Jackie Colorado

What does Tepper stand for?

It's exactly 3 months until graduation and I can't believe how quickly time has passed.  I began to think back on how and why I started this MBA journey.  It started back in 2004 when I had a conversation with a fellow UT alum.  He told me he was starting MBA school in the fall and how exciting it was going to be.  At that time, I had dreams of going to MBA school but figure it was either too expensive or too time consuming.   From that conversation, I realize my dream was possible and not hard to reach, but it would take self discipline and work.  Self discipline came in when studying for the GMAT.  Hard work came in when looking for the "right" MBA program.  Why is it hard work?  There are hundreds of MBA programs out there.  How does one know which one is the "right" one?  This is a challenging question but my advice is to talk to as many current MBA students as possible (especially at the schools you are interested in). 

It's really easy to get sucked into the Business Week or Wall Street Journal rankings.   The truth is the rankings really don't mean much.  I know its hard to believe that when someone from a top ranked school says that, but my MBA experience has shown me anyone who invests time and work will eventually get what they want out of their MBA experience.  Yes, some recruiters may recruit at certain schools but even then I know plenty of students that have found internships and jobs from top notch companies that never been to Tepper.

Try to figure out what b-school characteristics are important to you and which one really matters.  For myself, it was important to be part of a school that really takes pride in its program and genuinely cares about the student's needs.  I made my final decision when I visited Tepper during Welcome Weekend and interacted with the students.  Not all b-schools are made equally, but why should they be when you have thousands of individuals with different needs and goals.  Two years later with graduation right around the corner, I'm still proud and ecstatic to be part of this school. 

The Wizard of Oz Effect

Understanding Intellectual Capital (IC) is one thing, but actually managing it and/or measuring it is another.  In today's world, we hear of the types of brain-powered businesses (e.g. software, investment banking, professional firms, telecommunications, and health care).  It wasn't until I came to Tepper that I realized I would be referred to as a "gold-collar" employee. 

Being an analytical thinker is not new to me.  Within my six years of work experience (as a consultant and systems analyst), there were many times I had to use my analytical skills to solve problems on a daily basis.  But after my first year at Tepper, I realize there were many ways of approaching a problem and solving it.  The difference between my IC before MBA school and after is that the problems I will face after graduation will be much more difficult and holistic in nature.

I recently accepted my offer to be a consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers.  As a consultant, I will be faced with client's ambiguity business problems.  I am confident that the preparation I've received at Tepper will allow me to apply a framework to manage the complexity of these problems.   

Defining the Tepper Community

Talking with other MBAers, there is one thing we all have in common.  We all can somehow define our school's community and feel pretty proud of it.  Tepper is no exception.  We are a small school and with that comes the good and the bad.  Good --> you will know almost everyone in your class and develop a tight groups of friends.  Bad --> at times you might get tired of seeing the same people (especially in high stress times) and need a change of scenery.  We can do something about the bad though...disappear from school for a couple of days. 

Most of my classmates will agree that the first 2 minis you spend at this school is entirely with your class.  Before you know it, you are working on many projects late at night together, collaborating on how you should prepare for the midterms and finals (because there are lots of them the first 2 minis), and hanging out with the same people you just spend all week with at pub crawl.  Granted, some classmates will disappear over the weekend to take a break, but for the most part, we live in a bubble the first year at Tepper.  This is the time when bonding (or fighting) will occur. 

What's really special about Tepper is that everyone is very different and you will probably come across someone that you never have meant in your entire life.  Everyone brings a unique characteristic to our class personality, which I think defines our community.  So just remember when you are wondering why the professors are giving you so much work.. its to let you bond with your classmates!    

Confidence goes a long way

This week I am facing 4 interviews, my final board meeting, a huge wine event and a class presentation.   It's been 7 months since my last interview and I'm surprise that I'm not a nervous wreck right now.  Many people believe that something magically happens over the summer after their internship but I truly believe every classmate has the confidence instilled in them from Day 1.  Day by day, class by class, and interview by interview another layer of confidence is added to our beings.  I don't want to get philosophical but its amazing how my outlook on classes and interviewing differs from a year ago. 

During last year's Mini 1 & 2, I remember thinking there was no way I was going to remember all of these concepts from class.  7 weeks go by fast especially when you have 5 midterms and/or finals to study for.  It wasn't until my internship and "Game" that it all came together and my mind just clicked.  Wow, this is what happens when you merge economics, statistics, finance, and strategy together.  Just understanding how everything comes together and being able to apply it is probably the biggest boost of confidence I've felt this year.  I look forward to utilizing some of my knowledge in my interviews.  I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

Career Check-up

Before attending Tepper, I haven't sat in a classroom for more than 5 years.  Adjusting back to a student life has probably been the most significant adjustment.  My background consists of a BBA degree with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS) from the University of Texas at Austin.  After completing my bachelor’s degree, I began work as a consultant for MGT of America. In this role, I worked with a variety of public sector clients and experienced first-hand the intensity of consulting work as well as the importance of teamwork and knowledge-sharing within this industry.  Although I learned a great deal about consulting and the public sector industry, I wanted to seek out a greater role in IT development and needed more experience and education to be in a project manager position. After evaluating my options, I decided to work for The University of Texas at Austin’s competitive ITS Program.  I took part in in-depth training on the design, coding, and implementation of interactive information systems and successfully took on a system analyst role within the College of Engineering.

While my consulting and IT development experience has been invaluable to my growth and development as a professional, I wanted to be better prepared when confronted with broader strategic issues faced by senior level managers. I felt that getting my MBA at Tepper was the first step.  To add value to my MBA, I decided to participate in the new Technology Leadership track.  This track has introduced me to key management concepts and the strategic role of information technology in changing business environments.   Over the summer, I worked at Bristol Myers Squibb.  My project was to assist on a Finance IT strategy plan.  Not only was this project interesting , it fit right in with my career goals.   In the future, I know that I want to take on a client facing role betweeen business units and IT groups.  There is added value in understand how technology fits within a company's strategy and there is a need for people to understand the two.