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My DBi Experience in South Africa

Author: Hyeji Kim is a full-time MBA student at NYU Stern, graduating in May 2024. Prior to coming to business school, she worked at Accenture working on tech implementation projects for public sector clients. After school, she’ll move to Seoul, South Korea to pursue a career in strategy consulting at the Samsung Global Strategy Group. During her time at Stern, Hyeji served as the co-president of the Asian Business Society and the co-director of a Christian business conference for MBA students called Believers in Business.

Hyeji Kim

“Whoa, I want to do that!” was the reaction I had as I tapped through the Instagram stories of MBA2s who were on their DBi’s in January 2023. I, as an MBA1, was busy preparing for interviews, hoping and praying that internship recruiting would soon be over. I looked at all of the locations that were popping up: Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and South Africa. ‘Any one of these would be fascinating destinations,’ I thought to myself and resolved to be on a winter DBi myself the following year. 

That is what I did! I spent two weeks on a DBi to Cape Town, South Africa, and every moment was extremely worth it. To be quite honest, I originally saw the DBi as an opportunity to travel to someplace cool with a bunch of friends from business school. But it turned out to be so much more. 

The Beauty of Cape Town

Our hotel and school building were located by the V&A Waterfront, a vibrant food and shopping district alongside the harbors of the Alfred and Victoria basins. On most days after school, many of us would visit the area to take walks, go eat, or simply sit and take in the beauty of the water and landscape. The water was so blue and sparkly; the backdrop of Table Mountain against the buildings, the ships, and the bustling of the district never got old. The sun shone for almost more than 12 hours a day, and save for some windy moments, the weather was consistently warm and welcoming. 

Besides the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town and the surrounding areas had so much to offer. Table Mountain and Lion’s Head offered good hiking experiences for those interested in the challenge (although many of us – aka me – chose to use the cable car that allowed for easier access). A few minute car ride would bring us to beautiful beaches for us to watch sunsets and enjoy each other’s company. Yes, many of us fell sick with the “Cape Town Tummy,” but the restaurant scene in Cape Town offered many interesting venues and dishes.

View of Table Mountain
On our first day of classes, we took a bus up to a hill that gave us a beautiful view of Table Mountain as well as the shoreline.

Deep Dive into Cape Town and South Africa

My favorite part, however, was how much we got to learn about this country that embodied such a painful past and continues to grapple with complexities around socioeconomic differences and race. We heard from phenomenal speakers – individuals we would not have had access to had it not been for this program – on the importance of entrepreneurship and its potential to lift up those living in poverty. We learned about energy and food security and how it impacts various parts of the city and country that was going through chronic “load shedding” to conserve electricity. We learned about the categorization of race and how one may or may not identify with the designations that they had to fall into.

Outside of the classroom learnings, we got to meet with locals and talk to them about how all these seemingly academic topics of entrepreneurship as well as energy and food security truly impacted their lives. We took a couple field trips to “townships,” areas slightly outside of the city center that are traditionally inhabited by individuals that would be considered of lower socioeconomic class. Some equate “townships” with “slums,” and the general tourist advice one gets when coming to Cape Town is to not visit these townships. Yet here we were in these townships (safely guided by locals) conversing with people in their homes. All of them were so interested in talking to us, sharing their views on how their lives could be improved, and how they hope that their grandchildren might live a better life. All were nuances, questions, and thoughts I would never have had if I had come to Cape Town simply as a tourist, and I was grateful for a chance to wrestle with them.

A picture with one of the locals
A picture with one of the locals (in the middle with the striped top; our local guide is in the pink dress) in the township that we spoke to. She ran a small business out of her personal kitchen baking bread and cooking chicken.

My Fellow Sternies

The group of Sternies that got into the South Africa DBi were a great group of people. I knew my fellow full-time students that were on the trip with me were great and fun to be around, but I was thankful for the opportunity to have met so many Langone students as well. Having actively stayed away from evening classes my first three semesters, my interactions with Langone students until that point were short and sweet, limited to the small interactions I had with them in student clubs. Yet here was a group of students I had not yet met, all of them so open and welcoming and eager to make new connections. It opened my eyes to the breadth and quality of the student body that Stern had to offer. Whether one was in the full-time, part-time, or focused programs, we were all on a similar journey to figure out the next steps in our careers and lives.

