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The Emerging Scholars program is accepting applications from now until May 17. If you’re starting business school in the US this fall, don't miss this opportunity to get a McKinsey Mentor, build a peer network, and receive a financial stipend.
It always comes down to relationships. My friendship with David is one of the strongest I’ve developed during my time at Booth School of Business, and he is the primary reason I’m joining McKinsey’s Chicago office this fall.
I met David during the Emerging Scholars weekend in Chicago during the summer of 2016. He’s an engagement manager in the office, and he was my McKinsey Mentor. We hit it off immediately, talking about our love for the city.
David was a vital part of my recruiting experience. From the get go, he walked me through what to expect and how to prepare. In the fall, he helped me think through my recruiting strategy, navigate the millions of networking events with firms on campus, and practice for my interviews. He helped me connect with people at McKinsey and other firms of interest to me. More than anything, he was always available as a friend. He readily hopped on the phone when I needed help.
When I came to McKinsey last summer for my internship, David helped me succeed. He answered my questions about life as a new associate – what engagement to take, how to get good at Tableau quickly, and more. Most importantly, he introduced me to others who shared my interests and coached me to view those relationships beyond the short–terms asks for staffing and more as opportunities for long–term friendships. Through David, I met Bryony, a senior partner who’s doing a ton of meaningful work in the public sector, and Andres, a partner who focuses on industrial clients. Andres,in particular, is a friend now; nearly every time we see each other, we grab ping pong rackets and talk about staffing, career goals, learning and development, and life in general while we bat the ball back and forth.
I’m excited to rejoin McKinsey full time this fall because it will feel like coming home. I already know so many people in the office, thanks to David. I know they will help me to get off to a successful and fun start.
More about MohamadOutside of school and work, I love playing basketball, and I volunteer coaching four teams at a local private school.
I enjoy the outdoors and go on multiple hiking and mountain biking trips every year. I try to visit at least three State and National Parks along the way.
I read a lot – usually 40–50 books a year – and run a monthly book club for my friends in Chicago. I also keep a stash of board games in the trunk of my car. They come in handy more than you'd think – at parties, in between classes, and during the regular groups I play with weekly.
At Booth, I am one of the co–chairs of the Management Consulting Group on campus.