Georgetown McDonough School of Business

Offering unparalleled access to the world's business, policy and thought leaders.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Spotted: Calvin Das (B’20), who told us about his global background and why he's ordering 1,000 pizzas for his theology midterm.

Where are you from?

I was born to two Indian parents in Australia, where I was born and raised. I lived there for 13 years, and then I moved to Dubai, and I lived there for 5 years. I consider those all valid parts of my identity.

What do you like best about Washington, D.C.?

I actually hadn’t been to D.C. before I came to Georgetown. But it’s just as international and diverse as I’m used to, and I’m really happy about that.

What brings you to Hariri today?

I am currently working on a project — for my Problem of God theology midterm — where I am trying to order 1,000 pizzas, so I can get 1,000 extra free pizzas for people who are homeless. Everyone pitches in and gets one pizza, and for every pizza that we buy, someone who is homeless also gets a pizza. We’re trying to reach our goal.

If you found $10 million in a suitcase, what would you do with the money?Well I’d pay my tuition… then I would get a room in the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the best suite that I could get for $10 million, and I would just relax.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

We recently talked to Noobstaa Philip Vang (MBA ’16) about his meal delivery startup and what competition brought him back to his alma mater.

Where are you from?

What brings you to the Hariri Building today?

I’m here for the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC). Georgetown hosts the regional competition every year, through the Startup Hoyas program. The competition judges actually act as a venture capital firm, ask us questions, and look at our company as a potential investment. And so they judge our performance and make an evaluation. I came back as one of the startups that they’re evaluating.

What’s your startup?

My startup is called Foodhini. We’re an online restaurant. We serve multicultural meals, and we work with refugee chefs to help them sell their cultural foods directly to customers. We’re also a social enterprise because we care about creating opportunities and living wages for our immigrant and refugee communities, that’s our mission.

Are you based in D.C.?

Yeah we’re based in D.C., we operate here, and we’re doing deliveries Monday-Thursdays. You can order online on our website, foodhini.com, and right now we’re actually featuring a Syrian refugee chef. She’s an amazing cook and has an amazing story, and a lot of people have gravitated toward her food and her story.

If you found $10 million in a suitcase, what would you do with the money?

I would give part of it to my family, to my parents, to help them. And then I would invest some, donate some to charity, and whatever is leftover, I’d invest it in Foodhini.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Jason Brennan, the Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Associate Professor of Ethics at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, defends mandatory, government-enforced vaccination. Brennan argues people who refuse vaccinations violate what he deems the “clean hands principle,” showing anti-vaxxers are wrongfully imposing undue harm upon others. We asked about his new paper, “A Libertarian Case for Mandatory Vaccination,” which will soon publish in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

What do you hope people take away from your research?

The argument for mandatory vaccinations is not that we can demand people hurt themselves in order to help us. Asking for mandatory vaccinations is not like asking for mandatory national service. Instead, it is that the rest of us have a right to be protected from the unfair risks that the unvaccinated impose upon us.

Is there anything a reader would find surprising about your paper?

Even if we start with extremely libertarian assumptions, it is still possible to justify mandatory vaccinations. The argument does not depend upon the assumption that the interests of society trumps individual rights.

What are the social or moral implications when it comes to the anti-vaccination debate, and how might your paper offer solutions or continue the conversation?

Most of the arguments made in public for mandatory vaccination push the line that we may override individuals’ autonomy over their own bodies in order to help reduce disease. It is an anti-liberal way of thinking. My argument is meant to show, instead, that the unvaccinated are properly seen as violating others’ rights.

Read more: http://msb.georgetown.edu/newsroom/news/mandatory-government-enforced-vaccinations-are-crucial-avoid-disaster

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we caught up with Alec and Alex from the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program, currently attending from Bahrain. Using a blended learning format, students can attend MSF Live sessions in the Hariri Building or from anywhere in the world. 

Learn More about the program here: http://msbonline.georgetown.edu/

Alec Emmert

What are some of the benefits of the MSF program for you? How do you MSF?