NYU Stern group photo

From weekend excursions to the wineries in Stellenbosch, to hiking the most southwest point of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, to seeing tiny penguins at Boulders Beach, DBi South Africa gave me the best of what Stern has to offer: community and friendships with smart, engaging, and down-to-earth people paired with in-depth learnings that expanded my worldview of how we are simultaneously so different yet the same across countries and cultures. It’s always so exciting and rewarding to be able to challenge oneself personally, relationally, and academically, and DBi South Africa fulfilled all that and more.

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DBi Italy

Sarah Story is a full-time MBA student, specializing in Marketing, Strategy, and Operations. Prior to Stern, Sarah was a home furnishings designer. Post-MBA, she plans to work in marketing or supply chain management within the retail industry. At Stern, she is co-president of the Luxury and Retail Club, and a board member of the Graduate Marketing Association and Stern Adventures. Outside of school, Sarah enjoys swimming with a local masters swim team and attending concerts.

One of the primary reasons I chose to attend Stern was because of the extensive DBi, “Doing Business in…”, opportunities. I was not able to study abroad during undergrad, so I was excited to take advantage of the many 1-2 week intensive courses that are part of this program. I was thrilled that my course lottery results allowed me to have this incredible opportunity to study for a week in Milan, Italy with a focus in luxury retail. I am so grateful to have had this experience; there were many laughs, amazing food, and new friendships.

We were given a warm welcome at the hotel with an “aperitif” hosted by Stern. About a dozen of us went to a group dinner afterwards, which was a great way to introduce ourselves in a smaller group and have some time to get to know each other before the class officially started. It was quite magical to walk up to a restaurant requesting to seat 12 people, and be seated in a private dining room that also functioned as the wine cellar.

The first day was class packed with great lectures, an impressive coffee break, and was capped off with speakers from Ferrari and the CMO of Gucci, who also happens to be a Stern alum. (The aforementioned comment was, thankfully, NOT said while he was there.) After class, we began our in-class project: visiting a short list of luxury retailers to examine how they treated their shoppers, whether purchases were made or not, and the overall experience of shopping in these stores. It also became a regular occurrence to find classmates at Camparino, the Campari Bar, after class, located near our hotel.

On our second day, we headed off early to visit the Mantero Silk Factory, located just outside of Como. Seeing the printing process in action, both with traditional silk screens and digital printers, was enlightening for many. We learned how so many luxury companies from around the world, not just those in Italy, seek out the talent and expertise of the Mantero factory. Of course we all panic-shopped (there was limited time) at the sample store and came away with some great finds for ourselves and gifts for others. Upon returning to campus, we were greeted by a room full of the most beautiful, soft wool textiles and raw fibers, for a talk from a Loro Piana representative about what makes their textiles and apparel so highly coveted. After the talk we continued our “shopping safari,” visiting the last stores on our lists. Each team chose to divide and conquer differently – some shopped as a group, some split the list in half between team members, and some shopped at all the stores independently. 

Our third day was focused on brand extensions, particularly in the furniture category. We explored the history of design and manufacturing excellence of Italian furniture companies and the differences of how they are structured in design, manufacturing, and distribution compared to American furniture companies. In the afternoon we visited the Cassina, Versace Casa, and Dolce and Gabbana Home showrooms and heard from the CEO of Cassina, the design director of Versace Casa, and the Vice President of Luxury Living Group, which is the parent company of Versace Casa and Dolce and Gabbana Home. After a long day, we had a class dinner in the canal district, and mostly avoided a very rainy evening!

The final day, we heard from Paolo Pedersoli of Jakala, a consulting firm that includes a focused division in luxury and design enterprises. Before lunch, we finalized our findings for our group presentations, and presented our findings with the class in the afternoon. Gucci was one of the stores that several of the groups were assigned to visit, and the general take away was that the shopping experience was not as expected. It was quite entertaining and interesting to hear how each group’s experiences differed, and how some brands were presented in a positive light from our guest speakers, yet the shopping experiences were not reflective of that or very welcoming to customers.

The course wrapped up with a stellar group dinner, a close walk from the hotel. One of our classmates had a birthday on that Friday, so several of us toasted him at midnight in the hotel bar with some champagne: the perfect way to celebrate the end of the course.

