The MBA Student Voice

Introduction: Samantha Skarin

Hi! My name is Samantha Skarin and I’m a member of UCLA Anderson’s class of 2017.

 

 

You’ll likely see more of my contributions on UCLAMBA’s Instagram account, but I wanted to introduce myself none-the-less. I’m from Brooklyn, NY (born and raised) - hence the Dodgers reference - and I moved out to LA in August.

Some more fast facts about me:

 

 

Undergraduate School: Cornell University

Undergraduate Major: Design and Environmental Analysis: Human Factors and Ergonomics (that would be an “other” on the application drop-down)

 

Pre-Anderson Job(s): I spent my first few years after college working at a small branding and marketing firm in New York called DeSantis Breindel before moving over to a marketing technology agency called HelloWorld (formerly ePrize). My roles have primarily been in account management, project management and new business development, though because I’ve been at smaller companies, I’ve had the opportunity to wear a LOT of hats.

 

Post-Anderson job aspiration: Product management in tech.

 

What I’m most excited about: Getting out of my comfort zone and having the opportunity to try new things, explore, learn, and develop long-lasting friendships in such a vibrant and collaborative environment.

 

Why Anderson?: How do I love thee, let me count the ways (sonnets FTW!). I chose Anderson because from the moment I started thinking about my MBA and researching the programs, I was totally blown away by the resources Anderson has available, the diversity in electives, and all that LA as a city, and a business hub, has to offer. Further down the admissions path, everyone I met: alumni, professors, current students, incoming students, administration, were just so amazing, helpful, and enthusiastic about Anderson and its community, and I know I’m in for an incredible and life-changing two years (and beyond).

 

I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences with you! Besides the @UCLAMBA Instagram account, you can also follow me on my personal account @samanthaes.

 

And so it begins

Tomorrow is the first day of orientation and I am still recovering from a Vegas trip organized by Anderson students with about 50 or so students in attendance. I hope that tomorrow I am not the guy in the picture above.

In the past two weeks I have travelled 8500 miles from India, moved all my stuff into boxes, shipped my 10 year old car across 4 states, fought with my movers on multiple occasions, rejoiced after touring my new apartment, hiked the Sandstone peak on a pre-orientation trip with students, attended happy your events with my classmates, experienced anxiety over my summer deliverables and worked through 40 pages of assigned readings not including 3 "optional" books. All this and school isn't even in session.

Last Friday was also international orientation, a full day of cultural onboarding solely for international students. The event gave us an overview of all the resources available on campus to us. For instance, the UCLA recreation facilities provides a gamut of facilities such as the graduate only Kinross gym, the Wooden center of recreation, and a new 14,000 square feet fitness center set to open this fall. The Dashew center for international students makes sure that students feel at home by hosting events that include LA bus tours, speed dating for internationals, food festivals and more. There are plenty of spots to eat on campus but most Anderson students usually limit themselves to the Il Tram cafe, centrally located in the Anderson courtyard and that serves an exceptional Chicken special sandwich. In summary, UCLA is pretty much a small town onto itself. 

The event ended with roundtables which were intended to mix-up the students and give everyone a chance to network with each other. We also had student panelists address the gathering and share their insights on recruiting and how to land that elusive full time job offer at companies such as BcG, Mattel, Microsoft and more. Our work is cut out for us and the key to success is to continue following the advice of our Parker Career center advisors who continue to work closely with us making sure we progress along the career search process.

No one told us it was going to be easy and going into orientation I can feel the pace quickening. We are expected to stay on top of things regardless of how the week progresses. We are already juggling multiple priorities and need to flex our time management skills constantly. The only way to keep up with all the activity is to prioritize your work. Anderson has so much going on at any given time that you could miss it if you blink. 

Alumni POV: New Markets & Perspectives

 

The Throw-a-thon Lahore from Faizaan Ghauri on Vimeo.

If a friend mentioned his upcoming travel to Pakistan, what would your first thought be? Was it of Lahore's booming tech sector? If not, read on! I have news for you. 

 

Why Did I Go? 

Thanks to the UCLA Anderson network, I've expanded my circle with impressive people driving change around the world. Through an advisory engagement conceptualized with Anderson classmate, Faizaan Ghauri, I had the opportunity to visit Lahore, Pakistan. Why, you ask? 

Well, as the world's 6th most populous nation, Pakistan is disproportionately young in genpop and on the verge of a 3G/4G adoption boom. Passionate about emerging markets, I was thrilled by the chance to travel there! 