I work as a management consultant for my company's international branch, so I am constantly on the road. I recently took on a client in Saudi Arabia, so that has required a high degree of flexibility in my schedule. The MSF program is perfect for me because it gives me the opportunity to complete a degree that ties directly into my field with no disruption or negative impact to my work schedule. I have attended class in person and online in three different states and two foreign countries. This flexibility, coupled with Georgetown's international reputation, make MSF an incredible opportunity for me to further my education.

What's the most interesting thing you've learned in the MSF program so far?

Honestly, I had no idea the extent to which corporations and individuals could leverage losses and depreciation to retain profits in a given year.  

Where are you from?

Washington, D.C.

What do you do for a living?

Management consulting

What do you plan to do with your degree?

Continue to advance within my company and potentially combine it with my international work experience to further a career in the international arena

If you could start a business, what would it be?

I would love to start a socially conscious non-profit that breaks down social barriers and helps marginalized groups within a community.   ____________________________________________

Alex Akar

What are some of the benefits of the MSF Program for you? How do you MSF?  

MSF gives me the flexibility to excel in my career and pursue higher education without putting either on hold. The program provides real-life examples of complex financial problems that arise in everyday business operations and gives training and guidance on how to best approach and resolve those problems. I primarily participate in MSF online, as I work in multiple overseas locations, however, I have had the opportunity to attend a live session in Washington, D.C. During the course of the program, I've attended MSF remotely from Dubai, Bahrain, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States.

What's the most interesting thing you've learned in the MSF Program so far?

The most important thing that has been reconfirmed through the MSF program is that as a financial manager, you can develop strategies on how the firm rewards investors, re-leverages itself, raises capital, compensates employees, structures timing of cash-flows, and displays earnings, but the main focus needs to be on long-term value creation. If you do that, the rest will fall into place.

Where are you from?

Florida

What do you do for a living?

Financial manager at a multinational dredging company

What do you plan to do with your degree?

No final plans yet, just trying to make it to graduation

If you could start a business, what would it be?

An investment firm. Seeking lucrative investment opportunities, whether in the markets, real estate, or start-up communities requires you to constantly challenge yourself and progressively develop new strategies and solutions.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

In honor of Veteran’s Day tomorrow, we’ve spotted Curtis Fox, a first-year MBA student and a five-year veteran of the United States Army. Curtis is on campus doing some last-minute reviewing for his finance quiz later today. A member of the Finance Club and Graduate Investment Fund, Curtis is pursuing a career in finance working in the mutual funds industry. Prior to Georgetown McDonough, Curtis was living in Colorado, where he was last stationed. Curtis’ career with the Army has enabled him to learn Russian, work inside multiple U.S. embassies, and spend two deployments in Africa. He says one of his favorite aspects of the experience was getting paid to hike the Colorado Rockies.

At McDonough, Curtis thanks his Army background for allowing him to manage stress effectively and to engage others respectfully. In his free time, Curtis teaches a youth group at a high school in Arlington.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we interviewed Matt Harb (MBA ’17) @mcharb13 about his startup, CoyoTea, and his experience living in D.C.

What brings you to Hariri today?

I just finished a meeting with my cofounders and classmates. Our product is called CoyoTea, an all-natural, cold-brewed tea promoting sleep. A few MBA ’17s and I began the company and so far, the process has been great!

Next I have a Regression Analysis class. And finally, as social chair for the Graduate Consulting Club, I have about $400 worth of pizzas coming in about 45 mins for KEGS.

What’s KEGS?

KEGS takes place every Thursday afternoon in Connelly Commons. A different organization hosts every week, and we serve beer and pizza. It’s always a good time.

How many people usually attend?

There’s usually about 150 people, both inside and outside. We have games like cornhole outside. It’s fun! But you have to be 21 or over since IDs get checked at the door.

Where are you from?

New York City originally. I came to D.C. for business school.

How do you like D.C. so far?

It’s been really nice! It’s been great to step away from the working world for a bit, although it’s very different returning to the campus environment in my mid- to late 20s. However, everyone is far more mature than during undergrad years, so I like that.

What’s your favorite TV show?

I just finished watching Stranger Things on Netflix and The Night Of on HBO. Stranger Things is creepy and dark, with a retro theme and soundtrack to 80s music. It’s pretty cool if you’re into that. I thought it was good. Definitely check out The Night Of, too.

What would you do with a million dollars?

