MBA Insider's Blog

Day in the (Virtual) Life: DaVita

Post is a part of the Day in the Life series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student who shares their "Day in the Life"

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Heya!

My name is Rosa Segura and I am a rising second year at UCLA Anderson. It feels bizarre to write that. The time has gone by so quickly!

I completed my undergrad at Santa Clara University and was part of Santa Clara Community Action Program, a community-based, service organization dedicated to applying activism and justice to address social issues. While I had originally planned on using my degree to become a healthcare practitioner, my time at Santa Clara led me to a career in the nonprofit sector. I spent five years working with domestic and international organizations that served vulnerable communities and I loved it. I am now pursuing my MBA to have the flexibility of exploring the corporate sector or returning to the nonprofit sector with a new skill set.

This summer, I am working at DaVita as a Summer Redwoods Associate, part of the Redwoods Leadership Development Program. Normally, the entire cohort is based in Denver for the summer, but we will be fully remote for this year’s internship. My project is with the Village Social Responsibility team, which encompasses DaVita’s sustainability initiatives, corporate philanthropy, and some employee recognition programs. I am evaluating the department’s KPIs and benchmarking them against other companies to provide a strategy recommendation.

9-10am: I have a late call today so I’m having a slow morning, enjoying my coffee and breakfast and catching up on a fun podcast. DaVita’s dress code has been casual for remote work, but I still like to dress business casual (at least for what can be seen on camera) so I spend ten minutes getting ready.

10-10:30am: Time to walk over to my desk and turn on my computer. I review my agenda for the day and highlight any action items I did not get to earlier in the week.

10:30-11:30am: Diversity and Belonging is very important to DaVita so today I get to meet in a small group setting with other summer interns who are also ethnic minorities for an intimate conversation with a Group Vice President. She is a black woman who has spent over a decade of her career with DaVita so I have lots of questions for her. We debrief what the summer has been like so far and how DaVita can make its culture more inclusive.

11:30am-1pm: Eat lunch at my desk, catch up on emails, and work on my deck for my project update. I am almost done formulating my recommendation and want to start running it by key stakeholders during my project update this week.

1-1:45pm: Time for my daily check-in with my supervisor! I always come prepared with questions and make sure that I can articulate what I need from her to move forward with my project. She is super knowledgeable about this industry and I always learn something new from her. Originally, we only met for 15 minutes, but as the summer has gone on, our check ins have gotten longer. Today we went on for 45 minutes!

1:45-2:30pm: A little late, but I log on to our Redwoods lunch hour! We ask each other ice breaker questions and try to get to know each other in this crazy virtual world. It can be tough but we are definitely putting in the effort!

2:30-4pm: Since we are not able to fly for business right now per DaVita’s policy, virtual networking is critical. The Redwoods have facilitated mixers with DaVita’s different geographies (or Palmers) so we can meet the leadership teams and learn more about the region-specific business issues and culture.

4-4:45pm: At least three times a week, I make sure to meet with another Redwood Associate or Analyst to check in about how we are feeling and bounce project ideas off each other. Today I am meeting with an Analyst who is a rising Senior at University of Michigan. She is super smart and we are working on similar projects so we’re always brainstorming together.

4:45-6pm: Time for a Town Hall with DaVita’s CEO! We’re encouraged to ask about whatever’s on our minds and understandably, we all have questions! Today, the conversation circles around the quarterly investor call this week. The CEO is super open about his apprehension headed into the call and shares what he thinks he will be asked.

6-6:30pm: Dinner break! I have one more call after this.

6:30-7:30pm: There’s an Anderson alum (Class of 2019) who I met while recruiting and he is AWESOME. I set up weekly calls with him to talk about life post-Anderson, his role at DaVita, my project, or whatever comes up. Today we talked through a challenge I am having with being more assertive with language while also maintaining humility. It’s a subtle but critical skill to master.

7:30-8:15pm: I answer a few emails that came in earlier and work on a few slides before closing my laptop. With remote work, it is super important for me to set boundaries about when to log off and step away from my laptop.

8:15-bedtime: After work, I go for a walk and catch up with an Anderson friend for a few minutes. It’s tough to stay connected in this virtual world, but these walk and talks help. Once I get home, I might watch some Netflix, scroll through TikTok and Instagram, or hang out with whoever is at home.

