5 Questions With: Rebecca Mallen-Churchill, Senior Director Of Admissions At ASU’s W.P. Carey

Rebecca Mallen-Churchill’s has been a part of the Arizona State University community since she was a student. She graduated from ASU in 2005 with a degree in theatre and Italian. While working in the Graduate Admissions office, she discovered an interest in higher education that would eventually shape her career.

After spending time in the hospitality industry and traveling internationally, Rebecca returned to Arizona and joined W.P. Carey in 2013. Since then, she’s worked with the graduate programs office, connecting with prospective students from around the world, and has led the team since 2019.

P&Q: What is the biggest misconception prospective students have about your school or about business education more broadly?

Mallen-Churchill: One of the biggest misconceptions is that business school is only for people pursuing traditional business careers, such as investment banking or corporate finance. But business is part of almost everything. Whether you want to work on Wall Street, launch something of your own, lead in health care, or make a difference through a community-driven nonprofit, a business education can help you do it better.

At W. P. Carey, some students assume that because ASU is large, the graduate business experience will feel large too. What they find is something much more personal: real access to faculty and staff, close connections with classmates, and the benefit of a powerful alumni network that reaches far beyond graduation.

P&Q: What changes do you see in students applying to business school compared to five or 10 years ago, and how is it changing the way you recruit and evaluate?

Mallen-Churchill: Students today are much clearer about what they want from business school than they were five or 10 years ago. They have high expectations for their investment, and they should. That makes our job both more challenging and more meaningful. We have to be clear about who we are, what we offer, and how we can help students get where they want to go.

The “nontraditional” path is also becoming more traditional. We see career changers, entrepreneurs, veterans, first-generation graduate students, working professionals, and students coming from well outside business. That has not changed what we look for; it has changed where we look for it. We are still looking for grit, perseverance, innovation, collaboration, and the ability to contribute, but those qualities can show up in many different ways.

P&Q: With the ROI of an MBA under more scrutiny than ever, how do you make the case to a hesitant applicant?

Mallen-Churchill: We have to be honest: You do not need an MBA to be successful. But if the degree lines up with your goals, it can make the path clearer, faster, and much more supported.

ROI is not just salary. It is access to career coaches, employers, faculty, classmates, alumni, and people whose job is to help you think through what comes next. Most people do not have that kind of support on their own.

For a hesitant applicant, I start with what they are trying to change. If they want to grow, pivot, build stronger business skills, or expand their network, then the ROI can be very real. But they have to use the experience. The degree matters, but what students do with the people and opportunities around them matters just as much, if not more.

P&Q: How is AI changing what you look for in an applicant, or how you’re preparing students for the job market?

Mallen-Churchill: AI is changing what we look for because it is changing the skills students need in business school and in the job market. We want students who are curious, adaptable, and willing to learn new tools, but who can also think critically, communicate clearly, and make sound decisions.

Being comfortable with technology matters, but judgment matters more. AI can help students move faster, work with more information, and generate new ideas, but they still need to know what questions to ask, what information to trust, and how to apply it in a real business setting.

We are not preparing students to be afraid of AI. We are preparing them to use it effectively so they can deliver more value, have greater impact, and keep adapting as work evolves.

P&Q: What’s one thing about your program that doesn’t show up in the rankings or brochure but you wish more applicants knew?

Mallen-Churchill: Executive Connections is one of those things you have to experience to fully understand. On paper, it is a mentorship program. In reality, it is often one of the most personal and meaningful parts of the MBA experience. Students are paired with experienced executive mentors who help them think through leadership, career decisions, communication, and the kind of professionals they want to become.

It also says a lot about W. P. Carey’s culture. ASU is known for innovation, and you feel that here. There is an energy around building, creating, and pushing what is possible. But what surprises students is how personal the experience feels. They get the resources and reach of a major public university, but the day-to-day experience is close, collaborative, and deeply connected.

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