Faizaan's family plays a foundational role burgeoning Pakistan's tech sector. Faizaan joined the family business, launching his own startups and incubator while accelerating the company's global expansion. Through their wonderful hospitality and industry access, I met pioneers and entrepreneurial trailblazers in the country's tech community. Their products are viable and it was inspiring to work with Faizaan to strategize around these new divisions of his business. 

Judging Faizaan's Throw-a-Thon, one of the largest hackathons in Pakistan, was a blast. Yet, mentoring its participants was even more fascinating. These impressive entrepreneurs are melding their unique culture into solutions that solve local problems with 10X value and efficiency. I had a front row seat to observe these brilliant minds create innovative technologies, which are generating superior financial returns while fortifying a talent corridor between the East & West. 

 

What Did I Bring Back? 

With new adventure comes new perspective. And this experience was no different. 

Leading up to the trip I lost count of how many friends and family warned, "keep a low profile" and "be careful" because "you'll stand out as an American." I recognized the area's current instability validates their concern; but keeping a low profile didn't last long once the largest Pakistani newspaper advertised the Throw-a-Thon and published our names. 

The attention, however, did not prove hazardous. 

Most whom I discussed the trip with found me assuring them the positives outweighed the concerns. Yet most advice I received was filled with apprehension. Not once did I hear, "take this opportunity to develop a better understanding of their culture," or the like. 

I don't blame the skeptics. Sensationalized by the media, the region scares people. That's tragic because Pakistan offers greenfield opportunity and an ocean of untapped talent. Young, bright engineers are hungry to work on groundbreaking products. From new video games that bring relief to sufferers of cerebral palsy to apps that educate local farmers and increase their yield quality, I saw Pakistan's tech leveraged in powerful ways. 

If I played it safe, however, I'd never have seen what they could offer. I realized fear of the unfamiliar is hindering us from learning more and even capitalizing on emerging markets. 

Now I witness firsthand how shortsighted fear, including my own, encumbers long-term maturation, intellectual well-roundedness, and globalization. It's causing firm divisions in our cognitive and emotional dispositions, which shape our preconceptions of others. The fear I have is that we are still quite unconscious of our own prejudices. 

If this sounds too abstract, think of it this way. Do you double take when women in black burkas walk by? Does your arm hair stand up with the sound of Islamic prayer hymns (often the score music of American war movies)? Now, take inventory of your feelings. Do you feel a bit sensitive or uncomfortable? Are you anxious for any reason? Ask yourself...why am I feeling this way? Why am I anxious given there's no immediate danger? Fear, once again causes a misjudgment of our surroundings. 

 

Diversity Now

All too often, diversity becomes a buzzword. The unfortunate consequence for many organizations is that the efficacy of diversity efforts does not achieve intended goals. True diversity isn't a simple balance of ethnic and gender demographics in an organization. Embodying diversity means understanding. It means developing a new humanity toward underrepresented points of view and culture. Without the aforementioned change in personal character, we risk our organizations being perceived as pandering to the media at best, or having an insufficient internal cultural change at worst. 

As I begin my post-Anderson career at Google, my Pakistan experience will be top of mind. Silicon Valley is undergoing its own evolution in diversity, most recently embodied by initiatives like #ilooklikeanengineer. Pakistan is a frontier with not only unrealized economic opportunity, but also a platform for progressive cross-cultural understanding. 

We have an opportunity, as the more economically mature market, to champion their talent and forge partnerships in these corridors. For those who fear we are losing our leadership position internationally, this is how we regain it! While it won't be easy, we have all the resources waiting at our fingertips. 

This is the call of my generation. Truth is, if we don't pursue a more prosperous world through greater unity...then who will?

 

17000 miles worth of goodbyes...and hellos!

I am finally home. After nearly 2 months worth of travelling, hellos and goodbyes, and new beginnings, I am back to square one writing my first blog post and waiting for the next big leap over the pacific.

I am Arindam Das; a Class of 2017 MBA Candidate at UCLA Anderson School of Management from India. I had been working with a steel giant in the country for 4 years until I decided to pursue ‘the experience’. I have been in touch with a number of fellow Bruins and am so looking forward to meeting everyone that my eyes might just pop out like The Mask. But, jokes apart, it has been a nice experience knowing the fellow admits already and I cannot wait to meet the others.

MBA certainly is not a walk in the park...the months leading up to it aren't either. I am just listing a few things I have been up to:

1. Getting the Visa: Starting from streamlining the funding for MBA, waiting for i20 to interviewing etc. I am pretty sure I lost a few pounds until I had my Visa in my hands.

But wait there’s more...