Only a million dollars? I would definitely give a portion of it to my family. About 20%. Then I’d take another 200K and have fun with it. Then the remainder I’d put into investing in a real estate project with my friends or I’d put it in an ETF.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Faculty Q&A: Managerial Over-Optimism

In today’s Q&A, Professor Gilles Hilary, Houston Term Professor of Accounting, discusses his research on the benefits of managerial over-optimism: 

1. What is the difference between over-optimism and over confidence?

Over-optimism is the notion that things will go well, that our chances of winning the lottery are high and our risk of getting cancer is low.  In contrast, over-confidence is related to the notion that our skills (or our knowledge) are better than they really are: we drive better than most people, we can accurately predict Apple stock price a year from now or we know better than listening to the so-called experts before making a decision.

2. How do firms benefit from managerial over-optimism?

Our findings suggest that efforts and optimism move together.  Once we are convinced that we discovered a winning recipe, we work hard at making it perfect.  At least, this is what we find for executives.  Once they are convinced that their recent successes are due to their own actions and thus will persist, they work harder and obtain better results than they would have without this illusion.

3. What kind of managers often experience over-optimism bias?

To some extent, over-optimism affects all of us. However, our research indicates that when the environment is more complex and harder to understand, executives are more subject to over-confidence and over-optimism.  As they get more experienced, they become better calibrated and are less subject to over-optimism.

4. Why is over-optimism unsustainable?

Facts are stubborn things. After a while, two things tend to happen. First, people understand to a greater extend the consequences of their actions and have more accurate expectations.  Second, over long periods, exceptional successes revert to a more normal performance level or even turn into failures.  People sober up and lose their over-optimism.  Until the next lucky streak arrives, of-course. Then, it is deja vu all over again.

To learn more about his research, visit http://msb.georgetown.edu/newsroom/news/benefit-seeing-brightside.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Spotted: Sirena Laguana (MBA ’18)

This week we spotted Sirena Laguana (MBA ’18), who told us how D.C. compares to L.A. and taught us how to say a common phrase in Japanese.

What brings you to Hariri today? I’m at school today for my last accounting and stats class of Mod 1 before midterms this week.

What program are you in? I'm pursuing an MBA with an emphasis on entrepreneurship.

What do you plan to do with your degree? I want to start my own business upon graduating. I'm hoping to meet my future business partner or establish meaningful connections while at business school, as well as develop the skills necessary to successfully run my own company.

How have you enjoyed your time at Georgetown? I've really enjoyed it! Coming from L.A., everything about D.C. is so new to me, including the social norms of the East Coast. People here are very different from L.A., but it's been awesome to be surrounded by such a diverse and impressive class. I feel like I'm always learning something new from my classmates. It's such a collaborative culture and one I wouldn't necessarily get at another program.

What do you like about D.C.? D.C. in general is a really cool city. I'm a huge foodie and wasn't expecting there to be much of a food scene here, but I have been pleasantly surprised! I still think it's so cool that we can just go to the monuments on a random Tuesday afternoon. With Georgetown in particular, I love the quaintness of the cobblestone streets and colored duplex houses. It feels like I'm in Europe, which is never a bad thing.

Do you have anything that you can teach our readers in five minutes? I took Japanese growing up. Though I wouldn't say I am fluent, I can teach you how to say your name in Japanese. "Watashi wa, _________ desu.”

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we interviewed Chris Musser (MBA ’18) about being in Hariri and his experience at Georgetown McDonough thus far.

What brings you to Hariri today?

Today I am in Hariri to go to a couple of classes. I’m also meeting for a bunch of projects with my group, and I’m meeting with a potential employer!

What’s the project regarding?

The project is a marketing case analysis, called the MetaBical Case. It’s a staple of a lot of business schools, and we have a big buzz about it as well. We’re finishing up the slide deck, and finishing up possibly today.

What do you plan on doing with your degree?

My initial thought coming into business school was to be a social entrepreneur immediately. Since coming here, I’ve heard a lot about consulting, and have been intrigued by it and investigated it some more — which is part of what I’m doing in about five minutes; meeting with a potential employer. My aim right now [in the short term] is to go into consulting, maybe for two to five years to learn some of the harder skills I’ll need to be a successful entrepreneur. And then in the mid to long term, I’ll probably go into social entrepreneurship, either starting a business that would be benefitting the community and making a profit, or joining someone else doing that.