I could not be more grateful to have had this experience. In addition to the course, I added on about a week of personal travel throughout northern Italy. I absolutely fell in love with Italy,  and I cannot wait to go back to explore more of Milan and the rest of the country.

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Sweet Dreams Are Made at Stern

Sheron is a recent Stern grad from the two-year full-time program in the class of 2023. She was previously an engineer in the oil and gas industry and will be transitioning to consulting post-MBA. On campus she was involved in many clubs including ESA (Entrepreneurship and Start-up Association), AHBBS (Association of Hispanic and Black Business Students), MCA (Management Consulting Association), STA (Stern Tech Association), SWIB (Stern Women in Business), PEVC (Private Equity and Venture Capital Club), and Cellar.

If you are looking to live out your Eurythmics dreams to “travel the world and the seven seas,” you’ve found the right place. Stern offers so many different international opportunities to travel through school-sponsored programs or just casually with classmates.

DBi programs—which stand for Doing Business in—are 1.5 or 3 credit courses that take you to places such as Morocco, Australia, Argentina, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand, and others over a week or two. There you’ll learn about business in the local economy through classes at a partner university, company treks, and cultural excursions. Stern Signature Projects feature international consulting engagements that can take you to Israel, Guyana, and other countries to support business development for different organizations.

There are also longer-term study abroad programs at partner schools all across the world. I studied at London Business School for an equivalent semester, and I would not have traded that experience for the world.

Stern’s student body is incredibly diverse, and so is London Business School’s. The European location of LBS attracts a different type of diversity, which made the classroom discussions vibrant with multiple perspectives. It was very interesting to compare the viewpoints of Stern and LBS students to grow in my thinking about different business approaches and issues. Similar to Stern, the professors at LBS all had office hours and were more than happy to chat about topics on my mind from class. Whether you choose to study abroad or spend the full two years at Stern, be sure to connect with the professors. They are all super cool. Many have written best-selling books, host podcasts or TV shows, and are celebs in the business world.

The student clubs at Stern are all very accessible, and I had the same experience at LBS. Like at Stern, most of the club events were open to all members of the MBA student community and are free or only require a nominal fee to join. Stern clubs host visits to museums, company offices, theater shows, outdoor hiking trails, and favorite foodie spots. I got to experience these types of cultural and professional adventures with new LBS friends as well. From seeing Wicked in London’s West End to learning the art of Japanese Shibori to experiencing a traditional Sunday roast, LBS’s clubs provided a similar opportunity to build community and friendship while abroad. 

Through networking events hosted by the student clubs at LBS, I also met many students from Oxford and Cambridge’s MBA programs. I went to see my new friends at their campuses for a tour and class visit. I even attended the Oxford vs. Cambridge polo match, which was my first polo experience and one of the highlights of my exchange semester.

Business school is an incredibly transformative experience academically, professionally, socially, and personally. Spending extended time abroad was definitely a time of growth in every way. If you have any thoughts about a full exchange semester, then go for it! You’ll be amazed at what you learn, who you’ll meet, and what you’ll experience.

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A Day in the Life of a Sternie

Brittany Fidalgo is a recent MBA graduate, specializing in Strategy and Global Business. Prior to Stern, Brittany led HR at small and mid-size businesses. Post-MBA, she is going into Consulting at PWC. At Stern, she was involved in AHBBS, SWIB, and Adventures club.

A day in the life of an MBA student can vary depending on what time in the program you find them. In my last semester of school, I had most early mornings free, which allowed me to start my day with breakfast- typically granola, kiefer and berries. I would often go for a quick run along the East River before getting ready to head to school.

 At school, I would stop in to the cafe, Matto, to pick up my favorite chai latte and catch up with friends. Matto is amazing because every drink is under 3 dollars- an absolute deal in New York City! I would then head to the 4th floor reading room to do focused work for my classes.

Club meetings and events often happen during lunch time. Some days I may have a board meeting for AHBBS, or attend another club event. SWIB, for example, hosted a great Stern Speaks event where fellow Sternies volunteered to present personal stories with us over lunch.

After this, it is time to meet with one of my group project teams and attend my classes. A course I took this semester, Marketing Planning and Strategy, focused on group work with a final deliverable of a business strategy proposal. After meeting with my project team, I head to my weekly seminar class, Developing Managerial Skills with Professor Dolly Chugh. This was one of my favorite classes at Stern, and I highly recommend everyone taking the course!