2. Going through the accommodation options: The debate of university housing vs off-campus living went on for ages until I gave up and opted for university housing. The rooms are allotted according to lottery results, (and I did not get through in the first round.OUCH!), and then you start looking for room-mates. If you are too lazy to find one, UCLA matches room-mates randomly. I will share my 2/2 apartment with an Economics PhD candidate. How ‘bout that!!!

3. Facing the family: If you have any idea about Indian families you would know about the Bollywood-style emotional stockpile any parent possesses. No actually they are like the Zeus waiting to use his ultimate weapon. I am pretty sure the time has come when my family will say...

The Gift of Taking Time

Quick Prelude:

What a two years it has been! It's a pleasure to be back on the UCLA Anderson blog, sharing my experiences as a bookend to my blogging days from summer 2013. I look forward to staying connecting over the next year as a I track my progress as an Anderson alumni in year one (now officially a #doubleBruin!).

#

When I accepted my offer from Deloitte Consulting last year, I considered all three start date options. July seemed awfully early, with just over one month’s rest between school and work. September would give me an entire summer off to rest and travel. The other option was quite far away - February.

But when in my life would I ever again be able to take off so many months, with relatively few responsibilities and a supportive partner with a stable career, and know I had a secure, well-paying job at the end? Maybe never. So, I asked to start in February.

Reactions from classmates range from Are you crazy? to What are you going to do with that time? Most alumni think I am genius. That is SUCH a good idea. Or, Why didn’t I do that?

Originally, I chose the latest date to give my fiancé and I more flexibility to have our wedding in the months after graduation. Yet, beyond that, the decision was fairly simple. The opportunity to take a seven month sabbatical was a gift I had to accept. My time in business school was purposefully intense. Perhaps my biggest talent is keeping busy (closely followed by saying “yes” and making to-do lists). I knew that if I gave myself permission to pause after graduation, I would challenge myself even more up to that point. Rather than succumbing to senioritis, I would sprint to the finish line.

My last two quarters at Anderson, I built some of my closest relationships, excelled academically while unnecessarily overloading my class schedule, and made significant impact on the UCLA and Anderson communities through my student leadership positions. I made a difference. I learned more. I liked school more. I was happier because I pushed myself.

I also decided to wait until February because I knew the importance of taking time. Since graduation, I have invested in my physical, mental and emotional health. I have taken the time to process my business school journey and contemplate my goals today and my steps for tomorrow - with friends, family and in my head. In the long-run, my time as an MBA student will be better spent for the opportunity I have to understand what I’ve learned, how I’ve changed and where I hope to go next.

I am often asked how I am filling that time. In addition to joining several nonprofit boards, I have been doing other volunteer work, and am working to start my own small social enterprise. I attended a leadership summit for LGBT leaders in New York. I have caught up with many friends, caught up on a bit of television I skipped over the past two years, re-organized my physical and digital life, and have been giving myself permission to focus on me. My partner and I spent several weeks traveling, with another trip on the horizon. Oh, yes, and it’s finally time to plan that wedding after a two-year engagement.

I have many more plans - some big, some small. Projects, favors, and catch-ups with friends, and a map for self improvement. I am keeping an open mind to opportunities that may arise over the next few months. And I accept already that after seven months, there will still be more that I wanted to do.

Yet, when I begin at Deloitte in February, not only will I have the tools I need to succeed from the two incredible years I spent at UCLA Anderson, I will be ready. Ready to go back to work. Ready for the intensity that management consulting brings. Ready to start the next chapter.

Until then, I am taking my time.

First Impressions of LA

Finally- the first blog post actually from Westwood! We arrived late Sunday night and spent this week getting settled in to our apartment (ie. building hordes of IKEA furniture). Here are some of my first impressions of LA: 

Anderson people KNOW their social media:

Before I came to LA, I thought I was hip to the tech scene because I used Google Drive. How foolish and naive of me! I can barely count all the different ways Anderson 2017 people communicate, socialize, and organize events with one another: GroupMe, Slack, WhatsApp, Facebook groups (probably missing a couple other platforms here). Section assignments and fall class schedules were released late this afternoon via email and within seconds the Anderson 2017 GroupMe was blowing up my phone with classmates announcing their sections and talking trash about the best section (clearly Section B- so step off, Jordan Stone from Section E whoever you are). 

Take advantage of the days before orientation starts:

Before we continue any further, let me just say that I'm an introvert. I spent the majority of my undergrad freshman orientation week squirreled away in my dorm room with the shades drawn playing online poker. And not going to lie- I enjoyed it thoroughly.