Are you a part of StartupHoyas?

No, but a lot of my friends are and I interact with them a lot, and I will be joining the club next year. It’s a good atmosphere to be thinking through some new ideas.

How have you enjoyed your time here at Georgetown?

I’ve been here about three months. We had our little “pre-term” as we call it, and that was unbelievable — tons of work obviously, but the content was fascinating. I tell my friends and family that my only wish was that there were more hours in a day to do more finance. It’s bizarre because I’m not a numbers guy, and in undergrad I was the guy that would do the minimum required, but here I’m seeing the relevance of classes to real world life, to things I’ve done in the past, to things I’ll be doing. They’re speaking the same language and I’m learning the language of business. So I’m just absorbing it all, trying to balance the classic career search versus getting good grades, versus just raw learning, versus having a social life, and so on. It has been absolutely stunning, and I couldn’t ask for more.

Where are you from?

I’m from France originally. I was born and raised over there and spent 17 years there. I was born in Montpellier, and moved to Lyon when I was 14, spent three more years there, and came here when I was 17. I’ve been here in the U.S. for about seven years. I went to undergrad, worked for a few years, and came here to D.C. for only about three months.

How do you like DC?

D.C. is the shining star of my aspirations. I’ve always wanted to be in D.C., I would come here for trips or tours, and I would see these people in suits that were important and doing things that mattered, and I thought “I want to be there some day.” So when it came to choosing a business school, it was a no-brainer, D.C. was the place. And I just love being in an environment in the middle of the politics and business — federal consulting is a huge interest of mine because of that. So I could not ask for a better school or a better location.

If you found $10 million in a suitcase, what would you do with the money?

I would go to my finance professor and say, “Dr. Pinkowitz, if you found $10 million in a suitcase, what would you do?” I’d probably invest some of it, just for the future, but mostly I would be interested in taking a risk with it. I’m a fairly non-risk averse person, so I would probably go ahead and invest it in a startup, or in a friend, or in the stock market that would potentially produce some serious returns.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Faculty Q&A: Corporate Governance

In today’s Q&A, Professors Reena Aggarwal, Jason Schloetzer, and Rohan Williamson discuss their research on regulation and corporate governance:

1. According to the study, are government mandates on corporate governance an effective way to raise the value of poorly governed firms?

We find that the handful of corporate governance mandates imposed on US-listed firms nearly a decade ago indeed had a favorable impact on the value of those firms that were forced to comply. While it’s certainly not the case the regulators always know best, in this particular instance, corporate governance regulation has had a positive impact on shareholder value.

2. Why does the value-gap persist in poorly governed firms?

We show the value-gap relates to the continued presence of boardroom practices that are widely-viewed as being less friendly to shareholders.

3. What do you hope policymakers in other countries take away from your research when debating the enactment of corporate governance mandates?

From a policy perspective, one useful insight is that boards most impacted by these mandates appear to achieve regulatory compliance but do little else to improve their governance culture. The old adage applies to governance regulation—Don’t regulate A and also hope for B…A is all you’ll get.

4. Is there anything that surprised you as you conducted this research?

I was surprised that nearly 30% of firms were not compliant with the corporate governance regulations when they were first put into place. I had expected far fewer boardrooms would be affected by the new rules.

To learn more about their research, visit: http://msb.georgetown.edu/newsroom/news/value-regulating-corporate-governance.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we interviewed Riyadad Ullah (MBA ’17) from Bangladesh about being in Hariri and his experience at Georgetown McDonough thus far.

What brought you to Hariri today?

I’m prepping for interviews and classes. I have a class later today -- Understanding Entrepreneurship with Jeff Reid.

So you’ve taken a few classes already?

Yeah, I’m a second year student, so I took all of my core classes last year.

Do you have any cool entrepreneurship ideas in that class?

I was an entrepreneur before I came to Georgetown. I ran my own startup for three years. After I graduate I want to be a writer, so that’s the closest I guess to entrepreneurship. I want to write science fiction, but that’s years down the road.

How have you enjoyed Georgetown so far?

