On the eve of its 100th anniversary, the student body of the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University has become more diverse than ever before. Not only do most of the students from the Whitman Class of 2019 come from outside the United States, but the majority also earned undergraduate degrees from various non-traditional backgrounds, expanding what it means to be a Syracuse MBA.
Among the Class of 2019, just under half (46 percent) of students in the program identified as female; well over the national average, according to GMAC data. Along with the 61 percent of students arriving from outside the United States, the Class of 2019 shares the unique distinction of being one of the youngest in the country, with an average age of just 25. In an academic field usually dominated by older professionals with rich, traditional backgrounds, Whitman has managed to disrupt many of the perceptions that come with an MBA.
The average GMAT score has been steadily rising over the past several years as well, jumping from 623 last year to 643 for the Class of 2019. But alongside rising test score averages, the prior work experience of the class has fallen, dropping from an average of 38 months to 28 months in just one year.
The expansive talent pool at Whitman, however, isn’t solely limited to the traditional full-time program. The ever-advancing online MBA, known simply as MBA@Syracuse, allows students to study many of the more traditional MBA specialties, including: accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship, and finance, as well as supply chain management and marketing management. Not only that, Whitman states emphatically that there is no distinct difference in the curriculum of the online MBA and the full-time program. Rather, the only key difference is flexibility. Students in the online program can take classes from anywhere, with residencies offered in multiple cities outside of Syracuse.
To get a greater understanding of what it means to be a Syracuse MBA student, we spoke with several current students, including an Azerbaijan-born startup founder, an Indian-born analytical software expert, and an American dual JD/MBA prospect who is making a huge transition away from a career in Antarctica. Read on to see what’s in store for these students at Whitman and what life after an MBA may look like.
Tamara Seredneva, Whitman MBA Class of 2019
Age: 22
Hometown: Baku, Azerbaijan
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Azerbaijan State University of Economics, bachelor’s of finance
Pre-MBA Work Experience: During my sophomore year, I started my own business in the travel and leisure industry. Being an entrepreneur and developing this start-up for three years has been the only pre-MBA work experience of mine.
Why business school? Why now? After reaching a certain success with my local business, I realized that I am full of global business ideas and solutions. My bachelor degree in finance may have given me the foundation to establish and manage the local company, but wider international training was required for global goals such as mine. Whitman was the perfect place for me to acquire that.
Why Whitman? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? Whitman’s courses on the global economy and business in an inspirational environment with a pool of talented peers from all over the world combined with unique experiential learning programs and opportunities for entrepreneurial experiences outside the classroom perfectly fit to provide me with global international perspective/education.
Tamara Seredneva, Whitman Class of 2019
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2019? My entrepreneurial experience definitely brings the differentiating contribution in class discussion as well as in activities outside the classroom. Additionally, being the first student from my country (Azerbaijan) at Whitman, I was able to share first-hand experience in business in that part of the world.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? One of my two-year objectives while in the MBA program is to visit all 50 states in the United States.
Post-MBA career interests? Although coming here I was interested in focusing on entrepreneurship and marketing, after arriving and attending classes I discovered a new passion for me—business analytics. So, right now, I’m looking for career opportunities where I will be able to apply my knowledge in business analytics and marketing as well as my entrepreneurial perspective.
Advice to Prospective MBA Applicants
One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? Don’t hesitate to reach out to as many people as possible when conducting research on business schools. Sometimes, it is that human contact that will make the final decision easy.
One thing you would change or do differently? I would have taken all the required standardized tests earlier.
Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? Filtering/screening schools where you want to apply. It is the most time-consuming and frustrating process. Set out your priorities first (alumni satisfaction, interests/specializations, location etc.)—this will make the process faster.
Greatest highlight so far at Whitman? Winning Orange Tank Pitch competition as a 1st year student. Additionally, with the support of the faculty, starting the Business Analytics Club.
One thing about Whitman that you didn’t expect before arriving? The support of faculty and staff to the new students in all their endeavors. They made us feel like family from day one. Also, creating a strong bond with the local community in a short amount of time was surprising.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year? I am most anxious that I won’t be able to utilize all the opportunities on campus because of time limitations. It is very hard to decide which things to participate in and which to let go, even if you are highly interested in them.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year? I am most excited about finding an internship that will be the right fit for my skills and interests. I can’t wait to be exposed to the American business world. My goal is to learn from experienced professionals and mentors.
Kruti Valia, Whitman MBA Class of 2019
Age: 28
Hometown: Muscat, Oman/ Mumbai, India
Undergraduate Institution and Major: St. Xavier’s College, economics and statistics, and University of Mumbai, master’s in statistics
Kruti Valia, Whitman MBA Class of 2019
Pre-MBA Work Experience: After earning my graduate degree, I worked at Ness Technologies where I assisted a group of software engineers in developing a statistical based software for an education publishing and assessment client. I then took a year off where I took up multiple stints that involved brand promotion, marketing, and sales activities for consumer goods. Additionally, I was involved with lead generation and direct marketing to expand the customer base of a local e-commerce marketplace. The following year, I started working for Netscribes, a local market research service provider in Mumbai, where I worked for almost a year and half. I then switched to risk consulting, joining KPMG India, where I spent over two years in forensic services.
