As 2021 comes to a close, we wanted to share a roundup of our most read MBA Voices blogposts from 2021. Revisit our 10 most popular stories from the past year highlighting HBS students, alumni, and resources for prospective students.
CELEBRATING THE FIRST HBS AFRICAN-AMERICAN MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO
By B.J. Wiley Williams (MBA 2006)
“I’ve always admired my mom, Benaree Pratt Wiley, and her courage, and was amazed when I discovered she was one of 28 women out of 800 in Harvard Business School’s Class of 1972. So I knew at an early age that I wanted to go to business school so that I would have the leadership training, resources, and community support to amplify my journey and contribution. Little did I know, we’d become the first African-American mother-daughter duo to graduate from HBS.” Read More>>>
7 THINGS HBS TAUGHT ME THE LAST 2 YEARS
By Gaurav Bhogale (MBA 2021)
“In the words of Dean Datar during his commencement speech, Harvard Business School has given me ‘confidence, resilience, adaptability, and an ability to accept challenges — while looking to the future with optimism, hope and creativity.’ I’m excited to see what the Class of 2021 does with their one wild and precious life.” Read More>>>
THE EQUITY NETWORK: HOW HBS HELPED ME LAUNCH A TECH-ENABLED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
By Kristina Hu (MBA 2022)
“Two months before school started, I met my future sectionmate and co-founder, Shelby Schrier, in the HBS Class of 2022 Slack. Together we published an ‘HBS Mentor Directory’ through which we and 70 classmates shared our contact info on LinkedIn to extend our professional knowledge and networks to underrepresented groups. After two weeks and 200+ inbounds, it became clear that this could become much larger than a summer project and be a real opportunity to make a difference for marginalized communities in the workplace. And thus, The Equity Network was born!” Read More>>>
MY HBS STUDENT LOAN STORY: JOHN CORTINES
By John Cortines (MBA 2015)
If you anticipate borrowing to help finance your MBA, you are likely thinking about what repayment might look like post-graduation. HBS graduates pursue careers in a variety of industries and positions around the world. With a median starting salary of $148,750, and median signing bonus of $30,000, HBS graduates are well-positioned to pay off their student loans. Still, taking-on student debt to finance an MBA is a significant commitment. To better understand how HBS graduates manage and repay their student debt, we interviewed alumni about their loan repayment journeys. Read More>>>
By Cyril Straughn-Turner (MBA 2022) & Chad Losee (MBA 2013)
Chad Losee, Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, sat down with Cyril Straughn-Turner, second-year MBA student and Chief Admissions Ambassador, for a “Busting HBS Myths” event aimed at demystifying what business school is really like and what is important in the HBS application process. Check out excerpts from their conversation touching on 5 top myths about HBS and the MBA application. Read More>>>
A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP: FROM CLASSMATES IN CAMEROON TO ROOMMATES AT HBS
By Gana Gana (MBA 2022) & Kevin Nguenkam (MBA 2022)
Read more about Gana and Kevin’s lifelong friendship, beginning at an all-boys Catholic boarding school in Cameroon, how the Africa Business Club has influenced them during their time at HBS, and their plans for the future. Read More>>>
THE ART OF PERSEVERANCE AND RESILIENCE: REAPPLYING TO HBS
By Omar Aboulezz (MBA 2021)
“People who are crazy enough to persevere and continue to grow and improve are often the ones who have what it takes to succeed. My path to HBS – including my two rejections – allowed me to experience failure, grow to overcome this failure, and finally succeed. To me, these lessons in personal development are as valuable as my education.” Read More>>>
By HBS Admissions
How do you know if an MBA is worth it? We asked recent HBS alumni to reflect on their time at—and after—HBS. Here are their thoughts on the business school experience, the value of an MBA degree, and how to best prepare for HBS. Read More>>>
LATINX WOMEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT: AMY HERNANDEZ TURCIOS
By Amy Hernandez Turcios (MBA 2020)
“Before HBS it was challenging for me to be totally authentic at school and work because I was afraid that people would ‘discover’ that I was mistakenly admitted or hired. I hid my identity as a first-gen low-income student and professional. My EC (second) year I did one of the scariest things of my life: I shared with the whole HBS community my life story – pure, raw, and emotional. This experience unlocked in me a courage to bring authenticity to any space that I’m in going forward.” Read More>>>
I FOUND MY FUTURE AT HBS AND YOU CAN TOO
By Joe Stenger (MBA/MPP 2022)
“The atmosphere on campus buzzes with intellectual curiosity. Moreover, my classmates are some of the warmest and most supportive people who I have ever met. We look out for each other in the same way friends in my hometown did. Every student with whom I have spoken, regardless of their background, has battled doubts and insecurities. We are here because we want to make a positive impact in the world, and yet we do not always feel up to the task. However, knowing that we are in the journey together makes the obstacles seem smaller and our vision for a better world more attainable.” Read More>>>