I love it. I haven’t been as active in the clubs as I want to be, but in terms of just meeting students that are interesting people that I connect with, it’s been amazing.

Have you seen any movies recently?

I haven’t, but I want to see the new Blair Witch [Project].

If you were to find a lottery ticket for $10,000, what would you do?

I would buy a lot of books. I’ve always wanted to build a personal library. Physical books are pretty expensive and [they] can add up, but I always wanted a room covered with books in bookcases.

Do you have anything that you can teach our readers in five minutes?

I have a background in programming, so a lot of things that people do in Excel that take a lot of time can be done really quickly with programming. I wouldn’t be able to teach that here. It always comes to mind as things like assignments in business school that take a lot of time, you can do really quickly if you have an engineering background.

Like automation? Can you teach me how to automate an email blast?

That’s really easy, you could go to Mailchimp and they’ll do it for you!

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we interviewed Chul (Charles) Soo (B' 17) about his work with the Real Estate Club and his experience at Georgetown McDonough thus far.

What brings you to Hariri today?

I have some meetings with The Steers Center for Global Real Estate for The Georgetown University Public Real Estate Fund. This semester, we launched a student investment fund that invests in public real estate equities and public real estate debt securities so my schedule has been quite busy. I think this investment fund is very unique in the sense that not only does the fund give the students to have hands-on investing experience but also it brings Georgetown alumni and supporters who are professionals working real estate field to teach the students their methodologies of analyzing investments.

How have you enjoyed your experience here at Georgetown?

Georgetown has been amazing. Personally, I have made some of my best friends here and have a lot of fun memories to laugh about.

What’s the last movie you saw?

I saw both Star Trek and Jason Bourne. They were both really good. Florence Foster Jenkins was also really good. It’s was based in the 1940s it's about a rich woman who wants to sing but is really terrible at singing.

If you found a lottery ticket for 10 million dollars what would you buy?

I would buy some buildings to invest the money.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we interviewed Jemima Andan (MBA ‘18) about growing rice in Ghana and her experience so far as a first-year student at McDonough.

What brings you to Hariri today?

I have two classes on Thursdays, marketing and finance. I am actually preparing for a quiz I have in an hour.

How have you enjoyed your experience thus far?

Opening term was very intense. We took two classes but it felt like we were taking five. Toward the end I began to appreciate the process because it eased me into the fall semester. It’s been great so far — I love my classes, the professors are great, and my classmates are wonderful.

Where are you from?

I am originally from Ghana, but I’ve lived in Brooklyn, New York, and the New Jersey area for the past 15 years.

Have you seen any movies lately?

I saw the movie about Michelle and Barack Obama, Southside with You. The entire movie was about their first date from beginning to end. They weaved in a lot about both their backgrounds. We learned about Barack’s relatives in Kenya and Michelle Obama’s father struggling with MS.

We learned about Michelle Obama’s mom who was very intentional in making sure her children learned the arts.

Could you quickly teach me something I don’t know?

Back in Ghana my parents owned a farm when I was younger. On the rice farm I used to help them process the rice. So here is how you process rice: Once you have grown the rice, first you dry the rice in the shell. Then you steam the rice and lay it out to dry. Collect the rice again, and steam the rice again. Once the rice is dry, you take it to the mill, and once it’s milled, you take off the husks.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we spotted Full-time MBA student Robert Kolton

What brings you to Hariri today?

I am a Full-time MBA student (MBA ’18), and I’m studying for my finance class. I will be heading to my marketing class in a few minutes.

How have you liked your experience thus far?

I love it. Opening term was really great. The professors are unbelievable, some of the most impressive pedigrees I’ve ever seen. I’ve learned a lot from them. I’ve been talking to some of the second years, and I didn’t realize how impressive their internship outcomes were. I was really happy to hear about that.

Where are you from?

I’m from Chicago. I did project management for JP Morgan, working in the technology division of the corporate and investment bank.

What did you do over the summer?

I went to Mexico and Vegas before coming here. I spent a lot of time ramping down from work and ramping up on schoolwork. I knew I wanted to do investment banking coming here, so I spent a lot of time doing the recommended reading and doing the exercises. Just getting prepped to hit the ground running for the internship.

Do you have any organizations you plan on joining while you’re here?

