Finding an unexpected path

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This time last year, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. True millennial, right? Born and raised in Chicago, I went to the University of Chicago intending to study medicine. Soon after I started, I got involved with political institutions on campus and switched my major to Economics and Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies. Consulting was never on my radar. I planned to pursue graduate studies in political science or work in the public sector.

Afreen 3
Afreen 3

On a whim, I attended McKinsey’s Go Global reception last year. And, I knew I’d found my place. Everyone I met was incredibly smart and accomplished, and what surprised me the most was their genuine interest in getting to know the people they were recruiting.

I remember sitting with people from McKinsey’s Casablanca office and talking about the community organizing work I did with Muslim women from Chicago. We discussed differences in civic engagement in the U.S. and Morocco. I wanted to work with people who were informed and excited about a broad range of topics, so during my fourth year in school, I applied to become a business analyst.

I found a perfect fit with McKinsey’s Middle East office. I decided to move to Dubai to leverage my cultural background and language skills with a public sector focus. I’m excited to join the team this year, and I hope my time at McKinsey will introduce me to new ways of thinking and learning about the world around me.

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