Academics – Full Time

June 24, 2025July 2, 2025

Companies to Watch: Sternie Startup You Need to Know

Author: Julia Kingsley (MBA ’26) is a Full-Time MBA candidate at NYU Stern and the CEO of Context Data, a startup helping property & casualty insurance claims processors and adjusters eliminate backlogs by cutting document review and research time in half. She is currently participating in the NYU Leslie E-Lab Summer Accelerator Program. Julia earned her undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance and her Master’s in Accounting from NYU Stern in 2019, where she was also a member of the NYU Varsity Soccer Team and served as President of Alpha Epsilon Phi. Prior to returning to Stern for her MBA, she worked in Banking & Capital Markets at PwC and later in Private Equity Secondaries at Blackstone Strategic Partners.

Julia Kingsley headshot

At NYU Stern, students benefit from a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem that includes access to the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship, the Endless Frontier Labs accelerator, and experiential learning opportunities like Stern Solutions, all of which help turn big ideas into bold ventures.

Tech:NYC’s “Companies to Watch: From Campus to Capital” spotlights student founders from New York City’s leading universities who are turning academic insight into real-world innovation. Among the featured founders is Julia Kingsley (NYU Stern MBA ’26), who launched ContextData, a secure, AI-powered agent that helps businesses automate internal tasks while maintaining control of their proprietary data. Her story is one of several in the article that highlight how NYC-based student founders are building the next wave of impactful companies.

What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?

Context Data helps SMBs and lean teams turn internal data, documents, and systems into secure, custom AI tools, like internal apps and customer chatbots, without any engineering resources. With employees pasting sensitive data into public AI tools, we solve the security risk by delivering private, behind-the-firewall AI applications and agents built on SOC 2-certified infrastructure. Companies unlock insights, faster decision making and productivity without compromising privacy.

A question we like to ask every founder – why New York?

I’ve lived here nearly a decade — it’s New York or nowhere. New York is also one of the best places to launch a platform like ours given our core financial services, research and online retail focus; so many of our potential customers are here. Plus, the ambition, urgency, and energy push you to move faster and think bigger.

As a student founder, how have you gone about building your team and establishing a startup culture while balancing academics?

It’s not easy — I’m working harder than I did in private equity, but it’s 10x more fun. We’ve built a team with complementary strengths and trust. Stern’s network and resources have been game-changing for finding talent, customers, and staying focused on what matters.

As a founder, what are your self-care routines to recharge while still being heads down building a company?

My self-care is a good sweat. I hit AARMY for workouts and go to Othership for sauna and cold plunge resets. Just as important, I carve out time to be fully present with my classmates, friends, and family. It’s the only way to stay grounded while building something this intense.

What’s next on the roadmap that you’re excited about?

We’re launching a white-label platform that lets companies fully own and deploy their AI agents internally along with a lite open source version. It means tighter security, easier system integration, and full control.

Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions – where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?

Well, I’m sorry to say that I have a dairy allergy so pizza isn’t often on my mind. But, I do love the marina slice at Fini in Williamsburg.

Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?

Madman coffee on University Place.

What’s one piece of advice – that you’ve shared or was shared with you – on building a startup in New York City?

The three R’s — relationships, relationships, relationships. Build them, make sure they are genuine, and get to know them outside of business.

Read the full article: Companies to Watch: From Campus to Capital

June 10, 2025

Daring to Choose a New Career Path at Stern

Author: Rosely Mateo is currently pursuing her MBA at NYU Stern, with a specialization in Finance, Sustainable Business and Innovation, and Healthcare. Before Stern, she worked at Bloomberg LP, driving marketing strategy, and transitioned to work in value-based healthcare startups, including Cityblock Health and myPlace Health. This summer, she will join Citi’s Healthcare Investment Banking group, where she plans to combine her cross-sector experience to drive impact across the healthcare ecosystem.

Rosely Mateo Headshot

Before attending Stern, I developed marketing strategies at Bloomberg and led compliance and operational initiatives at healthcare startups like Cityblock Health and myPlace Health. As my career progressed, I began asking myself: how can I maximize my skills to amplify my impact across the healthcare ecosystem? Finance emerged as the answer and a path to scale the mission-driven work I had already been doing.

At first, my background felt disjointed, but at Stern, I learned to reframe it as an asset, recognizing that I could maximize my cross-industry experience to champion resource allocation that improves healthcare access, equity, and efficiency. I came to Stern to shift my perspective from improving outcomes at the operational level to influencing systemic transformation through larger strategic investment.

EmpowHER’ed Women in Finance

One of my earliest touchpoints with the Stern community was through the EmpowHER program, which supports MBA students in building expertise and networks to drive investment toward solutions to our most pressing social and environmental challenges, while increasing representation and gender equity in finance. Our program director, Abigail Talcott-Schlaifer, shared a startling statistic: only one in four finance professionals is a woman. Upon hearing about my career interests, I was immediately connected with Marcia Hu, the then-president of the Graduate Finance Association (GFA), who had also pivoted from healthcare to investment banking. Hearing her story gave me the confidence that anything was possible.

