Meet the MBA Class of 2022: Mariana Reyes, University of Rochester (Simon)

Mariana Reyes

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

“I am passionate, humble, and driven. I love traveling and spending time with family.”

Hometown: Acuna, Coahuila (Mexico)

Fun Fact About Yourself: I grew up competing as a dragster racer.

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, The University of Texas at Austin. Master of Science in Management, Southern Methodist University.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: SER National, Nutritionist Early Head Start

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a Nutritionist, I worked with underserved communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I helped over 100 families overcome health problems by educating them on nutrition. Witnessing how my patients’ health improved through education was an amazing experience.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Courageous, curious, and, committed. I feel inspired by my classmates and the way we’ve stood together in these difficult times. As we try to learn from each other and make the best out of our MBA experience, we continue to push one another to make the next two years a great chapter to learn from.

Rochester Simon is known for being “unabashedly analytical.” Why does the program’s focus on quantitative analysis and decision-making appeal to you? How do you intend to leverage this approach as a student and professional? Coming from a non-business background and spending most of my time in the nutrition space, I wanted to challenge myself with an analytic driven program in order to have a different experience and gain new skills. As I look to pursue a career in financial services, I know I am going to rely on the analytical experience and training I received at Simon in order to differentiate myself to have a successful career.

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? Having had the experience of a large undergraduate program, I wanted a completely different experience and Simon offered the perfect combination of a tight-knit community, small program, and a data driven curriculum.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? My involvement in LASOS (Latin American Students of Simon) is very important to me as there is a lack of Latino representation in the business world. As a Hispanic woman, I want to pave the path for underrepresented minorities and be able to share my experiences with anyone who is looking to pursue an MBA.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Why Simon?” was the most challenging question to answer because I wanted the admissions team to understand that I was committed to Simon. I felt like I was not saying enough because there is always something more to learn or something new happening around the Simon MBA community.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I started my career in the non-profit space and I saw a gap in my toolbox. I decided to address these areas of improvement and challenge myself with a rigorous MBA program.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Rice University and Vanderbilt University

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I was looking for a small program and a tight-knit community where I could gain the skills and knowledge to pursue a career in financial services. I looked at employment reports, spoke to current students, and reached out to alumni who were in roles I wanted to pursue. After speaking to students and learning how each school contributed to the student experience, recruiting process, and post-graduation, I evaluated each of them based on what experience I wanted to have.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment was when I was accepted to The University of Texas at Austin. I am a first-generation college student and I knew education was the path I needed to take in order to help my family and break the cycle to blaze a new path. This taught me to be courageous, go after my dreams, and create action plans to turn my dreams into goals.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years, I see myself in financial services as a managing director leading my own business unit.

DON’T MISS: MEET ROCHESTER SIMON’S MBA CLASS OF 2022

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.