Meet Emory Goizueta’s MBA Class of 2019

Austin Gray

Emory University, Goizueta Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Authentic, empathetic, and passionate. A brother, son, and friend you can always count on.

Hometown: Alpharetta, GA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a huge fan of live music/concerts. I have been to 14 concerts in the past year.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Georgia; Finance

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Ernst & Young; Senior Risk Consultant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Successfully completing my first project following my promotion to Senior Consultant while supervising and coaching two staff. During my early days at EY, I always looked up to my superiors or mangers and sometimes doubted if I would be able to take on all of their responsibilities if placed in their shoes. Having the opportunity to lead my first project and report directly to senior management of a new client was a real confidence booster as a progressed in my career. More importantly, leading a team of unexperienced staff and watching their growth and development throughout the course of the project was truly fulfilling.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Know thyself, and be authentic! Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate and a person will help you tremendously when crafting your story in application essays, interviews, and beyond. You want to be able to present yourself in a way that your strengths and differentiators separate you from the masses. Additionally, knowing what you want out of your MBA experience will allow you to narrow down your choices when deciding on a program. As a result, your passion will be viewed as authentic and your true self will shine through your application.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The opportunity to join a world-class program in the city I am from made choosing Emory the right choice for me. Family and friends have always been what I value most in life, and Goizueta offered everything I looked for in an MBA program (including being a Consortium member school!) without leaving those closest to me. Emory’s close-knit campus feel in a thriving city like Atlanta made Goizueta the easy choice!

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I would like to look back at my first year and know I have developed life-long relationships with many of my fellow classmates.  Also, I want to feel excited and prepared for my upcoming summer internship, hopefully at one of my target companies. Finally, I want to be able to say I grew both professionally and personally by stepping out of my comfort-zone, including enjoying an overseas mid-semester module abroad.