But honestly, any academic on-campus experience is at its essence about the people you meet and the relationships you build. Not taking the time to get to know my neighbors, classmates, and hallmates really set me back a ton in me getting the full college experience, and I was determined not to repeat my mistakes this time around for business school. The days and weeks before Anderson orientation starts provide ample opportunity to get to know your classmates. I would hardly say I'm a social butterfly, but I'm planning on attending / have attended a social Anderson event each day since I finished setting up IKEA furniture:

- meeting up with a group of 6-7 Anderson people at Philly West for a beer Wednesday night

- spending today at Six Flags with a group of 15 classmates and significant others and then getting ramen on Sawtelle Boulevard. Thanks Angela for organizing such a great trip and to Sicong for driving! We all learned that Andry has the ultimate selfie stick (ask him when you meet him) and that Ean and Natasha know a thing or two about cross-continental road trips. Check out this group of photogenic characters to the right at the end of a long day of riding roller coasters (also happy birthday Lucia!):

- going hiking at Sandstone Peak for an Anderson pre-orientation day trip on Saturday

- heading to Qs on Wilshere Saturday night for a meet-and-greet with more Anderson 2017 people

Indeed, if there's one thing you learn as a teacher (or any professional job for that matter), it's that a vast amount of your effectiveness as a professional depends on your ability to make and sustain meaningful relationships with the network of people around you.

The middle of America is absolutely underrated: 

We traveled through Nebraska, Iowa, and Utah on the way to California, and all three states feature breathtaking landscapes and the nicest people you will ever meet:

Looking at Ghost Rock at a rest stop in Utah. I mean seriously, this is the view from a rest stop. Imagine what it's like in a national park!

A rain shower and partial dust storm in Nebraska.

LA drivers are just as crazy as their NYC and Massachusetts counterparts:

Only with less honking. But with an equal disdain for turn signals- there, I said it.

Navigating the admissions process by failing fast

With the admission process in full swing I wanted to take a break from my usual "Why Anderson" posts and help out Anderson hopefuls. 

Planning for success seems sequential but as I recently learnt after reading the "Startup of you" that is not always true. To achieve success in our new chaotic, interconnected and increasingly competitive landscape we need to constantly evolve. Entrepreneurs have learnt this lesson the hard way and have become increasingly aware of the what-if scenarios. The What-if scenarios force you to focus on your shortcomings and prevent you from indulging in wishful thinking. 

As you navigate the admissions process embrace the new adage - "Fail fast and fail often". If you have started the process it's imperative to get a lot of feedback at this juncture so that you have a strong foundation to build upon. Start off with an initial draft of all your essays and get as many eyes on it as you can as opposed to waiting towards the end. Get your colleagues, friends and family to review your half-baked essays and keep making iterative changes. 

Use the online resume tool Vmock to upload your resume to ensure it's upto the mark. Quantify your accomplishments and showcase the results of your work. Find resume books of students at b-schools and model your resume on the acceptable format. Recommendations are another critical component that need be tackled early on. Connect with your recommenders and remind them again of your accomplishments, career growth and leadership potential before they put pen to paper. Send your recommenders a short summary of your successes, and even failures, so that they can portray you as accurately as is possible.

As a software tester I learnt the art of exploratory testing - explore a system, analyze results and create a plan of attack based on information gleaned. In a similar vein, the MBA process needs to be structured and explored because your time is finite and in order to get the best ROI on your effort it's important to address the areas that need the most improvement.

Best of luck!

This Is The App You're Looking For

Fun fact: I actually became a "fake FEMBA" and started my full-time job at Disney before I graduated.

Although it was hard balancing both work and school (I don't know how FEMBAs do it!), I couldn't pass up my dream job.

So what do I do?  My job title is Marketing and Operations Manager and I work within Disney Interactive Media.  Disney Interactive Media provides Disney fans with new ways to experience their favorite stories and characters through various digital platforms.  Currently, my main responsibilities include managing the Disney, Star Wars and Babble brand guides, marketing efforts for DI Media's suite of mobile apps and our team's budget and analytics

Recently, I've helped launch two new apps- Disney GIF and the official Star Wars App.  App launches are always one of the most exhilarating experiences- you work behind the scenes to put everything together and it's thrilling once the product is in someone's hands and you're able to see their responses to it.  And, both of these apps are so different that each had it's own set of quirks and learnings.

Disney GIF:

Disney GIF is a messaging keyboard that allows people to express their emotions in a whole new way and send GIFs to their friends and family.  This app is constantly adding more content and it has a wide range of IP including Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.  I work very closely with mobile product, content programming, and synergy for this app to make sure everyone is in sync and on the same page.