After class, I meet up with a classmate for dinner at a nearby restaurant in the West Village before heading to our 6pm weekly seminar class, Digital Innovation and Crowdsourcing with Professor Natalia Levina. She always had the best Ukrainian snacks for us! After a full day at Stern, I jump on the subway and head home to Brooklyn. 

The days are long and busy in business school, but the years fly by quick! By being thoughtful and intentional about your time, you will be able to make the most of the academics, extracurriculars, social life, and the incredible opportunities in NYC!

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DBi Spain: Immersing in the Metaverse, Exploring Global business, Embracing Spanish Culture and Building Connections

Jenny Ng is a current Langone MBA student, specializing in Finance, Management in Technology and Operations and Strategy. Prior to Stern, Jenny worked in various industries, including retail bank, aviation, real estate and information technology; currently, Jenny holds a position at Business Operations in the Energy Management department at Con Edison of NY. At Stern, she is involved in Langone Student Government as Vice President of First Years and Asian Business Society as Vice President of Langone.

This past semester, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in Doing Business in (DBi) Spain with a diverse group of ambitious and like-minded classmates from both the full-time and part-time programs. It was an enriching experience that allowed us to immerse ourselves in an international landscape of an increasingly interconnected world to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with conducting business in other countries, considering economic, legal, political and cultural aspects. I had the pleasure to embark on an academic odyssey to Madrid, Spain, where our focus was on the European startup ecosystem, tech entrepreneurship, digital innovations in artificial intelligence and the metaverse, as well as trends, future prospects and leadership within the industry. DBi Spain delivered a truly immersive experience that extended beyond the normal classroom and that allowed me to enrich my understanding of global dynamics and international business while fostering lifelong friendships and connections.

Inside the classroom, we were privileged to learn from esteemed professors at IE Business School and engage in insightful guest lectures delivered by entrepreneurs and industry leaders in the technology, consulting and digital banking sectors. Having the opportunity to learn from industry practitioners and leaders firsthand equipped us with profound insights and knowledge about the opportunities and challenges in the European startup ecosystem and tech industry. We explored the advantages and disadvantages of developing a tech startup in Europe, all of which are very different from the U.S. entrepreneurial ecosystem. We also delved deep into the potentials and business value of the metaverse, a concept of an immersive virtual world that aims to disrupt the way we do things in respect to learning, working, entertaining, socializing, shopping and forming connections. Lastly, we also had the opportunity to do corporate treks at global innovation hubs where we gained first hand exposure to a startup accelerator and learned how companies are embracing digital innovation to unlock business opportunities. 

Outside the classroom, the program agenda included cultural and social activities that submerged us in Spanish traditions and customs; we enjoyed a captivating Flamenco show, engaged in an outdoor paella cooking competition with local IE students and networked with Stern Alumnus and at a picturesque atop of Irreverent Restaurant. The highlight of the activities for me was the outdoor paella cooking competition—a team-building challenge where we had to first earn gold through winning games to acquire ingredients, and then compete to cook the most enjoyable paella. Although we had no prior experience in cooking paella, because of leadership, collaboration, communication, shared vision and ambition, my team and I won third place, instilling a newfound confidence in my culinary skills in Spanish cuisine. 

Alongside the academic itinerary, my classmates and I had the privilege of further immersing ourselves in the vibrant city of Madrid. We indulged in delectable Spanish cuisine and scrumptious churros with chocolate, watched a memorable Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano game (2-1) organized by our classmate, admired the grandeur of The Royal Palace, and reveled in the exhilaration of Madrid’s bustling nightlife and retail adventures at stores ranging from fast fashion to luxury fashion. 

As I reflect upon these unbelievable experiences and unforgettable memories, DBi Spain was truly a rewarding experience that went beyond expanding my knowledge and broadening my perspective of business on a global scale; the program allowed me to embrace new cultures, expand my horizons, nurture my growth, while also build new connections and forge lifelong friendships beyond the confines of a classroom. Traveling with classmates from both full-time and part-time programs provided me an opportunity to expand my network beyond my immediate program, fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment and promoting a sense of unity within the community. In sum, DBi Spain was an extraordinary endeavor in my MBA journey at Stern, leaving an indelible impact on my personal and professional growth—one that I would do over and over again.