There is actually a Student Organization fair after class today. I’m going to join the Finance Club, the Student Investment Club, and the Wine Society.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Faculty Friday: Jensen, Quinn & Weymouth

In today’s Q&A, Professors Bradford Jensen, Dennis Quinn, and Stephen Weymouth discuss their research on the impact of trade on the presidential election:

What do you hope people take away from your research?

Economists have long known that trade leads to lower prices, increased quality of goods, and higher national wealth, but it can have adverse effects on those workers and firms competing with imports. We believe, for the first time, that there are large numbers of firms and workers in the service sector benefiting from trade and those benefits translate into increasing vote shares for incumbent presidential candidates. What is striking, however, is that the losses to low-skill manufacturing workers are concentrated in some of the swing states, such as Iowa and Ohio. Our research suggests that presidential candidates have an incentive to limit their public support for trade expansion during presidential election cycles.

How can politicians running for office benefit from your study’s findings?

One possible strategy would be for the incumbent or for candidates of the current president’s political party to support strongly increasing trade adjustment and other benefits to workers losing jobs. Challengers are likely to gain by opposing trade expansion in states with concentrations of low-skill manufacturing work.

Is there anything that surprised you as you conducted this research?

We were very surprised that the winners from trade expansion in the high-skilled services were concentrated in non-swing states and that the losers from trade in low-skilled manufacturing were concentrated in the swing states. That was unexpected.

Who will win? Is there a party that aligns with these findings?

The model predicts a very close election. It currently gives a slight advantage to Hillary Clinton. 

Trump has taken a more protectionist position than his party and recent nominees from his party. Clinton opposes a trade agreement (TPP) that the current Democratic president supports. We think that this lack of enthusiasm for trade among the candidates during the current election reflects the fact that voters' opposition to trade appears particularly intense in the crucial swing states. 

To learn more about their research, visit http://msb.georgetown.edu/newsroom/news/international-trade%E2%80%99s-impact-us-presidential-elections.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today we spotted first year Medical student Emily Lai @emlai2014.

What brings you to Hariri today?

I’m studying for an upcoming exam in my Molecular Cell Physiology course. This is my first unit of medical school, so I’m catching up on lectures and notes I’ve taken so far. Yesterday was my first day actually in this building. I love the natural light and the environment is great. The library in the medical school is very crowded, and since this building is not crowded yet, I’m taking advantage of it.

How was your summer?

I spent three and a half weeks in Australia. I stayed with family in Sydney for a week, then I went to the Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, and Melbourne. I started school in early August within a week of coming back.

If you won $10 million in the lottery, what would you buy?

I would pay my tuition, that’s for sure! Also, I really like to travel so I would travel to Europe since I have never been there. I also would donate to a charity or invest it somewhere where it will make a difference. I don’t need $10 million dollars all for myself, so I would definitely put some away for my family and future family.

What’s the deal with the board you have with you?

It’s a Boost board, an electric longboard. It goes 20 miles per hour, so it is pretty fast. It’s a fun way to get around campus.

[mcdonoughschoolofbusiness]

Today, we stopped Camilo Urquijo (MBA ‘18) and talked about orientation week!

What brings you to Hariri today?

I am preparing for my Monday class, Structure for Global Industries. We have to read and prepare some case methods for the course. The cases and the class will be focused on transforming companies in different global industries with varying tax regulations and cultures and we have to work as a team to make decisions based on their locations.  

Where are you from?

I am from Barranquilla, Colombia - Shakira is also from there!

What did you do this summer?

I had a really tough schedule at Citibank before I joined Georgetown McDonough so I took two months to go back home and be with my family in Colombia.

What has been the highlight of your orientation week?

We got a lot of information so far, but I am really excited to get to know the people in the MBA program and connect with new team members. Yesterday, David Thomas, the former dean, gave a speech that was really motivating. He talked about inclusion and how we need to participate even though we are from a different culture. Everyone belongs to a different group and that should not limit our participation in class or our ability to approach a person in the halls.

If you found a $10 million lottery ticket, what would you do?

I would help a lot of people back in Colombia. There are a lot of less fortunate people who need clothes and food. I would make donations to their education. I would pay off some of my debts. I would also possibly create my own company to incentivize venture capital and startups.