ABOUT ROSA

• Hometown:Tracy, CA
• Undergraduate Studies: Biology, Santa Clara University
• Pre-Anderson: Program Manager – Girls on the Run
• MBA Summer Internship: Redwoods Leadership Development Program - DaVita
• Post-MBA Goals: Operations, Strategy, General Management – Healthcare/Social Impact
• Leadership@Anderson: President – Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson, VP of Interviewing – Admissions Ambassador Corps, VP of Admissions – Healthcare Business Association, VP of Partnerships – Creatives at Anderson,
• Activities@Anderson: Parker TA/ACT Coach, Women's Business Connection, NetImpact (Board Fellows and Social Impact Consulting Corps), Black Business Students Association Ally, Out@Anderson Ally

 

Day in the (Virtual) Life: Biogen

Post is a part of the Day in the Life series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student who shares their "Day in the Life"

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Hello! My name is Thea Whyte and I’m a rising second-year student at UCLA Anderson. I grew up in Canada and initially moved to the U.S. to complete my undergraduate degree at Loyola University Chicago. After graduation, I joined Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a major U.S. health insurer, where I worked on the External Communications and Strategy teams across Washington, D.C. and Chicago. In my most recent role, I had a chance to serve in an internal consulting function and quickly came to see how driven I was by problem solving and project-based work. I knew if I wanted to build a career in the function that getting an MBA was an important next step so I left my job to join the Class of 2021 at UCLA Anderson. 

When looking at MBA programs, Anderson quickly moved to the top of my list as it allowed me to get an education at a top-tier business school, while also being able to draw upon the resources of its world-class medical center and school of public health. What ultimately made me choose the school, however, was the strong sense of community I felt far before I got to campus. This summer I’m interning at Biogen, a Cambridge, MA based biotech company, completing an operational efficiency project for one of its lab-based teams. An unexpected silver lining of remote work has been that my plants are probably getting the most attention they’ve ever gotten. Here is a glimpse into a day in my (and my plants') virtual life. 

5:00am - Wake up. Boil water for my french press and get in a quick meditation through Headspace. Anderson students get a free membership! Open the windows and position my plants to get as much morning sun as possible. 

5:30am - Log-on. While I am currently in Los Angeles, I follow Biogen’s east-coast hours to get the best access to my teammates. Create a prioritized to-do list for the day. Eat breakfast while reading through emails and notes from days prior. As someone who took no science classes after high school, I have come across a lot of new terms this summer so I keep detailed notes to reference back on. 

7:30am - Virtual Tour of the Lab. While most Biogen employees are not allowed back on Biogen’s campus yet, lab personnel have been reintegrated with social distancing practices. My manager walks me through one of the team’s labs so I can better understand the processes I have been analyzing. 

9:00am - Lunch (or really breakfast) and Learn. Over the course of the summer, Biogen arranges presentations from staff across different specialties. MBA students take part in an additional series with smaller group discussions with key leaders. Today we hear from Deb Glasser, Vice President, Head of US Alzheimer’s Franchise. 

1:00pm - Review Analysis To-Date. Take another look at the project work I have done so far. Pull out my class notes from that Operations course I took earlier in the year and check my thinking. Feel very grateful for Professor Corbett. Reposition my plants for the afternoon sun. 

2:30pm - Prepare to Log-Off. Make summary notes of the day. Send any updates to my manager and look ahead to tomorrow’s calendar. 

5:30pm - Wind Down. Get some fresh air. FaceTime friends and family. Do a lot of stretching. Maybe play some Sims. Move all my plants back to their nighttime positions. 

8:00pm - Get Offline. For the last hour of my day, I make an effort to stay away from electronics as much as possible. Sometimes that means painting, other nights it means reading. I set a humidifier to give my plants some extra moisture overnight. Complete a relatively extensive bedtime routine and get ready to do it all again tomorrow. 

ABOUT THEA

• Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Undergraduate Studies: Loyola University Chicago
• Pre-Anderson:  Consultant, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association 
• MBA Summer Internship: Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Intern, Biogen 
• Post-MBA Goals: Strategy 
• Leadership@Anderson: VP of Marketing, Admissions Ambassador Corps, VP of Conference Marketing, Healthcare Business Association
• Activities@Anderson: Strategy and Operations Management Association, Tech Business Association at Anderson (AnderTech), Wellness and Yoga Club, Wine Club at Anderson

Sports Management @ Anderson: Q&A with Holden Tamchin and Anna Wilde

This summer, join current MBA students, through our Summer Liveguide Series, as they share their favorite Anderson moments and experiences recruiting across industries. 

