Meet Notre Dame Mendoza’s MBA Class of 2019

Katie McCullough

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Data loving fitness junkie, who looks to constantly inspire others to be better.

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Fun Fact About Yourself: I compete in Olympic Weightlifting and one-day dream of opening up my own gym

Undergraduate School and Major: Northwestern University, Statistics

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – Finance Leadership Development Program (2013-2017)

1. Sales and Marketing Financial Analyst (2013-2014)
2. Manufacturing Financial Analyst (2014-2015)
3. Purchasing Financial Analyst (2015-2016)
4. Area Finance Manager – Powertrain Engineering (2016-2017)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I initiated a statistical analysis to optimize our marketing spend between TV, Digital, Print, etc, and presented my findings to our Marketing Team. My strategy was implemented at one of our Business Centers!

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Prioritize your time and don’t procrastinate! Each essay can take multiple hours to refine, and you want to put your best foot forward when presenting yourself to the admissions committee. Also, just be yourself. It is much more important to stay true to yourself than to write about what you THINK people want to hear.

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? I chose Notre Dame for the values-based education. Integrity in who you are and the decisions you make is one of the most important qualities of a good leader. When I visited campus for my interview and welcome weekend, I could tell immediately that the students embodied Mendoza’s core value “Ask More of Business,” and I couldn’t be more excited to join this diverse group of future leaders.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Success to me is making a positive impact on as many people as possible, and establishing life-long relationships that can be leveraged in the future, whether that be with fellow students, faculty, or staff.