Group shot of EmpowHER 2025 and 2026 Cohorts — The EmpowHER 2025 and 2026 Cohorts!

EmpowHER’s curriculum and mentorship network broadened my understanding of finance as a tool for both profitability and social equity, particularly in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations. This community helped me feel seen, supported, and empowered as I stepped into the unknown.

Setting the Foundation
In my first year, I took Accounting, Foundations of Finance, and Corporate Finance, which provided me with a strong technical foundation. One of the defining moments of my MBA journey was managing real capital as part of the Michael Price Student Investment Fund (MPSIF). I was part of the Value Fund, where I conducted hands-on investment analysis on healthcare companies and developed new equity pitches. The experience taught me how to perform fundamental analysis and manage a portfolio in a collaborative environment alongside my peers.

Simultaneously, I joined Stern’s Graduate Finance Association (GFA), where a group of MBA2s who had recently navigated the recruiting process provided invaluable guidance and mentorship. Their generosity and insight were instrumental in helping me build both the confidence and skill set needed to pursue a finance career with purpose.

Community That Champions Career Pivots
What makes Stern different is its deep investment in students from nontraditional backgrounds. From Day 1, the Career Center and my peer mentors helped me translate my Bloomberg and healthcare experience into a compelling narrative for investment banking. Through mock interviews, alum chats, and various events, I built the confidence to own my story.

When I received my offer to join Citi’s Healthcare Investment Banking group, I felt the pieces click into place. Stern gave me the platform, finance gave me the tools, and my healthcare experiences gave my journey purpose.

Looking Ahead
As I continue my MBA journey, I’m energized to grow into a healthcare banker. Whether I’m analyzing payer transactions or helping biopharma clients fund innovation, my goal is to center impact in every deal. Stern didn’t just teach me finance; it empowered me to reimagine my career through a lens of purpose and effect.

To incoming students daring to choose a new career path, whether it’s finance, healthcare, or anything in between, know that your previous experience is your edge. Lean into your story. Find communities and ask for help, be curious, and stay open to growth. Stern is a place where unconventional paths aren’t just accepted, they’re celebrated.

May 22, 2025May 22, 2025

MBA Recruiting With a Non-Traditional Background: My Playbook

Author: Doreen Wang is a former journalist turned product manager, currently completing her Full-Time MBA at NYU Stern. After years covering crypto and emerging markets, she used business school to pivot into tech. At Stern, she served as Co-President of the Social Impact and Sustainability Association (SISA), VP of Admissions for the Stern Technology Association (STA), and Graduate Fellow in the Experiential Learning Office. Outside the classroom, Doreen recently began a content creation journey, sharing MBA insights and career advice with a broader audience.

Doreen Wang's Headshot

What I Wish I Knew Before MBA Recruiting

✉️ Dear past me,
The best thing you ever did for yourself was quitting that job.

In three years, you’ll leave that newsroom, move across the country and back, and land a PM job at a big tech company that you love. Don’t believe me? Let me spoil it for you.

2020 — The Seed of Doubt

You’ve just inherited a secondhand GMAT book from your parents’ friend—a McKinsey consultant-turned-entrepreneur. You try to study, but you never get past the first page.

The world is on pause, and for the first time, you can hear yourself think. You’re not unhappy—just quietly wondering: Is this it? No finance background, no five-year plan. Just a feeling you could be doing more.

2021 — The Plateau

Crypto booms, and so do you. You’re working 12-hour days, publishing constantly, and getting name-dropped by your company president at happy hour.

You’re thriving—but stuck. You’ve skill-stacked yourself into being too valuable to promote.

“It’ll take four people to replace you,” they say. “We can’t lose you.” And they won’t—because you don’t even have time to study for the GMAT.

Doreen hosting CoinDesk’s new TV program

2022 — The Knowing

Crypto winter arrived, and while chaos reigned in the headlines—FTX, Celsius, Terra crumbling—you finally had space to think.

You realized: I’m not stuck. I’ve just stopped choosing.

This was the year you applied to Stern. Not because you knew exactly what you wanted—but because you were ready to find out what more you could do.

Doreen in Plattsburgh, NY, reporting a story on bitcoin mining—in negative 20 degrees

2023 — The Leap

You got in! You quit. You start over.

Doreen Wang at LAUNCH 2023 — LAUNCH 2023

MBA LAUNCH came and went. Recruiting followed fast. The people you clicked with early on vanished into consulting and banking. You remembered your application essay—“I want to gain expertise in the industry I cover.” And that broad industry was tech.

But here’s the catch: you didn’t have an engineering background. Everyone else recruiting for PM roles did. You? You wrote stories. Made videos. Hosted interviews with crypto bros. What did you know about tech?