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Meet Holden!
Growing up in the Bay Area, Holden attended University of California Santa Barbara where he studied Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, he worked at Zodiac Aerospace and Artemis Racing before joining Dassault Falcon Jet as a Mechanical Design Engineer based out of Delaware. At Anderson, Holden is the EVP of the Sports Business Association, Co-President of the Basketball Club and the Graduate Student Association Representative for the Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics. This summer, he is acting as a consultant for the Los Angeles Football Club.  

Meet Anna!
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Anna completed her undergraduate degree at Rice University studying linguistics. She then joined Thomson Reuters in Houston before coming to Anderson to explore her passion for Sports Business. After completing an academic internship at Wasserman, Anna is spending the summer interning at Must Love Sports. Back on campus, she is the President of the Sports Business Association and an active member of Alliance for Latinx Management, Christian Student Fellowship and the Riordan Mentorship program.  

Where do UCLA Anderson alumni end up after graduation?

Of course Anderson and UCLA have a great brand within Los Angeles and a prominent brand on the west coast but it is possible to build a career elsewhere. One thing that was helpful for me to know as I selected between schools is that a lot of business schools have reciprocity. That means if you go to Anderson and decide you need to end up in New York, you can work with NYU Stern’s career center to find job opportunities there. Location is something you should be taking into consideration but we have alumni pretty much everywhere. 

Is it possible to go through traditional consulting recruiting with a focus on Sports and Entertainment? 

That is definitely do-able. An alum from the class of 2019 works with Deloitte in the sports practice. If you want to do that, you would do consulting recruiting, which will provide you with a framework and then tailor that recruiting using resources through the Sports Business Association. It’s definitely possible to also recruit for both. You could always prepare for consulting, recruit for consulting and then depending on how that goes recruit for sports later in the year. 

How long do Academic Internships last?

The standard length is 10 weeks, which is a quarter for us. Since most of these programs are less structured, companies are often flexible about when you work. That said, the academic internship I did was very structured and lasted the whole Spring quarter. I started the second week of January and wrapped up the first week of May. It can be a challenge to balance internship hours with school but it is definitely possible to work with an organization to pick the hours that work best for you.

To learn more about Sports Management at Anderson, check out Holden and Anna's webinar here.

Day in the (Virtual) Life: Deloitte and Erewhon Market

Post is a part of the Day in the Life series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student who shares their "Day in the Life"

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Hi everyone! My name is Austin Josiah and I am a rising 2nd year at UCLA Anderson. Originally born in Southern California (Orange County), I grew up in the other Orange County in Orlando, Florida. For undergrad, I attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School where I studied finance and legal studies and was also heavily involved with the sports business club. Upon graduating, I began my career in financial services, working as a rotational analyst at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. During my last two years before business school, I pivoted to the Private Wealth Management division at Morgan Stanley, working on the strategy and business management team helping grow the ultra-high net-worth business at the firm. I came to business school to pursue a career in strategic planning within the sports industry and was able to land a strategy and operations consulting position at Deloitte. However, due to COVID-19, Deloitte shortened the internship to a two-week virtual program, and in the meantime, I was fortunate enough to land a job as a strategy intern at Erewhon Market, a high-end LA-based grocery chain. Thus, I will talk about these two weeks where I am navigating both internships.

7:15am: My alarm goes off! I roll out of bed and read some of the news and updates currently going on in the world before I grab some cereal and get ready for my first Zoom meeting. Today is the end of the first of two weeks at Deloitte and it begins with a debrief networking session with 25 other Deloitte Summer Associates and Practitioners based in the LA office at 8 AM PST.

12:00 pm: I just finished up my 3rd and last Deloitte session of the day. Today we learned about the importance of health and wellness and all the great things Deloitte focuses on with its’ consultants given the stressful nature of the job. This can be achieved through breathing and mediation techniques, the ability to plug-in and out throughout the day, and the importance of finding your passions. We also had a session where we learned about specific client work within the healthcare space and how Deloitte consultants were able to add value and redefine the strategic priorities for a large-scale healthcare client even in a short time period. It is almost noon, so I pack everything up and I head over to the Erewhon corporate office.

3:00pm: After arriving at the office, I spend an hour meeting with my Manager, the Chief of Staff at Erewhon, updating him on the status of my projects, and set out tasks to accomplish for the rest of the day. I am working on ways to bolster the e-commerce presence as many shoppers decide to order online and avoid the stores altogether while in quarantine. I take a break to try one of the sample sparkling waters that are stocked on the Erewhon shelves in the 5 locations throughout LA--how refreshing! It is now time to prepare for a brief 20-minute networking call to get to know other Deloitte practitioners based in the LA Office.