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My Experience in the NYU Impact Investing Fund

Isabella Felipa Schumann is a recent graduate who specialized in Corporate Finance and Strategy. Prior to Stern, Isabella spent three years in development at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, followed by two years as an investigative consultant at K2 Integrity. During her time at Stern, Isabella was a summer associate at Partner’s Group, a private equity firm, and during the academic year, she served as an MBA associate at Connectivity Venture Funds, a venture capital firm based in New York. Additionally, Isabella participated in a variety of experiential opportunities offered at Stern, and was AVP of Sponsorship of Stern’s PEVC Club. Isabella now works at Global Atlantic Partners as VP of Strategy and Business Development in NYC.

When I started my MBA journey in 2021, I was interested in exploring opportunities in the investment space, but as someone with a non-traditional background, I was unsure where to start. I knew that NYU Stern would provide me with endless opportunities to explore investing, develop relevant skills to succeed in the space, and take career risks that I may not have taken otherwise. One of the defining experiences of my time at NYU Stern that allowed me to do all three things was the NYU Impact Investing Fund (“NIIF”). 

Why NIIF

I have always had a passion for social impact which has manifested itself through community service work, pro-bono consulting with a focus on social enterprises and female-founded startups, and working in nonprofit organizations earlier in my career. NIIF was the perfect way for me to explore the intersection of a personal passion of mine and my professional ambitions. Additionally, I had the incredible opportunity to work with peers from Stern, NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and NYU Law School. Being part of a group of dedicated and ambitious individuals from different backgrounds was a huge part of what made NIIF such a great experience. 

Getting Involved

NIIF is the only MBA student-run venture organization in the country, which means that NIIF invests real money into real startups that we as participating students are sourcing, completing investment diligence on, and pitching to the investment committee. The program is structured as a one-year course through Stern and participation starts with an application the Spring before the Fall semester start date. Once you begin with NIIF, you are split into teams representing six different verticals – financial inclusion, environment, healthcare, aging, education, and food systems. I was a member of the education deal team along with five other peers. 

Phase I: Investment Thesis

We began our semester by developing an investment thesis highlighting the areas of education that we would like to invest in and other non-negotiables for NIIF, including a founding team representative of the community the company serves, and demonstrated impact in lockstep with revenue. From here, our team tapped into our networks to identify impact-driven early-stage startups that were actively raising a new round of fundraising. Once potential targets were identified, the team interviewed the founders and identified the companies that were most aligned with the team’s understanding of impact and the expectations of NIIF’s investment committee. 

Phase II: Due Diligence

The second stage of the process is defined by a funneling process where each deal team presents their chosen company to the other teams and to the investment committee. From there, two deal teams are chosen to continue with the NIIF investment process while the other teams are split between competing in the MBA Impact Investing Network & Training (“MIINT”) and managing previous investments made by NIIF. As a member of a deal team chosen to move forward in the NIIF process, this third phase was followed by a longer due diligence process where my team and I spent the coming months working with the NYU Law School clinic and the founder of our target company on the complex due diligence process. This included legal, financial, impact, and competitor diligence and identifying relevant investment risks in each of these areas. This was where we were challenged the most as a team, and pushed outside of our comfort zones to understand and evaluate different areas of the business. 

Phase III: Presentations

Finally, our team was one of two that pitched a target company to the NIIF Investment Committee in an in-person meeting with the three committee members and the support of our peers. The presentation featured information on our company, deep dives into the diligence that we completed, an emphasis on the demonstrated impact of the company, and a complete risk analysis with insights on how to minimize risks. By the end of the week, we were notified of the investment committee’s decision on which of the two deal teams had received NIIF’s investment. 

The entire process closely resembled the various investment processes that I have seen in both the private equity and venture capital spaces. I was able to see many parallels between my work at NIIF and what I have seen in various internship opportunities across investment firms. I can confidently say that my NIIF experience will not only be a highlight of my time at Stern, but will also be instrumental in my career development. 

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My Experience in Leadership Fellows

Anna Gallagher is a current Full-time MBA student, specializing in Strategy, Management, and Leadership & Change Management. Prior to Stern, Anna worked in various HR roles at The Boeing Company. Post-MBA, she will join the Amazon Web Services HR Leadership Development Program. At Stern, she is on the boards of Stern Women in Business and Student Government. Anna is a Leadership Fellow, Board Fellow, and Forté Fellow. She is also a Stern Graduate Ambassador. Anna loves Broadway musicals and has seen 10+ shows as a Sternie.