Star Wars App:

The official mobile connection to a galaxy far, far way.  This app not only has the latest news and a slew of other features, but it also has a selfie experience and my personal favorite, Star Wars emojis. I  work really closely with the LucasFilm team on this app, and it's only going to get more interesting closer to the release of the next Star Wars movie in December.

So, there it is- a look at what I do.  I'm having a lot of fun at Disney, and bonus- there are a ton of Anderson alumni here!

 

 

Finding the Pyramid of Success in South Bend

I'm writing this blog post from South Bend, Indiana, a few miles away from the University of Notre Dame campus. We started out in Boston Saturday morning on our cross-country road trip to LAand have been averaging about 450 miles a day. So far the Honda Civic has been holding up surprisingly well, even loaded full of suitcases and clothes. Apart from driving, audiobooks, iPod shuffle playlists, and lots of Starbucks coffee, here's what the first two days of my trip has looked like so far:

Watching the Anderson pre-orientation Accounting modules: the Parker Career Management Center has provided all incoming 1st year MBA students with a pretty helpful primer on basic accounting concepts and financial statements. They are self-paced and include self-evaluations every few days, as well as a PDF workbook to follow along with Professor Henry Friedman's video instruction. 'So far, I've only got to Day 3 out of 10 of the videos, but they've been extremely helpful for someone coming from a non-traditional background with very little exposure to finance/accounting. 

Getting the keys to our new apartment(!): in relatively convoluted fashion, we finally got our apartment keys when we met up with our landlord at a Dunkin Donuts in New Jersey, where she had just finished helping move her daughter into college. Our landlord and her husband are definitely very old-school, "people-centric" property managers- they wanted to meet in person to sign the lease and even walked into UCLA Anderson's financial aid office to confirm with Ji Choi, Anderon's Director of Financial Aid, that I was indeed an incoming MBA student. Biggest takeaway from looking for an LA apartment when you cannot physically be in the city until close to September (like me):

- start early and be patient: the process will likely take longer and be more complicated for you than for people who have the luxury of physically visiting the apartments and meeting the landlord in person beforehand. You have to take into consideration the time it'll take to mail checks, scan applications and documents, etc.

- call, don't just email, and name drop: as with most people, LA property managers seem much easier to get ahold of if you pick up the phone and actually call rather than simply copy and paste emailing a generic template message. Also, the Anderson name carries some weight- it definitely helps boost your credibility as an applicant, so find a way to casually (or maybe not) drop the name of the business school you happen to be attending. 

Finding UCLA is everywhere:  Since we're on the road for a majority of the day, I've been making it a point to find basketball courts at every stop we make to stretch out, get some shots up, and play some pickup. If you're a college basketball fan, you'll know about John Wooden, the legendary UCLA coach who won 10 national championships in the 60s and 70s. His "Pyramid of Success" is frequently used in coaching, education, and business, and was the first thing I saw when I walked onto the South Bend YMCA gym. Not a huge deal, but a pleasant reminder for me that I am not only joining a group of future business leaders when we arrive on campus at Anderson, but also a larger global UCLA community that is at the forefront of not just business, but medicine, education, athletics, and so much more. 

 

8 Days and Counting

...before the big move to Los Angeles! Hard to believe that it’s been nearly a year since I started preparing for the GMAT, and over 4 months since that fateful R2 admit call. Anderson-related TTDs have been piling up as the Class of 2017 gets closer to Orientation... and by the looks of it, things are only gonna get crazier!

So how has Anderson kept me busy lately?

• International Preps: Being an international student adds an extra layer of moving-out stress and logistical errands--luggage, apartments, banking and phone plans, etc. First order of business after submitting my SIR to UCLA was to sort out all visa and finance-related documents. I secured my F-1 visa early in June thanks to Anderson and UCLA's Dashew Center for International Students & Scholars (DCISS). Both have been a constant presence in my inbox throughout summer with international programming updates (DCISS) and pre-departure career preps (MBA Student Affairs), among other helpful content. Students on a visa are required to take UCLA's iStart Program which is a series of online modules designed to help us transition to life in the US. Topics covered are: academic integrity, culture shock, visa workshop, and getting started in LA & UCLA. In addition to school/web resources, I found that talking to fellow international students and 2nd years has been most helpful in navigating this complex pre-MBA stage. Currently, there's even a group of us looking to set-up a family phone plan to get better deals!

DCISS' online iStart program has informational modules for international students transitioning to UCLA.