Doreen interviewing crypto founders, investors, and programmers—just another day on the beat

2024 — The Confirmation

Somehow, you landed interviews at Adobe—four, actually. Cue the spiral: What do I say for ‘Tell me about yourself’? Do I admit I’m ‘just a journalist’?

By then, you’d already learned the power of framing through a core marketing class.

No, you didn’t have a CS degree but you’d edited video content for a living, so you knew their products inside and out.

No, you didn’t code but you’d interviewed hundreds of people. You could talk to users.

No, you hadn’t built products but you knew how to get buy-in and communicate clearly.

No, you hadn’t written a PRD but you’d synthesized chaotic stories into 200-word hits for live TV.

You passed the interview. Then the harder part: the internship.

They flew you to the West Coast. Gave you real projects. Pushed you out of your comfort zone. Twelve weeks later, you realized something:

You loved the role. You were finally doing something that used every part of you and still stretched you.

Doreen representing her team at Adobe’s summer case competition — they won first place, no big deal

2025 — The Proof

You’re graduating now. But the real arrival happened long before the ceremony—when you stopped trying to become someone else, and started learning how to explain who you already were.

Doreen representing the Experiential Learning Team and Board Fellows Program at a multi-school symposium hosted by Kellogg

The Career Pivot: How to Survive MBA Recruiting With Non-Traditional Backgrounds

If you’re coming from a non-technical, non-consulting, non-pipeline background—welcome. I was you. I didn’t have a CS degree. I wasn’t a banker. I was a journalist who covered crypto, edited videos, and ran on caffeine and chaos. Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I tried to recruit for tech.

You need to know yourself to sell yourself.

Before you even touch your resume, you need to figure out what you actually want. Not what sounds good on paper—not what everyone else is doing. You.

When I started my MBA, I thought I had to become someone else to land a PM role. Everyone around me had technical experience. I had interviews. Deadlines. Google Docs of half-written stories. But once I got honest about what I brought to the table—communication, clarity, intuition for users—it changed everything. Clarity is magnetic. If you’re unsure of your story, a recruiter will be too.

Learn to translate your skills.

You don’t need to tick every box on a job description. (Spoiler: even the hiring manager doesn’t expect you to.) The secret? Translation.

Recruiters won’t do that work for you. Connect the dots: your “nontraditional” experience probably taught you how to manage stakeholders, talk to users, or communicate across teams. That’s product management.

Your non-traditional background isn’t baggage. It’s context. Use it to your advantage.

Key stakeholders in Doreen’s Experiential Learning project: her client, faculty advisor, and program administrator

Learn to filter advice.

In business school, everyone has opinions. Most of it comes from a good place but it’s shaped by their path, not yours.

I had to learn to tune some of it out. Just because someone else’s recruiting strategy worked for a consulting internship doesn’t mean it’ll work for someone pivoting from media into tech. What helped me the most? Talking to alumni and mentors who actually understood my transition and ignoring the rest. Listen to advice. But trust your pattern recognition more.

Recruiters don’t need perfect candidates—they need clear ones.

I used to think I had to convince recruiters I could do everything. Instead, I learned to show them I could do a few things well and I could learn the rest.

At Adobe, I didn’t pretend to be technical. I focused on what I did know: the product, the user pain points, the creative workflow. That got me in the door and once I was there, I proved I could learn fast.

Doreen on-site at Adobe’s Seattle office during her Summer 2024 internship

Practice your pitch—but mean it.

Yes, you should practice your “Tell me about yourself.” But it shouldn’t sound like a monologue. Recruiters know when you’re performing. You’re better off sounding human.

I practiced mine like a conversation. I kept the big arc (journalist → covering tech → want to build it) and made sure every line could flex depending on the audience. Your pitch should sound like you on your best day not like someone else entirely.

Rejection isn’t the end. It’s rehearsal.

I got rejected plenty. Ghosted, too. That doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It means you’re on a path.

Every time I refined my framing, reworded a response, or adjusted how I positioned my story—it wasn’t a failure. It was reps. You don’t need every door to open. Just one. The right one.

Final words to the Doreen of early 2020:

Your difference is your edge. You don’t need to code. You don’t need to “catch up.” You just needed to own your story.

May 15, 2025

Top 5 Reasons to Choose Stern’s Full-Time MBA Program

Author: Semina is a second-year MBA/MPA student at NYU Stern School of Business and the Wagner School of Public Service, passionate about the intersection of finance and social impact. Originally from Greece, she is motivated by the belief that business can be a powerful tool for advancing positive change. Before Stern, Semina worked across the public and nonprofit sectors, focusing on building public-private partnerships and leading impact-driven initiatives in both the U.S. and Greece. At Stern, she’s pivoting into investment banking, focusing on the energy, real estate, and infrastructure sectors, where financial tools can drive meaningful, long-term change. Semina is an active member of the Stern community, serving as Vice President of Careers for the Social Impact and Sustainability Association (SISA) and the Vice President of Corporate Relations for the European Business Society (EBS). She’s also involved in clubs like the Graduate Finance Association (GFA), Stern Women in Business (SWIB), and the Stern Real Estate Club (SREC), where she’s found mentorship, friendship, and support throughout the MBA journey. Semina regularly engages with Stern’s admissions efforts, speaking with prospective and admitted students to share her experiences and help carry forward the school’s commitment to peer support and giving back to the community.

