Meet Georgetown’s MBA Class of 2018

Nomblé Coleman

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Not your average MBA candidate. Obstacle obliterator. Marketer. BeyHive member. Leader. Explorer.

Hometown: Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself: I rode a toboggan down the Great Wall of China (See previous Poets&Quants article: “MBA Prospect Wins Contest, Goes to China”).

Undergraduate School and Major: Bentley University, Marketing

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: EMC Corporation, Product Marketing Associate, Field Marketing Program Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I consider my biggest accomplishment to be tied to the volunteer work I’ve done with the National Black MBA Association. I’ve been a member of the organization since high school and most recently served as Director of University Relations for the Boston Chapter. I’m most proud of the effort we led to establish and renew MBA scholarships with local universities.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Start Early! At the beginning of your application journey, write a bulleted list of all the reasons why you want to obtain your MBA. Hang this list in a visible place as you go through the application process to help you stay motivated along the way. Take your standardized test as soon as possible, immediately after you receive your undergraduate degree if possible. Test scores last for five years, so taking standardized tests in advance of beginning the application can help make the process a little easier. Take practice tests for both the GMAT and GRE. Since both tests are widely accepted at most business schools, submit scores for the test you feel most comfortable with. Give yourself plenty of time, in case you need to retake the test.

Throughout the application process, demonstrated interest is key. Let your target schools know that you want to join them. Attend in-person and online recruiting events, and follow up via email with each school representative that you meet. To differentiate yourself, after an in-person interview, find a quiet spot to write a hand-written thank you note to your interviewer and drop it off that same day.

If you are a member of an underrepresented community, apply to the Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s (MLT) MBA Prep and Professional Development programs to get personalized coaching that will help you navigate through the business school application process. Applicants who have demonstrated interest in supporting the effort to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in graduate education and business should consider applying through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. This organization will provide you with a streamlined common application, accelerated career recruiting events, opportunities for full-tuition fellowships, and access to an 8,500+ member network. Finally, Richard Montauk’s book, How to Get into the Top MBA Programs, was a worthwhile guide for the overall application process.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Early on in my application process, I knew I wanted to attend a school that was a member of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Ultimately, I chose Georgetown because it’s guiding principle of cura personalis, or “care of the whole person” aligned strongly with my values. The program also had an intimate size that would allow me to build close relationships with the students, faculty, and staff. I liked that Georgetown’s location in Washington, D.C., would grant me unmatched access to top organizations and business leaders in both the private and public sectors. I have a passion for collecting global experiences and immersing myself in different cultures. With over 30 percent of McDonough’s population being international students, I knew learning in a truly global classroom would thoroughly prepare me to thrive in a global organization after graduation.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? My dream job is to work at an organization where I can positively impact the daily lives of individual consumers while bringing my authentic self to work each day. I want to work in an environment where I can have global impact in a culture of innovation at an organization that demonstrates a commitment to community.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? “You’re Hired!” That phrase may not be applicable immediately after graduation, but I would like to think that the interactions I had with my classmates at McDonough would lead them say that they would hire, partner with, or support me if I gave them a call even 20 years after graduation. Ultimately, I would like my peers to say that I was a catalyst for change in Diversity & Inclusion on campus and that I helped to positively shape their experience at the Georgetown McDonough School of Business.