Hi, my name is Chigozie Muoto and I’m in the UCLA Anderson Class of 2017. I’m so excited to be writing this post to introduce myself to you because I believe there’s so much we can learn from sharing our experiences. I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria and attended the University of Lagos for undergrad. Shortly after my undergrad, I moved to Connecticut and attended the University of Connecticut for graduate school. Below are some more facts about me.
Undergraduate and Graduate Major: Materials Science & Engineering.
Pre-MBA Jobs: I worked at Intel for about four and half years as a technology development process engineer right after obtaining a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. My passion for being involved in developing the technology that is directly impacting and changing people’s lives drew me to Intel and I really enjoyed working there. I also worked briefly in Nigeria as a network engineer before I moved to the US. I configured and maintained the computer networks of various agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria and the University of Abuja. This was my first job right after college and I felt so privileged to be given such responsibilities. I learned so much at this job.
Post-MBA Career Goals: I would like to participate in a post-MBA rotational leadership program in a high tech company to gain a broad overview of the business. Intel has one of such programs and I will be applying there both for a summer internship and full-time position. After the rotational program, I would like to go into a business development role. I want to help lead a high tech company not only to extend its growth in the developed market, but also to expand its business into emerging and frontier markets such as Africa. I have a passion to grow businesses and create development opportunities in Africa. My long-term goal is to launch a leadership/innovation academy in Nigeria and provide educational opportunities, sponsorships, mentorships, and leadership to young people.
What I’m most excited about: Meeting my classmates, hearing their stories, learning from their experiences, and building strong relationships. Anderson encourages collaboration among peers and it’s really exciting to be a part of a community where the general underlying mentality is “how can we both win”. Also, because Anderson promotes student-driven activities, I’m excited about sharpening my leadership skills in an environment where tolerance and understanding are highly valued.
Why Anderson?: Having a career focus in high tech and a long-term goal to drive economic growth in Africa, I sought for a business school that would create the enabling environment to equip me to pursue my passion. The first thing that attracted me to Anderson was its tagline, 'think in the next' and its defining principles; share success, think fearlessly, and drive change. As I researched more information about Anderson and connected with current students, I understood more about Anderson’s distinctive features and realized it’s the perfect choice for me. UCLA Anderson stood out for a number of reasons: strong focus on entrepreneurship and innovation (innovative classes on venture formation and growth, Easton Technology Management Center, Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation), real social venture initiatives (The NetImpact club, Challenge for Charity, and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Disable Veterans), collaboration among peers (there are vast opportunities to learn from your classmates both in class activities - case study, team projects - and in extracurricular activities), diversity (wide mix of students across every spectrum - pre- and post-MBA careers, age, racial background, country of origin, and gender). Also, Anderson sends an unprecedented number of MBAs to the tech industry through the help of an amazing career management team – Parker Career Management Center. All these and more made Anderson my #1 choice.
I’m really excited to be a part of this community and I look forward to sharing more of my Anderson experiences with you as they unfold. Stay tuned!