Semina Kosti-Stavri Headshot

Choosing an MBA program is one of the biggest decisions of your professional journey. When I was deciding where to pursue my dual MBA/MPA degree, I wanted a program that would not only offer world-class academics but also provide opportunities to grow, pivot, and make an impact. Stern checked every box – and then some. Here are my top five reasons why Stern’s Full-Time MBA program stands out:

Community: Where Friendships Become Family

What truly sets Stern apart is its people. From orientation week onward, the block activities and shared experiences made me feel an immediate sense of connection. The friendships I’ve built have carried me through the program – whether through late-night study sessions, casual dinners, or spring break trips abroad, we’ve made unforgettable memories together. Across the board, peers, faculty, and administrators, I’ve been surrounded by people who genuinely want each other to succeed. From resume reviews to midweek check-ins, the support here is constant. Stern is a community that feels like home.

Group photo of Block 1 taking second place at their very first Block Olympics! — Block 1 taking second place at our very first Block Olympics!

The City: New York as Your Campus

Being in the heart of New York City is a game-changer. There’s always something to explore – new restaurants, exhibits, street fairs, or cultural events just around the corner. But beyond the energy, the city is a living classroom and a career hub. Whether it’s attending panels with industry leaders, walking into an office for a coffee chat between classes, or interning during the semester, the access is unparalleled. Stern’s location turns every day into a chance to learn and connect. It’s one thing to study business, and another to live in the heart of it!

The Classes: Learning by Doing

Stern’s focus on experiential learning has been one of the most impactful parts of my MBA experience. Through Stern Consulting Corps, I’ve had the opportunity to gain hands-on exposure to industries I’m passionate about – doing research, building recommendations, and sharpening real-world skills far beyond the classroom. While I haven’t yet been able to do a global program due to my dual degree schedule, I can’t wait to experience the global Doing Business In Australia (DBi) course next year!

Stern Consulting Corps class with their industry professionals — Last Stern Consulting Corps class with our amazing industry professionals

Embracing Change: Redefining What’s Possible

Stern is the ideal place to navigate a big career pivot. Coming from the public sector, I wanted to move into investment banking while staying grounded in impact, and Stern made that possible. Career services, alumni support, and peer mentorship all showed up when I needed direction and confidence the most. It’s not just about landing your next job – it’s a place that pushes you to explore, refine, and pursue a career that genuinely aligns with your values, knowing you’ll be supported every step of the way.

Culture: Where EQ Meets Ambition

Stern truly lives its EQ + IQ ethos. Whether in the classroom, collaborating on group projects, or through student organizations like the Social Impact and Sustainability Association (SISA) and European Business Society (EBS), organizing events, I’ve always felt heard and welcomed. During investment banking recruiting, the Graduate Finance Association (GFA) created a space where I could ask candid questions, feel supported, and understood. Even during a competitive recruiting process, we saw Stern not as individuals competing, but as one team working toward collective success. It’s a culture where we challenge each other to grow, show up for one another, and still make time to laugh and have fun along the way.

Group photo of 50 Sternies! — Second-year spring break – Rio nights with 50 Sternies!

Stern is a place where you can redefine your career, grow alongside incredible people, and build lifelong friendships. Although one of the biggest things I’ve learned at Stern is to embrace change, I wouldn’t change it for anything!

Spring break trip in Belize — First spring break trip in Belize

May 7, 2025May 7, 2025

Real World Lessons, Global Classrooms: The Electives That Made My Stern MBA Unforgettable

Author: Jairam, a Consortium and Robert Toigo Fellow, is a Full-Time MBA student specializing in Strategy, Finance, and Business Analytics. Originally born and raised in Guyana, Jairam earned his Accounting and Information Systems degree from CUNY Queens College and spent five years working in accounting and financial consulting in New York City. He also launched J-LOOP Kicks, a successful e-commerce business focused on the resale of limited-edition sneakers and apparel. At Stern, Jairam completed his MBA internship at Google and serves as the VP of Admissions for the Association of Hispanic and Black Business Students (AHBBS), VP of Career Development through Student Government, and VP of Alumni Relations for Management Consulting Association (MCA). In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, traveling, and mentoring underrepresented minorities.

Jairam Dookoo Headshot

Learning Beyond the Classroom

When I came to Stern, I was looking for more than lectures and case studies. I wanted real, on-the-ground experiences that would stretch me professionally and personally. What I found were electives that didn’t just teach business theory, but immersed me in it. Whether in a small town in Italy, a nonprofit board meeting in Brooklyn, or a classroom in Sydney, these courses gave me the chance to apply my passions in ways that were uniquely Stern.