7:30pm: Yet, another long day navigating two internships. I finally arrive home and it is time to de-stress for the day after a quick evening snack. My favorite way to de-stress is by working out and hopping on my Peloton bike to crush a 30-minute ride to round out my day! While balancing two separate jobs is not the easiest, it only spans two weeks and I do appreciate all of the learning and excitement involved with working at both Deloitte and Erewhon, especially given the genuine level of support and understanding from both companies. I’m definitely in a unique situation--one that I did not predict. Despite that, it has absolutely worked out in the end and I’m excited for another great week next week!

-- Austin Josiah

ABOUT AUSTIN

• Hometown: Orlando, FL
• Undergraduate Studies: University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School
• Pre-Anderson:  Assistant Vice President, Morgan Stanley 
• MBA Summer Internship: MBA Summer Associate, Deloitte / MBA Strategy Intern, Erewhon
• Post-MBA Goals: Sports / Entertainment
• Leadership@Anderson: Co-President, Black Business Student’s Association; VP of Equity Diversity and Inclusion, Anderson Ambassador Corps; Consortium Liaison
• Activities@Anderson: Sports Business Association, Anderball Basketball Club, Entertainment Management Association, Social Impact Consulting Corps, Strategy & Operations Management Association

Day in the (Virtual) Life: Interning at Nike

Post is a part of the Day in the Life series - each post is written by a current UCLA Anderson student who shares their "Day in the Life"

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Hello to whomever is reading this! My name is Penny Vorissis and I’m a rising second year at Anderson. Before jumping into the nitty gritty of what my exciting (& virtual) summer internship looks like, I’ll give you a little bit of background on myself. Prior to Anderson, I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch doing corporate finance in Columbus, OH. Despite my love affair with the retail industry, I knew I wanted to pursue an MBA so that I could focus on the intersection of retail, operations/strategy, and sustainability. Nike felt like a natural fit for me, and the global operations role offered me the ability to explore the intricacies of Nike’s immense and impressive supply chain. This summer I am on the APLA (Asia Pacific, Latin America) Connected Product team, focusing on RFID Implementation. And, without further ado, here is what a day in the life of a virtual Nike Intern looks like!

7:00 AM – Wake up & snooze my alarm for what would normally be the time I’d need for a commute.

7:30AM – Get out of bed & get ready

8:00AM – Enjoy my morning supergreens supplement & wait for my coffee to be ready. I read my emails, catch up on news via the Morning Brew (& of course the Retail Brew), and prep for my first meeting.

8:45 AM – Have my morning meeting with my manager Mark (say that 5 times fast). Every morning we touch base to make sure that I’m on the right track to present my deliverables and that we’re in sync with each other. It’s a great way to level-set expectations for the day!

9:00AM – 11:30AM – Various meetings with folks in Global Ops at Nike! Nike is a company that has a huge culture of networking across the organization. When I started my internship, Mark gave me a list of 25 people to meet with and every single one has not only been willing to meet, but has been a huge value add to my summer project. The list also keeps growing which is a great way for me to continue learning about the company.

1:00PM – Call with the Grupo Axo team who runs our Nike Partner Stores in Mexico. They give us a weekly debriefing on the progress of the RFID pilot in their stores.

1:30PM – APLA Leadership seminar. This week’s topic is Leadership Defined! We had an HR lead taking us through Nike’s new thought process with regards to developing talent. We were able to understand where the APLA Ops team stands in terms of where they feel strong as well as where they want to improve.

2:30PM - 4:00PM – All Intern NTC Workout. Nike really takes their principle of “Make Sport a Daily Habit” to heart, even in the midst of a pandemic. The University Recruiting team really pulled out all the stops to make sure the interns have a connected and truly “Nike” Experience.

4:00PM – 4:30PM – I shower because I definitely don’t look as fresh as I did at the beginning of the class.

4:30PM – 5:30PM – Working session with my manager on my final project deliverable

7:00PM –  Take a load off for the night. I am breaking in my new hiking boots for my first ever backpacking/hiking/camping trip in the southern Sierras this weekend! Navigating a new internship amidst COVID has certainly been challenging, but I am so lucky to be in a place like California that has so many nooks and crannies to explore. Plus, thanks to all the training from Nike, I’m feeling fit and ready for anything.

