Laura Mediorreal
Home Region

Bogota, Colombia & Houston, TX

Undergrad Education

Stanford University; Graduate: Stanford University

Previous Experience

Microsoft Corporation; True Ventures; Meta (Facebook)

HBS Activities

Member of E-club, Artificial Intelligence Club, VCPE Club, Volleyball, WSA, LATAM, and LASO

“I have a more holistic view on how businesses function because my section mates share how they think every day.”

Coming to HBS is like...

A breath of fresh air mixed in with some overload of inspiration, knowledge, and exhaustion. It's a roller coaster ride that keeps everyone on their feet and comes along with a steep learning curve.

What is your most memorable classroom moment?

Being cold called in our first-ever case and my new section cheering me on and clapping just because I was bold enough to answer. I was so excited to develop my public speaking skills and have seen them improve throughout the year so much because we speak in front of 90 people every day.

What is one thing you brought with you to campus, and one thing you’ll be leaving with?

I brought an eagerness to share my personal background and vulnerability with highly ambitious people who were strangers. I’ll be leaving with an understanding of how the world operates, why business problems are so complex, and who will be the most influential people as the world tries to solve global problems.

How have diverse perspectives in your section contributed to your understanding of business concepts, leadership, and/or problem solving?

My section comes from so many walks of life and backgrounds different than my own. Their way of thinking about challenges gives insight into how they were trained, by leaders in finance, military, startups, etc. I have a more holistic view on how businesses function because my section mates share how they think every day.

If you could give one piece of advice to prospective students, what would it be?

There are many things going on at HBS at once. Think about creating a list of personal values that you want to nourish at HBS and three high-level goals for your own journey before getting to campus. These exercises will serve you well even in the most challenging and uplifting moments of your experience.