People

“HBS has turned out to be an ideal fit for me, not only because there’s so much alignment with my research interests, but because of the incredible community of faculty and peers.”

After earning her MBA from Indiana State University and working for several years as a project manager in the private sector, Jaylon Sherrell found that she wanted a more intellectually stimulating path. “I was looking for a more entrepreneurial environment where I could have greater agency over the direction of my career,” she says, explaining her decision to return to academia. Jaylon attended The PhD Project’s annual conference in 2020, where she met others like her and learned more about what a doctorate in Organizational Behavior would entail. “When applying to programs, at the time I was debating whether or not to apply, because of my chance of admission when considering HBS’ typically high number of applicants,” she says, laughing. “But I knew that I would be automatically counting myself out if I chose not to apply. I realized that one of the most important factors in applying to schools is the amount of ‘research fit’ that is present.”

“HBS has turned out to be an ideal fit for me, not only because there’s so much alignment with the program when considering my research interests, but because of the incredible community of faculty and peers,” Jaylon says. Her academic interests encompass the intersection of technology and personal identity. At HBS, she found tremendous synergy with faculty members like Alexandra Feldberg, whose research focuses on gender discrimination and technology in the workplace.

Now that she is beginning to home in on a research focus, she is even more appreciative of the wide range of resources available to her. At HBS, she’s finally found the entrepreneurial environment she was looking for. “I have a lot of freedom, but I’m never without support and guidance if I need it. All I have to do is ask.”

Research

As an avid video gamer, Jaylon has always been fascinated by the creation and re-invention of personal identities in virtual environments. While her specific research is still evolving, she hopes to examine how technology impacts the expression of identity in a wide range of communities and organizations. “What if a physical space isn’t where your ideal sense of self is attainable?” she ponders. “What kind of impact could shifting digital identities have on the operations of an organization?”