-- Penny Vorissis

ABOUT PENNY

·    Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA

·    Undergraduate Studies: Finance & Spanish - University of Notre Dame

·    Pre-Anderson: Financial Analyst – Abercrombie & Fitch

·    MBA Summer Internship: Global Operations - Nike

·    Post-MBA Goals: Internal Strategy

·    Leadership@Anderson: President – Retail Business Association, Executive Vice President - Admissions Ambassador Corps, VP of Finance - MENA

·    Activities@Anderson: Retail Business Association, Admissions Ambassador Corps, Women's Business Connection, Net Impact, MENA, Anderson Wine Club

Student Perspectives: The Consortium at Anderson

About Carmen: Carmen Chávez ('21) is a first-generation MBA candidate at UCLA Anderson, pursuing a specialization in Brand Management. Prior to business school, she worked in publicity at major media conglomerates including NBCUniversal and FOX Sports. She holds a B.A. degree in Sociology and Spanish from UCLA.  

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A year ago, I started working with The Parker Career Management Center to prepare for The Consortium’s Orientation Program, or “OP” as it is commonly referred to, where I’d have the opportunity to interview for 2020 summer internship opportunities. I felt an overwhelming amount of pressure to walk away from OP with an offer. As I reflect upon this experience, I remember how everyone I met at the conference helped to put my mind at ease just like one’s family would do because that’s what The Consortium is – a family.

If you are not familiar with The Consortium, "The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is the nation's largest diversity network, linking top tier students, leading MBA programs, and corporate partners, including Fortune 500 companies." The mission of The Consortium "is to reduce the underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans in education and the ranks of global management." A common misconception is that membership is only open to those who identify as one of the aforementioned racial groups, but in actuality, all U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have demonstrated a commitment to The Consortium’s mission are eligible to apply.

The Consortium offers numerous benefits, starting with a streamlined business school application to up to six member schools. This saves time and, of course, money. If you are admitted into The Consortium, you will be considered for a merit-based fellowship that will cover full tuition and mandatory fees for a two-year, full-time program. As I previously mentioned, Consortium fellows also have a unique and exclusive opportunity to attend OP where they network and interview with corporate recruiters as well as connect with other incoming students from 20 top MBA programs.

As a first-generation college student, I can personally attest to how The Consortium community has been a crucial support system, which has made all the difference in shaping my b-school experience. It started with our amazing 2020 Consortium liaisons who traveled with us to OP, engaged with us over the summer, and have continued to make themselves available to answer all of our questions from academics to financial aid. Upon arriving for summer quarter in August, my first-day jitters went away as soon as I saw the familiar faces of my Consortium cohort. While we were split amongst five different sections for our core classes, we scheduled monthly dinners so we could continue to check-in with each other, enjoy some downtime from recruiting, and celebrate our accomplishments. Even during COVID-19, we’ve continued to meet up for virtual happy hours, which has been one of the positive moments during these unprecedented times. It was especially meaningful to connect with my Consortium family when my summer internship was canceled amid the pandemic. They were constantly reaching out to find out how I was doing and how they could help as well as sending me internship listings and career resources. In addition to their support, the Parker team advised me on how to best reach out to recruiters during these times of uncertainty, which positioned me to secure a summer internship with General Mills. I feel fortunate to be a part of The Consortium, and know that I can speak for everyone when I say we are here to help diminish the opportunity gap so that other underrepresented prospective students can find their family at UCLA Anderson and succeed in business school.

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Student Blogger: Carmen Chávez ('21)

Undergrad: UCLA ‘13 (Sociology and Spanish)

Pre-MBA: Brand Communications Manager at Fox

Leadership@Anderson: Vice President of Alumni Relations – Marketing Association, Vice President of Partnerships – Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson, MarCom Project Lead – Embracing Diversity Conference Committee; Interviewer – Admissions Ambassador Corps

Student Perspectives: Anderson's OYA Apparel wins 3rd place at Haas Investing in Inclusion Competition

About Patrick: Patrick Ayers (’21) enrolled in Anderson to explore entrepreneurship and consulting. Before Anderson, he worked in healthcare and performed pro-bono consulting. At Anderson, he has been involved in various pitch competitions and consulting projects.

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Every startup is trying to answer one fundamental question: How does it gain funds without giving up equity or going into debt? Prototypes are costly, and MBA students don’t have cash to burn. If your idea is well-researched, you can write a business plan and enter a pitch competition. My name is Patrick Ayers, and I, as part of OYA Apparel, chose this option and would like to tell you more about it.