Stern Signature Project: Helping an Italian Olive Oil Business Expand to the U.S.

As a former small business owner, I’ve always been passionate about helping entrepreneurs grow. So when I had the chance to apply for the Stern Signature Project, I went all in. My team and I partnered with a premium olive oil brand based in Palombara Sabina, Italy, working directly with the CEO and COO to craft a go-to-market strategy focused on expanding into the U.S., particularly the NYC market.

What made this elective unforgettable? We flew to Italy for a week of hands-on fieldwork, walking through the olive groves, observing the harvest and bottling process up close, and speaking directly with the family behind the business. Exploring the town of Palombara Sabina and its olive oil roots gave our project depth and meaning. It wasn’t just about strategy, but about understanding the culture, the craft, and the people behind it.

Few classes offer the chance to create real-world impact alongside passionate founders. This one did and it captured everything that Stern’s approach to experiential learning is about.

Olive Harvesting — Learning how to identify which olives are ready for harvest, straight from the experts.

Bottling site — With one of the partners at their bottling site, where each olive oil bottle is hand-labeled and sealed

Production site — Inside the production site with the team, watching olives get pressed into olive oil

Enjoying fresh pasta made with their incredible olive oil.

Board Fellows Program: Building Strategy for a Real Nonprofit

I’ve always dreamed of launching my own nonprofit someday, so when I saw the opportunity to join the Board Fellows Program, I knew I had to be part of it. Through this elective, my team and I partnered with an education-focused nonprofit to strengthen its board recruitment and governance strategy.

Together, we interviewed board members, synthesized key insights, and developed a strategic process map to guide recruitment and long-term board optimization. We worked closely with the board chair and our faculty advisor to implement best practices that improved how the board operates.

What made this elective so powerful wasn’t just what we learned. It was the chance to directly support a mission-driven organization while gaining a front-row seat to the realities of nonprofit leadership. For anyone interested in social impact, this course transforms classroom knowledge into real-world change.

Celebrating the organization’s 10-year anniversary alongside alumni and board members.

Our final Board Fellows class, led by Taneya and Nicole, before the big presentations

Doing Business In (DBi) Australia: Exploring Global Markets Firsthand

One of the coolest parts of Stern’s global focus is the Doing Business In (DBi) program, and DBi: Australia turned out to be one of the most unforgettable experiences of my MBA. It was also my first time in Australia, which made the learning that much more meaningful.

For two weeks in January, I attended classes at the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at the University of New South Wales, diving into topics like the financial sector, the intersection of government and business, and how cultural norms influence the way business is done. I also met with industry leaders and took a class trip to Taronga Zoo, where I learned about sustainability practices and how environmental values are integrated into everyday business decisions.

Outside the classroom, I made the most of my time exploring Sydney’s beaches, soaking in the local culture, and even checking off a bucket list moment: attending my first-ever Australian Open tennis match in Melbourne with classmates. Learning about global markets in a classroom is one thing, but experiencing them firsthand, halfway across the world? That’s something I’ll never forget.

Taking in the view of Sydney Harbour and the iconic bridge.

Post morning runs views at Sydney Opera house

Exploring Australia’s largest fish market

Selfie at my first-ever Australian Open!

DBi: Australia class pic at the vineyard.

Bonus Moment: Playing Basketball at the Barclays Center

While not technically an elective, one of the most unforgettable experiences I had at Stern was stepping onto the court at the Barclays Center to play in a basketball game against Columbia Business School. As someone who grew up watching games in arenas like that, it felt surreal to be out there with my teammates representing Stern under the bright lights.

Moments like these remind you that the MBA experience is about more than academics. It’s also about community, camaraderie, and creating memories you’ll talk about for years. Playing that game wasn’t just fun, it was one of those “I can’t believe this is real” moments that made my Stern journey all the more special.

Stern Hoops — Stern MBA basketball team in full force.

Why These Electives Stand Out

Looking back, these electives weren’t just classes, they were defining moments of my MBA experience. Whether I was building a market strategy for an olive oil business in a small Italian town, helping a nonprofit rethink its board structure, or exploring global business in Australia, each course gave me the chance to step outside the traditional classroom and learn by doing.

What makes Stern’s electives truly unique is how personal and hands-on they are. They’re not just about theory, they’re about connection, real-world impact, and stretching your perspective in ways you never expected. I came to Stern wanting more than just a degree. Through these experiences, I found exactly that.

