Meet Columbia’s MBA Class of 2018

Coree Mahoney

Columbia Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am honest, determined, and pragmatic. However, I am generally laidback and optimistic at heart.

Hometown: Chandler, Arizona

Fun Fact About Yourself: During my time in the U.S. Navy, I deployed for eight months on an aircraft carrier and supported F/A-18 missions in Afghanistan.

Undergraduate School and Major: California State University Sacramento, BS Criminal Justice

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: United States Navy, Intelligence Officer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishments have been when the junior sailors that work for me ask me to re-enlist them, or officially pin the warfare device onto their uniform that they have worked hard to earn. These are both huge milestones in their career and they choose an officer that they admire and respect. Being asked to do these things is an honor, and has given me the greatest sense of accomplishment because I know that I have positively impacted their lives. I don’t think there’s anything more important than taking care of my team; when I take care of them, the mission gets done properly. It’s a win-win situation.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? If you are considering an MBA, start studying for the GMAT or GRE now. It’s never too early to crack open a book, but there will come a time each year when it is too late to take the GMAT and apply. The tests are long. If you study to the test time and material, you know what to expect. My motto was: “Do it once, do it right.”

Don’t submit mediocre applications to dozens of schools. Take your time and submit a few stellar applications to the schools that you really want to go to. When writing essays, make sure to write about what makes you different from everyone else so that your application will stand out to the reader. For the interview, practice out loud in the mirror.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I chose CBS because I needed the best-of-the-best in order to make a successful transition out of the military and into the business world. I wanted a challenge in the classroom so that I could learn as much as possible in two years. I also wanted to be in New York so that I would have direct access to the best internships and networks.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I originally wanted to explore new ways to finance the research and development of military technologies in either aerospace or the underwater domain, but I am open to any opportunity that comes my way. I will be attending a pre- MBA summit at Google and Credit Suisse over the summer so that I can see what their companies (as well as tech and investment banking, in general) have to offer.

My dream employer is one that takes care of its employees and is invested in aspects outside of the company, such as being military-friendly and/or investing in smaller communities or projects.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I hope my peers would say that I am trustworthy and reliable. I would like to be the friend that is recognized as being a dedicated team player that was always willing to help solve a problem. It would be great to hear my peers say that I truly earned my MBA, and successfully transitioned from the military into the business world.