I worked at an economic consulting firm prior to starting my MBA at Darden and was already interested in moving into management consulting. I want to apply my data analytics skills to solve strategic business issues. When I heard about the Emerging Scholars program, I knew it would be the perfect chance to understand the industry, explore the work, and learn about McKinsey’s culture.
Through the program, I connected with McKinsey consultants who share my interests in retail and data analytics. I met several colleagues who also went to Darden. They helped me think through which office to join, put me in touch with people, connected me to the Equal at McKinsey (LGBTQ+ at McKinsey) network, and gave me valuable feedback on my practice cases for interviews. Thanks to their guidance and support, I received an offer to intern in the Boston office this summer. I can’t wait!
I also built strong relationships with other Emerging Scholars. I met most of them in person during the summer event in Chicago. We worked through a real study with helpfrom McKinsey consultants. We brainstormed ways to improve the design of and reduce the costs for a technology product in the public health space. We saw firsthand how consultants structure complex problems – building, testing and revising hypotheses. It was challenging, and we had a blast. Since then, we have kept in touch throughout our first year as MBA students. We have supported and celebrated each other’s achievements during the arduous MBA recruiting process.
In my free time I enjoy Zumba classes which help me relive my prior life as a competitive ballroom dancer. I am an avid competitive Pokémon video game player and I use Pokémon Go as motivation to walk around and explore new cities.