March 17, 2025March 19, 2025

Beyond Borders: A Reflection on My Exchange Semester at LBS

Author: Sreekavitha is a technology and finance professional with a rich blend of academic excellence and diverse work experience. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Computer Science with a specialization in AI & ML from IIIT-Hyderabad, where she authored six research papers in AI and NLP. Her career began at Sprinklr, developing data analytics solutions for mega-cap clients like McDonald’s, Samsung, and L’Oréal. Driven by a passion for finance, Shree pursued an MBA from NYU Stern, specializing in Strategy, Finance, and Global Business. She was actively involved in several student-run clubs during her time at NYU. Her international exchange semester at London Business School further enriched her global business perspective, allowing her to develop intuitive insights into international markets. Shree gained valuable financial experience at Morgan Stanley as an Investment Banking Associate, working on high-profile deals and refining her strategic and analytical skills. She now leverages her diverse background as a Partner at MYCap Investments, managing a $4.4M portfolio with a focus on impactful, long-term value creation.

Sreekavitha Parupalli Headshot

One of the standout features of studying at London Business School (LBS) was the remarkable diversity within the student body. In my classes, I had the privilege of collaborating with and learning alongside talented individuals from all corners of the globe. On any given day, I might have worked on a case study with classmates from Peru, India, Belgium, and China. This exposure to a wide array of cultures, perspectives, and experiences was not only fascinating on a personal level but also provided invaluable preparation for leading in today’s globalized business world. I felt incredibly fortunate to be part of a community that embraced diversity not as an abstract ideal but as a living, breathing daily reality.

Upon arriving in London, I immediately noticed the stark differences between New York and London. I observed a change of pace in the lifestyle between London and New York. I encountered numerous brands that were unfamiliar to me, such as Primark, M&S Food, and Sainsbury’s. While housing prices were comparable to those in New York, the skyline of London featured more sky than skyscrapers. Whereas New York boasts Central Park, London dazzled me with Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Primrose Hill, and many more. As someone accustomed to walking the distance in NYC, navigating London proved to be a challenge, prompting me to embrace the double-decker buses and the tube. Throughout my time in London, two recurring themes were Harry Potter and the Royal Family!

Moving beyond the city, I thoroughly enjoyed my classwork at LBS. The courses I took were intellectually stimulating, and I’d like to delve into describing a few of them. One standout was Achieving Strategic Agility, a course that explored how organizations can navigate the increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) business environment. It emphasized the importance of cultivating strategic agility – the ability to continuously sense, seize, and transform in the face of disruptive change. The frameworks and tools learned in this course proved invaluable during the Annual LBS Family Office Conference, where discussions often centered around how family offices can adapt to the changing global landscape, navigate uncertainties, and seize opportunities. Today, as I run a Family Office in India, I continue to rely on the concepts and insights I gained from professors like Ruper Merson, who taught Managing Corporate Turnarounds, and Narayan Naik, who taught Equity Investment Management.

Another significant takeaway was from the Pricing Strategy and Tactics course, taught by Professor Oded Koenigsberg. This course covered various aspects of pricing and its impact on a company’s profitability and competitive positioning. Guest speakers, like Fabrizio Fantini, CEO & Founder of Evo Pricing, shared their expertise and real-world examples of pricing challenges and strategies. Exploring price discrimination strategies, such as segmentation, bundling, and dynamic pricing, was particularly insightful. Additionally, the Mergers, MBOs & Other Corporate Reorganizations course provided a comprehensive understanding of corporate finance, focusing on various types of corporate transactions and their implications for value creation and governance. The global finance perspectives taught in this course extended beyond reorganization laws in the US to include insights from the UK, Europe, India, and other countries.

Being a 2nd generation entrepreneur myself, attending the Family Office Conference at LBS provided an incredible opportunity to connect with multi-generation family business owners and professionals from various wealth management verticals. Learning from their diverse experiences and building lasting relationships was a true privilege. The conference not only complemented the knowledge gained from courses but also offered practical insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by family offices in the real world.

The blend of academic knowledge and practical experiences has reinforced my desire to work in the family office space and contribute to the long-term success and sustainability of family businesses. Additionally, the international case studies and diverse classroom discussions at LBS have helped me develop a more global perspective on business and finance. Engaging with classmates and faculty from different countries and backgrounds has broadened my understanding of various cultural, economic, and political factors that influence business decisions worldwide. This exposure has made me more aware of the interconnectedness of our world and the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity in both personal and professional settings, ultimately shaping me into a more well-rounded and global-minded individual.

Outside the classroom, I actively participated in various clubs including the Family Business Club, India Club, Entrepreneurship Club, and PE/VC Club. Interacting with the International Exchange Program (IEP) cohort enriched my understanding of academic and social life at their home schools. We often met after classes to explore the city together. Through these interactions, I forged friendships with fellow students like Jennifer Sun, whom I had not previously interacted with at Stern despite sharing many classes. If I could offer any advice to those considering an international exchange program, it would be – absolutely go for it!

December 14, 2022

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.

November 8, 2022

Jumping into the Next Stage of Your Career at Stern

Catherine is a Senior Associate Director at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and has been with Stern since 2016. Outside of recruiting the next class of Sternies, she enjoys watching football (NY Giants & Boston College) as well as working her way through her extensive list of NYC restaurants to try.