This year, I was fortunate to participate in NYU Stern’s Leadership Fellows Program, an incredible opportunity for MBA students. The purpose of the Makhoul Family Leadership Fellows Program is for students to accelerate their growth and position themselves as leaders within their organizations after Stern. The program includes monthly classes and one-on-one mentorship. 

I loved that the Leadership Fellows program is highly experiential. For example, in several classes we role played workplace scenarios with the help of professional actors. Scenarios included a board of directors discussing a contentious issue with a CEO, a manager coaching a rockstar employee who refuses to work with the team, and an employee advocating for a promotion while being dismissed by management.

In another class session, we focused on understanding the experiences that have shaped us as people and as leaders. We first identified major events, achievements, and moments over our life. We then plotted these events across time and used a vertical axis to indicate the level of positive or negative impact each event had on us. In class we shared our “lifelines.” It was an incredibly moving session as my peers vulnerably shared their greatest heartbreaks and proudest moments. I got to know my classmates so much better and this exercise deepened the trust and respect we had for each other. I encourage you to do the “lifeline” exercise, too. I suspect it will be helpful as you prepare your MBA application and consider your post-MBA goals!

As a Leadership Fellow, you are assigned a mentor to meet with monthly. My mentor was a rockstar Stern alum and professional leadership coach. In our monthly sessions we discussed my career goals, values, and how I can apply class learnings to my daily life. In one of my favorite meetings, we role played a difficult conversation I needed to have and practiced taking the other party’s perspective. 

My Leadership Fellows section (one of many) was deliberately capped at 12 students. The small class size supported vulnerable conversations and gave me ample opportunity to participate in class exercises. Despite the small class size, my section was incredibly diverse including students from the full-time, part-time, and Tech MBA programs. 

If you are looking to gain self awareness, practice leadership skills in a safe setting, connect deeply with other Sternies, and receive regular one-on-one mentorship, then I encourage you to apply for the Stern Leadership Fellows program!

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Experiential Learning @ Stern: Endless Possibilities

Jeet Khilnani is an MBA2, specializing in strategy and leadership & change management. Prior to Stern, Jeet worked at Nomura in a corporate finance role, and Deloitte in an audit role. This summer, Jeet interned at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a Summer Consultant and will be continuing to work at the firm post graduation in New York City. Additionally, Jeet is the Co-President of Outclass (Stern’s LGBTQ+ organization), and a VP of Stern Student Government, Management Consulting Association, Graduate Finance Association, and South Asian Business Association at Stern.

One of the biggest drivers of the MBA experience at Stern is the countless opportunities to learn by doing. Stern’s incredible location unlocks access to almost anything you want to do – PE/VC, Startups, Healthcare, Consulting, Finance, Impact Investing and the list just goes on. Stern’s “Change Studio” umbrella is so wide and deep, I think most students would not even be able to list all the different opportunities available!

This was a key component of my decision to attend Stern. I was uprooting my life from India and moving thousands of miles away to a whole new world in the US. I wanted to familiarize myself with the culture and see the different facets of the business world before I started my full time job, both as a way to prepare for it and to ease the learning curve a little bit. Through my time so far, I’ve experienced three different experiential learning opportunities – Communication for Consultants, Operations Consulting – An Experiential Approach & Endless Frontier Labs. Each course came with an opportunity to learn something new about business, about an industry I had no clue about, and in the process, about myself.

  • Communication for Consultants: I decided to take this course in Spring 2022 right after I decided to pivot into consulting for my summer internship. I had no idea how consulting works, and I was coming from a near-shore role just before Stern. I instantly found myself attracted to a non-profit in the film and media space, and luckily, was matched to work with them. The challenge was mind-blowing – the non-profit had started a social impact film festival in virtual format during the pandemic, and now wanted to bring it to in-person format post-COVID. 

In addition to this, the goal was to identify and overcome challenges in communication from the clients – they sometimes confuse symptoms with the problem, and there’s a lot of reading between the lines involved. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project, eventually culminating into a final presentation with the client being present in the room with us, and appreciating the recommendations. We’re all so excited that the festival will be in-person (with a virtual option) in 2023 in Boston, MA!