First, let me tell you OYA’s story. We started after our founder, Mitchella Gilbert (FTMBA ’21), had spoken to multiple OB/GYNs and realized millions of women needed a pair of leggings that were not only fashionable, but supported feminine wellness. We felt that the best way to drive change around feminine wellness would be to design a pair of leggings that met every woman’s needs.

After agreeing that we would be a good fit for Berkeley Haas's Investing in Inclusion Pitch Competition , we started writing our business plan. We spent hours selecting our best markets, defining our core values, and refining our value proposition. Teammates Mac Seder (FTMBA ’21) and Raylan Vaz (FTMBA ’21) handled finance and operations, respectively, and classmate Dhivya Sridhar (FTMBA ’21) helped with readability. We also consulted with Anderson faculty like Professors Shaddy and Poliquin to help sharpen our marketing and strategy. A week after submitting, we were elated to hear we had been chosen as a finalist and invited to pitch in front of an audience at Berkeley.

Mitchella, Raylan, Dhivya, and I decided to go. Unfortunately, the coronavirus had led to the public and media being barred, but we were happy to meet our judges and fellow contestants. The judges included diversity and inclusion leaders from Levi Strauss, the Salesforce Impact Fund, and Golden Seeds—a venture capital fund focusing on women entrepreneurs. After practicing in a waiting from for about an hour, it was our turn to go. Mitch and Dhivya presented flawlessly. The judges loved our concept and provided great feedback to help us improve our marketing. Here are my three key takeaways from the event:

1. Don’t be afraid to apply for pitch competitions if you’re in your first year. You can overcome any obstacle with preparation
2. When trying to create a new product, ask yourself: is it functional or aspirational? This question will help answer later questions around topics like pricing
3. If you’re going to pitch, practice in front of the mirror, then practice in front of faculty, then practice in front of classmates

Overall, this was an incredible experience for our growing company and we were proud to represent Anderson with a third place finish.

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Student Blogger: Patrick Ayers '21

Undergrad: University of Florida

Pre-MBA: Senior Data Analyst at DaVita Healthcare Partners

Leadership@Anderson: VP of Allyship, Black Business Student Association; Anderson Strategy Group

Student Perspectives: How the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson Defined My MBA Experience

About Jessica: Jessica Cheng ('20) came to Anderson to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. Prior to school, she worked in investment banking, corporate planning, and product management. At Anderson she co-founded Wellness & Yoga and Sustainability@Anderson.

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“Our only job is to make you successful. If you’re successful, we’re successful.” That’s what Trish Halamandaris ‘92, the Director of the Anderson Venture Accelerator, said to my cohort of startups on the first day of our program in the summer of 2019. Even today I remember the moment clearly because it reminded me that my startup dreams were being whole-heartedly championed by my school.

I chose Anderson to pursue my MBA in large part because of the UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator. Having studied business as an undergraduate, I wanted more than just classroom theory and analysis – I desired an intensive, hands-on experience that would teach me not just the “whys”, but the “hows” of business. Looking back at the six-month-long Accelerator program, my expectations were surpassed; I feel more prepared for a journey in entrepreneurship, and more importantly, more certain than ever of my social responsibility as a businesswoman and Anderson grad. This tremendous growth was made possible only through the Accelerator’s commitment to a five-star learning experience, which involved a meticulously curated teaching agenda, one-on-one coaching, and a strong sense of camaraderie. 

The Teaching Agenda

I think of the Accelerator program as a six-credit course on top of my regular academics that was personalized to my unique needs. My cohort and I met weekly (sometimes more) to hear from industry experts, fellow founders, and even vendors—like KPMG or Amazon Web Services—who help launch startups. My favorite was the full-day “Marketing Bootcamp”, where I got to hear from industry experts like Jonathan Shieber, an editor at TechChrunch who gave us an insider’s view on managing public relations, and Rod Kurtz, a marketing guru who later helped me develop a “bar pitch” for my idea. Another was the “Finance Bootcamp”, where I heard from fellow Anderson alumna and founder, Ksenia Yudina ‘14, who shared her personal experience fundraising as a woman in the male-dominated VC world. I found that these programs elevated my thinking and ability to execute, complementing my classroom learning through an emphasis on the most current, relevant, and tactical information.