What do you want to be when you graduate business school? No matter what you are interested in, Stern has the tools to help you succeed in your career.

Historically, Stern was known as the school to go to if you wanted to become an investment banker. Nowadays, you’ll find students interested in all sorts of industries – technology, healthcare, consulting, luxury and retail … the list goes on. To dive deeper, students are able to to specialize in specific subject areas. These specializations help students become experts in the business topics of their choice.

Aside from offering a diverse and flexible curriculum, Stern has a top-notch Office of Career Development (OCD). OCD’s main focus is to prepare students for internship and full-time employment recruitment. It all starts with IGNITE, which is a job preparation program that all Full-time MBA students complete in their first semester. Students will revise their resumes, participate in interview prep, and attend workshops to identify which industries or career paths pique their interest. Stern’s professional clubs are also a great resource to help students prepare for recruitment. MBA2s act as mentors for the MBA1s, and impart their wisdom after having gone through the recruitment process just one year before.

OCD and the professional clubs are an especially great resource for students who are not coming from a “business” background. In fact, many students pursue an MBA to make a serious career pivot, so don’t fear – you’re not the only one! Our MBA program and its career-focused resources are designed to give you the skills you need to make that career pivot.

Once students have completed the IGNITE program, they’re ready to recruit! Stern has many companies that participate in on-campus recruiting, meaning they come to Stern to recruit our students directly. Our location in the heart of NYC makes this process even easier since companies and students don’t have to travel far to meet each other. Students are able to recruit for a variety of industries, given NYC’s status as a hub for global business. Students also find it easy to connect with Stern alumni at companies of interest by simply hopping on the subway to meet a former Sternie for a coffee chat in a matter of minutes. For students who are interested in pursuing roles at smaller companies, or in more niche industries, OCD will help you to make the connections, find applications, and land the perfect role.

We’ve talked about career support, but where do Sternies end up? Take a look at our employment report! Each year, OCD publishes a summary of where the graduating class has accepted jobs, broken down by industry and function. The report also includes information on compensation. For example, the median salary for the Class of 2022 was $170,000. This report is a helpful tool to demonstrate the ROI of Stern’s Full-time MBA program, and highlights career possibilities for Sternies.

Career support doesn’t stop once a Sternie graduates! Alumni have lifelong access to the Career Center for Working Professionals (CCWP). CCWP provides professional development support and coaches to help you with any career changes. Graduates also join the Stern alumni network, which is 100,000+ alumni strong.

I hope I’ve provided more insight on how Stern can help shape your future career. The impact of a Stern MBA is something you will feel long after you’ve graduated!

October 5, 2022

Academics at Stern

Gustavo Valverde Rezende is an MBA2, originally from Brazil. He has a Bachelor’s in business administration from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora and a Master’s in finance from IBMEC. Before joining Stern, Gustavo worked in management consulting, public management, and corporate finance before joining Eureca, a purpose-driven startup, as Chief Financial Officer. His latest job was as Strategy & Finance Leader at Grupo Anga, Eureca’s parent company, overlooking a portfolio of six purpose-driven companies. This summer, Gustavo worked as an Investment Banking Summer Associate at Credit Suisse in New York.

Before coming to NYC, I never cared too much about academics. After a few weeks in my first year at Stern, I realized it would be a mistake not to care. As I studied Statistics, Accounting, Foundations of Finance, Strategy, and Firms & Markets, – all courses I had taken before – I felt like I was exploring a whole new world. Now, in my second to last semester, I already miss the academic experience at Stern.

What made me change my mind so drastically and quickly?

1. Stern classes are relevant to me

As they will be to you. Note I didn’t write that they are important for a business professional – I chose my words carefully. After a few years of work experience, I have a pretty strong sense of things I like to do and, more importantly, areas where I need to improve. Stern has over 200 elective classes that allow me to tailor my professional experience to what I like and need.

Even with core classes, like the ones I mentioned before, I had the option to opt out based on my previous experience – but chose to take them anyway because I believed that would strengthen my fundamentals, as they did. I also took classes such as Modeling Financial Statements, which aligns with what I want to do in the future, and Management Communications, which is something I’m sure I need to improve upon. These are two of my favorite classes – but I’ll get back to them.

To help me avoid a choice paradox, Stern offers 27 specializations that cluster all these electives together. I’m not required to choose any particular specialization, but they are very helpful for my own academic planning. They are also nice signals to send to recruiters or the market about topics you care about enough to specialize in. So I can pick up to three specializations, or none. Whatever works best for me. I chose to specialize in Corporate Finance, General Management, and Banking because these align with my short and long-term career goals.

2. Stern professors care about what you take from their classes

I like to think that my teachers are as diverse as my classmates. Each of them has their own teaching methods, backgrounds, and styles. Some are researchers, some are practitioners. But I like to think they all have one thing in common: they give you tough love.