Why business school? Why now? I decided to apply to a business school as I felt that it was the right time for me in my career to make that career switch and accelerate my career. After about four years of experience, it made sense to deepen my understanding of business fundamentals as well as hone my leadership skills, learn new skills, meet new people and learn from them, and explore new opportunities.
Why Whitman? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? I wanted to attend a school and program that provides an environment conducive to learning and promotes self-growth. At Whitman, I can do both. Some of the factors that helped me make this choice include talking to seniors and the flexibility in the program as well as the experiential learning. Whitman’s alumni base, its marketing program, and student clubs were also some factors that helped me make this decision.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2019? Growing up in the Middle East and then moving to Mumbai, I can provide perspectives that compare and contrast both regions. Moreover, the diverse work experience and education background also allows me to add value to the class.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? One of my goals during my MBA program is to do something creative, probably start a fashion blog, write something or learn a new form of dance.
Post-MBA career interests? I plan to work in the field of marketing/marketing consulting, perhaps in the retail or consumer goods industry.
Advice to Prospective MBA Applicants
One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? I enjoyed the entire application process from research to writing the essay and talking to alumni. So, I would probably do it all.
One thing you would change or do differently? I would have done my research much earlier and thoroughly so that there is enough time for the essay and talking to alumni/seniors.
Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? Talking to alumni. I am generally very shy and find it difficult to talk to strangers. I still remember when one of my friends connected me to his friends who were studying at the schools I applied to, I asked him whether I really need to do this. My friend was incredibly supportive and helped me connect with these seniors. It was then I realized how important it is to connect with seniors and understand whether you are a good fit at the schools.
Greatest highlight so far at Whitman? The Whitman Graduate Student Organization’s Karaoke Night. It was a fun event organized by the school’s graduate club and provided both MBA and MS students an opportunity to bond and sing together. It was nice to interact with our fellow graduate students at a fun event and was a good time to relax after a grueling post-Thanksgiving week.
One thing about Whitman that you didn’t expect before arriving? I did not expect my seniors or professors to be helpful and thought that they would always be busy. However, everyone made sure that we were settled in well when we got here. Even with respect to academics or other queries, our seniors and professors have been immensely supportive, giving their time to lend an ear and some wonderful advice.
Thing you were most anxious about in your first year? I was most anxious about whether I would be able to acclimatize not only to the program but also to the weather at Syracuse. The former has been taken care by the support provided by the seniors, professors, and classmates. The latter, I am still getting used to. Another thing that I was anxious about was how to participate in all the activities and explore all the opportunities at school. However, during the year, you learn from your time constraints, which activities you want to be a part of and which you do not. This is one of the best learnings you get from the MBA program.
Thing you were most excited about in your first year? I was very excited to meet my classmates and hear their stories and experiences. I could not wait to meet people from such diverse backgrounds and learn about as well as from them. And I must say that I was not disappointed.
Jason Adelstone, Whitman MBA Class of 2019
Age: 35
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Syracuse University, JD/MBA
Pre-MBA Work Experience: After earning my undergraduate degree in business management, I managed restaurants and bars in Arizona. After seven years in the restaurant business I switched my focus and began supervising logistical operations for the retail and beverage side of the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) in McMurdo Station, Antarctica. After three contract seasons working “On Ice” I decided to go back to school, focused on attaining a JD/MBA degree.
Why Business School? Why now? One day, while working at the South Pole, I realized that there was no long-term future for me with the USAP and realized I needed to figure out what my next step would be. I spent three days looking at what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be in 10 years. I come from an entrepreneurial family, and living in Colorado, the most entrepreneurial venture right now is cannabis. I decided to go back to business school because most of my business knowledge is focused in the restaurant industry. I want to eventually be a legal consultant for small businesses in the hospitality and cannabis industry and need a more broad understanding of business to do that.
Jason Adelstone, Whitman MBA Class of 2019
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2019? I think my age and experience make me unique to the class of 2019. My class has some brilliant people, who have varied experiences in their respective fields, but most come from either a couple years in the business world or straight from an undergraduate program. I think I bring a realistic perspective to school and an understanding that there is more to education than the grades. The journey is just as important and sometimes even more so. Going from cleaning toilets as a janitor to managing millions of dollars in inventory for the USAP, I learned that it’s not always the outcome, but the journey that matters.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I was the lead singer of a band that played (among many others) in Antarctica before Metallica who claims to be the first band to play “On Ice.”
Post-MBA career interests? I plan to work for a law firm specializing in the cannabis industry with a focus on business operations and regulations.
Advice to Prospective MBA Applicants
One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? I would absolutely visit the schools I was really interested in again. There is so much to do and worry about in graduate school that being uncomfortable in your surroundings should not be one of them. Visit and see which schools feel right, then look at the pros and cons of each and go from there.
One thing you would change and do differently? Honestly, nothing. I started planning my JD/MBA a year and a half before my first day of class and outlined everything I wanted to get out of the school searches and application process.
Part you would have skipped if you could – and what helped you get through it? The GMAT was the last thing I wanted to take, after having taken the LSAT. However, I treated studying like a second job. I went to Starbucks every day before or after my actual job and studied for hours. After a week or two, it just became a habit and one that has stayed with me through graduate school. Treat school like a job and success will follow.