Meet Queen’s University’s Smith MBA Class Of 2021

Alberto Calvo Urcuyo

Smith School of Business, Queen’s University

“Costa Rican industrial engineer and nature photography aficionado eager to positively impact through purpose-driven business.”

Hometown: San José, Costa Rica

Fun Fact About Yourself: As a kid, I used to live next to a zoo with a small public forest, where sometimes small animals (including monkeys) would break free and wander through the neighborhood.

Undergraduate School and Major: Industrial Engineering at The Costa Rica Institute of Technology.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Senior Sustainability Consultant at Ernst & Young

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Starting a new department from scratch in the Swedish company Securitas was an invaluable experience. Being involved in a wide range of activities and responsibilities, including structuring operations, negotiating agreements and managing people was not an easy task. The challenge made me go out of my comfort zone and explore new skills, where I learned how everyone is motivated by different factors and how important it is to be aware of each individual´s specific goals to maintain a healthy team atmosphere. It was a rewarding experience, as not only did the team grow from one person to over 20 employees and counting, but it also positively impacted my management perspective.

Aside from your classmates, 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? Definitely the team-based approach and being able to apply the knowledge through experiential learning and business cases with the support of a team coach. Even though technical skills are important, leadership skills are essential in achieving higher goals when working together as a team and leveraging each individual´s specific strengths.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Getting involved with the Centre for Social Impact, Institute for Sustainable Finance, and the TriColour Venture Fund.

  • Clubs: Sustainability and Consulting
  • Certifications: Certificate in Social Impact and Project Management Professional

I´m also looking forward to connecting with my classmates through outdoor activities.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Why did you transition to sustainability?”

Since I had about five years of experience working for a bank and a couple of entrepreneurial endeavors that weren´t necessarily connected to sustainability, I had to revisit past experiences and highlight how each of them was building up to my eventual decision to continue developing my professional career within sustainable and purpose-driven companies.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Through my professional career, I´ve had the opportunity to collaborate with local and international firms in the sustainability consulting, finance, security and digital marketing sectors. Through these experiences and in developing a couple of entrepreneurial endeavors, I strengthened my capacities to be bold and creative, think critically, and embrace change – skills that I consider to be fundamental to succeed as a conscious leader today. However, through these processes, I noticed the need to improve my understanding of team-based approaches, business development, and sustainability issues and innovation. I also harboured a great desire to share and exchange experiences with other multicultural peers who might have gone through similar challenges themselves. I firmly believe that the Full-time MBA at Smith School of Business offers the perfect opportunity to do just this.

What other MBA programs did you apply to?

  1. The Sustainable Innovation MBA at University of Vermont
  2. Full-Time MBA at Copenhagen Business School
  3. AGSM Full-Time MBA at UNSW Sydney

How did you determine your fit at various schools? When looking for MBA programs, I started by attending MBA fairs and did online research to get a clear grasp of the different options. Based on my profile and goals, I then prioritized by size, experience and diversity of the cohort, rankings, duration of the program, location, alumni network, and career services. After shortlisting, I got into culture fit and sustainability-related offerings. I used several online resources such as known ranking websites, blogs, alumni reviews, and each school´s available information. A useful approach was having conversations with both current students and alumni from each program which allowed me to get a real sense of culture and obtain valuable recommendations.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Five years ago, while sitting in an office in Citibank São Paulo, I was reflecting on my professional growth and the path I would take to continue developing my career in the financial industry. I was satisfied with what I had accomplished so far but felt that I was not generating a positive impact on the common good. That was a turning point in my career as I decided to take risks and embrace new professional opportunities. These would guide me through an inner journey of discovery, rekindling my interest to expand my understanding of business administration, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. This decision made me go out of my comfort zone, opening opportunities to explore and develop new skills.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Developing and advising purpose-driven sustainable companies in my region is a goal that I have. In order to be the individual that I want to be when I speak about my long-term goals, there is a gap in skills and knowledge that has to be covered. My MBA and post-graduation plans and goals are the bridge that closes that gap.

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