  • Operations Consulting – An Experiential Approach: After Communication for Consultants, I was craving more. And then came the opportunity to enroll in Operations Consulting during Fall 2022, and admittedly I understand nothing about operations. This course involves weekly visits to a new company and witness their operations during class time, followed by debrief and discussion thereafter. I was able to experience so many different industries in such a short span of time and I couldn’t be happier about it – a brewery, a global FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), a sugar refinery, a port terminal, and a global cosmetics company. Learning how different (and how similar) their operations are, identifying problems and areas for improvement, and witnessing the different levels of adoption of technology has been so enriching!

While visiting all these plants, we also had to pick a business and do an independent project advising them improvements in their own operations – and we’re currently working with a grocery-delivery company to identify improvements for inventory management. It takes work, yes, but the learning and benefits are far greater and are setting me up for my career at BCG!

  • Endless Frontier Labs: EFL is Stern’s signature startup accelerator, providing mentorship opportunities to startups around the world. This year, EFL received 1100+ applications from startups, and selected 75 startups for the year-long program through a process of rigorous interviews and application screenings (so it’s highly selective!). The first step was to interview companies and fill out our evaluations. Post that, MBA students are matched with selected startups following a double-blind matching process, and I was matched with a groundbreaking startup in the EV charging space. Again, I found myself feeling a bit anxious since I knew nothing about the space. But the founder and team was gracious enough to coach me, and so far, I’ve been designing a go-to-market strategy for them. Next semester, we plan to raise the seed funding for this company and if all goes well, I will be able to take pride in being a small part of this incredible company’s growth trajectory.

I’ve learnt so much already – about the EV space, the charging space, how it all works, and the economics behind it. This is an invaluable experience that I will take with me wherever I go, and also a great way to test out the craziness of the startup world that always intimidated me. I really like it – and I can survive it (which I didn’t know before!)

As you can probably tell, this is only a small fraction of the endless possibilities that Stern offers you through its experiential learning opportunities. To me, this is what an MBA looks like in today’s ever-changing business world, where you learn in class and apply the learnings to a real-world project with implications that define the success of your clients, and you.

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NYU Stern: From the Eyes of An International Student

Ria Jambusaria is an MBA2, specializing in finance and sustainable business and innovation. Prior to Stern, Ria worked at EY in their financial statement audit service line. This summer, Ria interned at Credit Suisse as an Investment Banking Summer Associate and will be continuing to work in investment banking post graduation. Additionally, Ria is a Managing Editor of the Stern Oppy and a Co-Portfolio Manager for the ESG Fund of the Michael Price Student Investment Fund.

As I write this, I am suddenly reminded that it is already halfway through my second fall semester at Stern. Where has all that time gone? It seems like just yesterday I walked out of JFK Airport on my own for the first time, wondering what New York City held for me.

Why Stern

There are many reasons why I picked Stern, but the location was the first of those reasons. I was considering pursuing a career in finance, and what better place to do that than in what is arguably the financial capital of the world, with Wall Street just a few subway stops away (something that came in very handy during recruiting)! New York is also the best place to be if I decide to pursue a different industry because nearly every large company in the world has a significant presence in the Big Apple. I also chose Stern because of the strength of the alumni community. I wanted to give myself the best opportunity to build a network in a country that I have never lived or worked in, and therefore, the best opportunity to find the right job after Stern. 

Community at Stern

The community at Stern is very strong and that was apparent when I was considering my options for business school. I reached out to several people at Stern during this time –  current students, alumni, people that I had known at work who came to Stern – and everyone was so remarkably helpful and willing to make time for me and answer any questions I had! 

This sentiment was only reinforced when I finally did make it to Stern. Whether it is recruiting, academics or even just life, I know I can rely on the people I have met here at NYU to be there for me. This is especially true during recruiting – we leaned on each other for support and advice, and  even for some light venting! It is also a testament to the strength of the community that several MBA2s take time out of their winter break to help us prepare for interviews by doing endless mock interviews and sharing their experiences to get us over the line.