The Individualized Attention

The Accelerator had the most individualized delivery of teaching I experienced at Anderson—a style that Trish calls the “white-glove service”. I experienced more one-on-one office hours, feedback sessions, and workshops with the Anderson staff who teach and advise than in all my other courses combined. The most unbelievably helpful were the rehearsal sessions for the Showcase Pitch where we worked individually to improve our pitches with industry experts like Lisa Kraynak, CMO and growth executive, and Saujin Yi, founder of Liquid. I also will never forget Eric Cazenave, a presentation coach, who made me practice my pitch while shadow boxing in order to evoke power and intensity. Furthermore, the Accelerator paired me with my own startup mentor, Mona Mirakor, who spent hours advising me on everything from product-market-fit to finding local talent. Arvind Rao, a senior director at Symantec and our entrepreneur-in-residence, even set up bi-weekly check-ins to help me tackle difficult problems, always spending more time than planned. Lastly, Trish and Janet Chung ’18 also challenged me during our office hours with more candidness and persistence than any professor ever had. Because of the personalized attention, honest feedback, and a culture focused on hands-on practicality, I grew tremendously—particularly in my confidence, judgement, and ability to execute.

The Camaraderie

Entrepreneurs are a special breed – curious, collaborative, and just slightly chaotic. As a result, the Accelerator naturally developed a magnetic and vibrant energy that was uniquely distinct from other communities on campus. I loved the Accelerator-organized social events like lunches, happy-hours, and off-site outings that helped me build relationships with startup leaders in a meaningful and lasting way. Moreover, I admired my peers (like the founders of Wire, InnoDT, and 81cents) and the Accelerator powerhouses (like Trish, Janet, and Will Freas), and felt invigorated by their unwavering dedication and ambition in the pursuit of their visions. Even today, I turn to them for business advice, emotional support, and occasionally goofing off after a long day of hustle. It’s nice to know that even when life gets crazy, they are always there for me, day in and day out.

When I look back at my Anderson experience, the Accelerator was the thread that connected everything for me. This was home, especially during the summer when I worked out of the Accelerator full-time. The personal bonds I formed, the practical insights I received, and the personal growth I experienced at the Accelerator was unparalleled. When I imagine returning in five years as an alumna, this will be the place I visit to relive my fondest memories. This is also where I would “give back” as maybe a mentor, a speaker, or a donor. I truly believe in their approach to teaching entrepreneurship and empowering my generation to think fearlessly, act collaboratively, and drive change. 

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Student Blogger: Jessica Cheng ‘20

Undergrad: Cornell University ‘13 (Hotel Administration)

Pre-MBA: Fitness App Startup

Leadership@Anderson: Wellness & Yoga Club (Co-President, Co-Founder), Sustainability@Anderson (Co-Founder)

Student Perspective: Career Development@Anderson

About Kalyn: Kalyn’s career and education has allowed her to complete her bucket list item of living in a lot of different cities. A St. Louis native, Kalyn has called Chicago, Boston, DC, and SF home prior to moving to LA and joining the Anderson community. Kalyn is a first-year student who is excited to grow her career in the healthcare sector and continue giving back to the community through mentorship.

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Ranked by the Economist as one of the best career services offices in the world, The Parker Career Management Center fosters introspection and professional development from your very first week on campus.  Much of the recruitment process for first years like me involves a whirlwind of research, networking, informational interviews, cases and more. Figuring out where to start would be a challenging task, but Parker offers a host of personalized resources to guide us all through this deeply reflective process. Here are two of the resources I’ve found most impactful throughout my first few months of Anderson.

Parker Career Series

Upon arriving for summer quarter in August, first years get to preparing for the summer internship search early. This is truly a gift because by the time classes intensified, we already had much of the heaviest lifting required of recruitment completed. The Parker Career Series is a weekly course that lasts through the fall quarter. Led by Parker advisors who have deep industry knowledge and networks, the series demystifies the recruitment process by introducing students to key skills applicable to the summer internship search like resume writing, requesting informational interviews, crafting cover letters, and researching companies. The sessions are balanced between lecture and small group workshops in which students read each other’s resume and cover letter drafts, practice their 30-second pitches, and provide constructive feedback.

The Parker Series also introduces first years to their advisor. Each student gets assigned to an advisor based on their industry of choice. Students can set up one-on-one meetings with their advisor to get more personalized feedback and advice. My advisor is Emily Cruse (also an Anderson alum!) and I’ve been so grateful for our advising sessions because she has taken the time to get to know me and my target companies and cater feedback accordingly when we practice interview sessions.