Believe me, they can be tough! In Modeling Financial Statements, Professor Dan Gode gave us over 100 assignments in one semester. In Management Communication, Professor Burns held an in-class exercise where she played the part of an obnoxious CEO that made me wanna quit (her company, not her class!).

Professors at Stern do this because they believe that’s the best way for you to take something from their class. And they have the freedom to do so. I would have never gotten through my internship without the practice runs Professor Gode gave me last Spring. It was hard, but I left that class much better prepared for life. Professor Burns took me out of my comfort zone to teach me how to handle difficult people in power positions. She did not need to do this, but she did. And it was invaluable.

3. Stern academics don’t end in the classroom

At Stern, I can learn in several different ways. I can travel abroad for an exchange program in Europe, LATAM, Asia, and many other places. I can spend a week learning about business in South Africa or Argentina. I’m gaining real-world experience through my involvement in a student-led fund seeking to invest in impactful startups. I could also gain experience on a non-profit Board, deliver a consulting engagement, or engage with an early-stage tech startup in NYC.

This allows me to really learn from my peers and form my own experience. I learn as I do, or do as I learn, just like it should be.

The bad news is that I won’t be able to do everything I wanted. Two years may sound like a lot, but most of the time it feels like it’s not enough. There’s just not enough time to take classes with all Professors I’d like to learn from, nor to take all the experiential offerings I’d like to live. Prioritizing is an arduous and constant struggle. FOMO is real at Stern. Even in academics, believe it or not.

And I’m glad it is. Because this variety of options is what makes my Stern experience unique. It’s what makes NYU Stern a good fit for me. And hopefully, for you.

December 1, 2020

Course Spotlight: Tech Innovation Strategy

Michael Graf is an MBA2 who spent his summer internship at Facebook. Prior to Stern, he worked at J.P. Morgan Chase as a Reputation Risk Associate. He serves as Co-President of OutClass, an Orientation Leader, a Leadership Fellow, and a Graduate Ambassador. Michael is working towards specializations in Strategy and Leadership & Change Management. He enjoys crossword puzzles, snowboarding, and reading historical fiction.

This fall, I finally had the opportunity to take one of my favorite classes at Stern, Technology Innovation Strategy. I had been looking forward to learning from Professor Melissa Schilling since I made the bold decision to pursue my post-MBA career in Big Tech. As a career switcher from the financial services industry, I wanted to add new skills to my toolkit to better understand and contribute to the fast-paced changes in the tech sector. I was specifically interested in Professor Schilling’s lectures after I heard her speak on NPR about lessons we can learn from the world’s most famous innovators, from Elon Musk to Albert Einstein and Marie Curie.

Technology Innovation Strategy is a half-semester class that flies by in six short weeks, so I knew I had to make the most of each three-hour session. Our first class focused on sources of innovation, where we explored some of the serial innovators that Professor Schilling spoke about on NPR. I was excited and surprised to learn that while we aren’t all born with genius, we can make use of certain techniques and management practices to cultivate innovation. Teams that can lower the price of failure when brainstorming ideas and providing autonomy to independent contributors – and even a dose of caffeine – can facilitate creativity and allow us to engage in unstructured thinking. I was inspired to make some small changes in my routine, like setting aside a half hour before tackling a group project to go for a walk to set the stage for associative thinking, and jotted down the big takeaways to carry with me when I return to work full time.

A later class on technology platforms and dominant designs helped me think critically about decisions made by Facebook’s Gaming team, who I had the opportunity to work with during my summer internship. I learned that certain industries – especially in the technology space, like video games – benefit from a dominant design, a standard that defines the majority of the products in the marketplace. Dominant designs exist because they exhibit increasing returns to adoption, meaning the more a technology is adopted, the more valuable it becomes. In the video game industry, the more users who adopt a certain system, like Nintendo or Xbox, the more likely it is the other users will also adopt that platform. I began to understand why the team spent so much time trying to attract the best and most popular streamers to the platform and investing time in designing tools to incentivize streaming on Facebook, rather than a competitor. The value of Facebook Gaming to users increases with the number of streamers and ultimately the number of other viewers as well. Facebook’s Gaming team thoughtfully went to great lengths to advertise, through headline placement on its website, when a new high-profile streamer had agreed to use the platform. This way, users perceived growth in others adopting the platform, which actually led to increases in adoption.

Not only do I now feel well equipped to understand the strategies behind technology development, but I also feel confident in my ability to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of tech collaboration, deployment and innovation when I return to Facebook as a full-time employee. Professor Schilling’s class equipped me with an academic framework for thoughtfully dissecting the short- and long-term consequences of choosing innovation projects, working quickly or methodically towards a new technology with a partner organization, and even how best to license or trademark advancements. These skills have set me up for success for a career in Big Tech and I can’t wait to put them to use!