Real Humans of the Drexel LeBow Class of 2019

Christopher Stroup, LeBow MBA Class of 2019

Age: 27

Hometown: Troy, Pennsylvania.

Undergraduate Institution and Major: I attended Penn State University (2010-2014) and graduated with an honors degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering.

Pre-MBA Work Experience: AAll of my prior professional work experience is within the oil and gas industry. While in college, I worked for Chevron as an intern in their Houston, TX and Bakersfield, CA offices. Following the completion of my last internship, Chevron hired me full- time as a Reservoir Engineer in Bakersfield, CA. I was there for roughly three-and-a-half years before moving to Philadelphia to get my MBA.

Why business school? Why now? This decision was largely due to remedy discomforts in both my personal and professional spheres. I felt like my personal life had a low glass ceiling given where I was living at the time. As a member of the LGBT community, I found it hard to live out my life to its fullest given the geographic location of my work. This became taxing after a prolonged duration. I needed an out. Going back to get my MBA was my way of re-balancing how I viewed my personal life and the happiness in that sphere versus satisfaction in my professional life.

On the professional side, the oil and gas industry went through some pretty dire times as the price of oil dropped from $100/bbl in 2014 to roughly $25/bbl in 2016. I had good friends and coworkers lose their jobs. Chevron was not immune to industry layoffs. Luckily, I was able to maintain my job even through the company layoffs, weather the storm and keep my position.

What that experience taught me was that I had pigeonholed myself with my petroleum engineering degree. If I had been laid off, it would have been really difficult to secure employment. Going back to school to get my MBA would allow me to rebrand myself, build a more diversified skillset and ultimately, enable me to be more marketable and competitive for positions outside of the oil and gas industry.

Why LeBow? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? Most importantly, I needed a location that would allow me to live my life to the fullest, which primarily meant I was looking for a rather urban environment. Secondly, I wanted the challenge of going to a city that was new to me. One of the draws to the LeBow program was the 18-month duration. Given this finite time period, I was more open to putting myself in an unfamiliar setting and seeing if I would sink or swim.

Another reason I was drawn to LeBow is the cohort size. I wanted my MBA program to give me the same attention to detail as I got as a Schreyer Honors College scholar at Penn State. I was hopeful as a prospective student that having the personal attention on my professional development coupled with the resources of a world-class university would take my graduate degree to the next level – just like that environment did while at Penn State.

The last reason LeBow stood out from the crowd was the personalized curriculum. Tailoring an MBA to fit my needs and goals was important, especially when you look at the costs of most MBA programs. Ultimately, who had the best value proposition? It was LeBow.

What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2019? I would argue that it is perspective. My professional experience in oil and gas is unique. No one else brings that experience to table. Additionally, I am one of only two engineers in my cohort, so that is another added layer of differentiation. It means I bring a different approach to how I view and attack problems. Being a member of the LGBT community has also allowed me to bring an additional element to the MBA class. I have zero qualms about carrying that torch if it means barriers will be broken down so that current and future LGBT students can succeed in the business world.

Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I am really big into hot yoga. I started attending classes when I was living in California and was instantly hooked. I go about three to four times a week here in Philadelphia. It gives me a safe space to practice physical and emotional vulnerability. My only regret is that I wish I would have started sooner!

Post-MBA career interests? I have really found a home in the finance concentration offered at LeBow. Currently, my plan is to pivot into private wealth management post graduate school. Being a partner to support rural public education will be another big interest post MBA. I have already begun laying the groundwork for that while living here in Philadelphia.

Advice to Prospective MBA Applicants

One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? The MBA application process can be intimidating, but one of the best ways to make it easier on yourself is to get organized. I created an excel document titled “Application War Board” that kept me organized throughout the entire process. It contained the names of all the schools I applied to, the pertinent information for each application, such as application due dates, concentrations offered, costs, and other elements. Having a “one-stop-shop” where I could better understand what was required for each school and where I was along my application journey definitely demystified the entire process.

One thing you would change or do differently? Honestly, I would not change how I handled the application process. I felt like it went rather smoothly, but that’s largely because I started early and had an organized approach that worked for me.

Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? The interviews largely because I had not gone through this process for years. Therefore, it was an anxious experience. Now seven months into the LeBow program, interviews have become commonplace. I would say what got me through those experiences were the people interviewing me. They were all super friendly and made it more conversational, which elevated my comfort levels.

Greatest highlight so far at LeBow? The people have been really great. The MBA cohort has just over 20 students. That means you get to know everyone on a really personal level, which was one of the major draws to this program. I know that when I reminisce about this experience 40 years from now it will be these relationships that first come to mind.

One thing about LeBow that you didn’t expect before arriving? The willingness of the professors to meet with students at any and all hours. A large number of my professors have gone to great lengths to answer questions students may have. I don’t think I expected this heading into the program. I know myself and my peers absolutely appreciate that flexibility and attention to our professional growth.

Thing you are most anxious about in your first year? I was most anxious about being a student again. That transition from employee to student can be pretty difficult for some. I was not sure how that was going to go. Fortunately, I was able to quickly get back into the groove of being a student after a few weeks.

Thing you are most excited about in your first year? I was probably most excited for the classes. Admittedly, I was ready for the exposure to business topics. Having had an engineering undergraduate degree, I did not take many business-oriented courses. The MBA degree was going to thrust me into business classes, and I could not wait for this challenge.

regions: Philadelphia

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