Small Group Support: ACT and IPT

Anderson Career Teams (ACT) –  In conjunction with the Parker Career Series, first years also are required to participate in a small group Anderson Career Team (ACT) to further strengthen our recruitment chops. While the Parker Series provides a more general overview of career search skills, the best part about ACT is that students can join a group catered to their target career. There are ACT groups that focus on specific industries like consulting, technology, and investment banking. There are also ACT groups that are function-focused like corporate finance and marketing. Students are required to participate in one ACT group, and can join up to two. This can be a great option for someone recruiting for a specific industry and function (i.e. tech and marketing). ACT groups are led by second year volunteers who navigated the summer internship search the year before and are eager to share their wisdom with their first-year peers through weekly workshops.

Interview Prep Teams (IPT) – Upon completing the ACT sessions in the fall, first years can opt to participate in an Interview Prep Team throughout winter break and into winter quarter. IPT is also spearheaded by second-years who interned at the companies that first years will be interviewing with.  The second-year IPT coaches organize and lead interview prep sessions. Using their experience from their own interview process, they pretend to be interviewers and ask questions that they received, then provide feedback. The IPT coaches take their role (which is also voluntary) very seriously. I personally was lucky enough to get to practice interviewing with my coach who graciously made herself available over winter break.

Interview season is in full swing winter quarter. While the process certainly isn’t easy, Parker makes sure all of us go into interviews well-prepared for even the most unexpected question.

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Student Blogger: Kalyn Saulsberry ‘21

Undergrad: Harvard University, History

Pre-MBA: Program Manager, COPE Health Solutions

Leadership@Anderson: Director of Career Development, Healthcare Business Association; Director of Operations, Anderson Wine Club; Board Fellow, Net Impact

Student Perspective: Global Immersion@Anderson

About Kevin: Kevin Ma (‘20) is a 2nd year at Anderson with a background in management consulting. While at Anderson, Kevin has concentrated across many disciplines, including strategy, marketing, technology, and social impact. Outside of school, Kevin cares deeply about mentoring others, building community through food, and experiencing new cultures through traveling around the world. Read his post below on his latest travel adventure and how he got academic credit for the trip in the process!

Traveling is no doubt a privilege and an enriching experience - and while in business school, there are endless opportunities to do so. As the pace of globalization accelerates, one of my goals of attending business school was to broaden my perspectives to truly understand how to be an effective future leader of a global or multinational company. While I’ve achieved this goal in a multitude of ways during my time thus far at Anderson, including cultivating close friendships with international classmates and taking classes focused on global management, I took it a step further last month by participating in a weeklong Global Immersion experience in India with 40 of my classmates, led by Prof. Romain Wacziarg.

Managed through the Center for Global Management, Global Immersion is a two-quarter class that allows students to first learn about doing business in another country while on campus, and then transition into an in-country immersive experience of company visits, networking with local Anderson alumni, and cultural sightseeing. With 31 destinations across the globe, Global Immersion at Anderson is truly a unique opportunity to study abroad and witness the intersection of business, government, and society in action.

Prior to visiting Mumbai and Hyderabad, Prof. Wacziarg led us through a few interactive lectures focused on both the macroeconomic factors that have influenced India’s past, current, and future development as well as a deep dive into four key sectors in India: financial services, technology, entertainment, and biotech.
Once we touched down in India, we visited 15 companies in the span of a week, while overeating our fill of dosas, dal, and gulab jamun. In addition, we were able to attend a special lecture hosted by a professor from the Indian School of Business. Despite many infrastructure, inequality, and environmental challenges India faces, I was humbled and inspired by the country’s optimism for the future – especially given that half of India’s 1.3 billion people are under 20 years old. I also learned that many sectors like financial services are experiencing technology leapfrogging in India, and financial inclusion will be key to India’s future growth given the majority of the country’s population is still living in rural areas. 

Ultimately, my week in India has instilled in me a greater sense of empathy, a desire to return and explore more deeply, and a more inclusive approach to managing and leading global teams in the future. While Global Immersion has been a relatively short part of my Anderson experience, the experience has had a disproportionately large impact on me as I prepare to transition back into the workforce later this year.

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Student Blogger: Kevin Ma ‘20

Undergrad: UT Austin ‘14

Pre-MBA: Deloitte Consulting

Summer Internship: Commercial Strategy MBA Intern, American Airlines

Leadership@Anderson: VP of Career Development, Marketing Association; VP of Partnerships, Anderson Tech Business Association; VP of Admissions, Asian Management Student Association; Anderson Career Teams (ACT) Coach; Interviewer, Admissions Ambassador Corps