Embracing Diversity

One of the ways in which Stern builds community is through the many events that are held throughout the semester, especially those that celebrate the culture of the hundreds of international students at Stern (nearly half our class is made up of international students!). This past spring, we had Passport Day, which has been hands down one of my favorite events at Stern (and not just because there was food involved!). Passport Day is a celebration of the cultural diversity in our class. Passport Day featured biryani and samosas from India and Pakistan, empanadas from Colombia, and crêpes from France among many, MANY other delicacies from more than 25 countries. The event also included fabulous dance, song and comedic performances, and was attended by over 450 people, making it one of the biggest Stern events of the semester. It was amazing to see my classmates learn about each other’s cultures and this was one of those times when I truly appreciated the breadth of diversity of our class.  

How Stern Helps you Move

Moving to a new country can be a daunting task, and it is important to do the research beforehand – the student visa process, entry requirements, accommodation etc. The Office of Global Services here at NYU has several resources that can help you start your research. They are also quick to answer any questions you might have about any of the above. When we got to New York, Stern had programming specifically for international students to help us understand the intricacies of the work authorizations and visa processes that will become important after the MBA, as well as things we should keep in mind while living in New York and the United States. A few months into my time in New York, I got a call saying there was a legal notice in my name from Border Control and I’m sure if it hadn’t been for Stern’s orientation, I might have panicked, not realizing it was a scam!

What can I say about New York itself that hasn’t already been said by poets and writers and singers far better than I? It is all they say it is and more. I have cherished every minute I have spent in the Big Apple and never have I felt like an outsider. Culture, art, music, film, Broadway, cuisine and millions of people – they all make New York a truly global city. 

A little more than a year ago, I had never lived away from home. But I have felt comfortable in this incredible city thanks to Stern and all of the wonderful friends I have made here!

 

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Common Questions About NYU Stern, Answered by a Student

Brandon Quinn is an MBA2 specializing in Strategy and Business Analytics. Prior to Stern, Brandon worked in financial regulation where he examined some of the largest US-based brokerage firms. At Stern, Brandon serves as a Graduate Ambassador, Career Fellow, VP of Admissions for the Management Consulting Association (MCA) and VP of Marketing for the Business Analytics Club (BAC). Upon graduation, he will be pursuing a role as a Consultant at EY-Parthenon. 

Why did you choose Stern over other MBA programs?

I knew I wanted to stay in the NYC area long-term, so the location of Stern played a huge role in my decision to attend. Additionally, I found NYU Stern’s focus on IQ+EQ in the application process really rings true in the culture at the school. Speaking with current students when I applied, I really got the sense that Stern would offer the perfect collaborative environment for me to reach my full potential. 

 

What surprised you the most about Stern?

I think the strong sense of community in the large city is something that surprised me most about Stern. Given NYC is such a big city, I assumed going into Stern that many of my peers would have networks of friends in the city already. While many of my classmates and professors do have networks already built in New York, the community at Stern is exceptional. This summer I will be attending many of my Stern classmates’ weddings–I think this just shows how strong the relationships are that you will build at an MBA program like Stern. 


Is it a challenge to get the classes that you want, and which specializations should I choose for my career?

NYU does a great job of making sure that everyone gets the classes they want to take. There is a lottery system where you fill out your ideal schedule and then you add up to 2 backup classes for each class in your ideal schedule. I have always gotten my ideal schedule each semester at Stern. Overall, I would say it’s not much of a challenge at all to take the classes that you want to take. 

Stern has many specializations, but the specializations are not mandatory. I ended up taking the classes that interested me most rather than the classes that fit into a certain specialization. I would encourage incoming students to do the same and to not worry about which specialization might look best for their future employer. 


What career related support did you get from the school throughout the program?

I got a tremendous amount of support from two primary resources on campus: the Office of Career Development and the Management Consulting Association. The Office of Career Development provided career coaches that helped me develop a recruiting strategy and revised my resume and cover letters. The Office of Career Development also facilitates a lot of the coffee chats with alumni and facilitates the on-campus interviews. The Management Consulting Association (MCA) provided support to make sure I was ready for interview days. The case interview is a very important part of the consulting recruiting process, so MCA brings in external parties to teach students how to tackle the case interview. There are also study groups led by MBA2s who were successful in the interview process the prior year. Other professional clubs on campus are structured similarly, but focus on the specific type of interviews that are unique to that professional club (i.e. Graduate Finance Association with technical finance interviews).