleasure of sharing a study group with Soham, as well as a summer internship at Strategy&. Soham has a unique mix of drive, empathy, and joy, making him the ultimate teammate, coworker, and friend. He has been a guiding force for the first-year class and a fierce advocate for our international students, not to mention he is an amazing dancer/McCombs talent show extraordinaire!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? At the top of my professional bucket list is serving on the board of a major energy company like Austin Energy, with a particular focus on how renewable energy can support a more resilient and decarbonized grid. I would also like to complete an international rotation in South America, ideally in Peru or Chile, so I can use my Spanish in a professional context while learning firsthand from some of the advanced renewables projects underway there. Combining board‑level governance experience in Austin with on‑the‑ground exposure to innovative Latin American energy markets would be two career highlights for me!

What made Caroline such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“Caroline Murray is a leader who pairs intellectual rigor with deep commitment to community. Whether advancing climate innovation, mentoring classmates through consulting recruiting, or representing McCombs on the global stage, she exemplifies the thoughtful leadership and purposeful ambition that define the Best & Brightest MBAs.

Caroline’s impact spans business, sustainability, and community service. As President of the Graduate Consulting Group, she strengthened a culture of peer mentorship, dedicating countless hours to helping first-year students prepare for recruiting. Simultaneously, she pursued hands-on experience tackling global challenges, developing a decarbonization strategy framework at Tesla as a Global Sustainability Fellow, and contributing to cutting-edge research on energy generation with Professor David Spence. She also led her team to victory at the Wharton finals of the Turner MIINT impact investing competition, securing $50,000 in seed funding for ReJoule Battery Diagnostics after conducting extensive due diligence and presenting a compelling investment thesis to venture capital judges.

As Professor Kothare notes, “Caroline led the team with quiet confidence, humility, and a deep sense of purpose… she was instrumental in identifying ReJoule. What stood out most was her thoughtful approach to impact—her leadership reflects disciplined analysis paired with genuine care for people and the planet.”

Her leadership extends beyond professional achievement. As a Board Fellow with the Seedling Foundation, she supported mentorship programs for children with incarcerated parents, while also serving as VP of Careers for the CleanTech Group, a Peer Career Coach, and a Forte Fellow. Through each role, she has expanded opportunities for classmates while strengthening the McCombs community.

One peer reflects, “Caroline has consistently demonstrated the intellectual rigor, purposeful ambition, and strong sense of community that define the McCombs experience. What distinguishes her most is the way she invests in the people around her—showing up generously and with warmth that makes an MBA program feel like more than a credential.”

Those who have worked alongside her witness this leadership daily. As one classmate shared, “Caroline has been an integral pillar of the McCombs MBA community through her exceptional leadership of the Graduate Consulting Group. She leads with organization, clarity, and confidence, never shying away from difficult decisions when needed for the success of the organization and its members.” Another adds, “Caroline embodies the McCombs values of integrity, innovation, and impact. Beyond her accomplishments, she is known for her empathy, humor, and drive to uplift those around her.”

Caroline’s journey at McCombs reflects a clear purpose: to build businesses and solutions that create meaningful impact. From leading consulting peers to advancing climate innovation to supporting vulnerable communities, she has consistently demonstrated that leadership is not only about achievement, but about lifting others along the way. Caroline Murray represents the very best of McCombs and exemplifies the spirit of the Poets & Quants Best & Brightest MBAs.”

Tina Mabley
Senior Assistant Dean, Full-Time MBA
The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, Hildebrand MBA

 

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