Real Humans of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business
Zach Godfrey, UGA Terry MBA
Age: 29
Hometown: Canton, Georgia
Pre-MBA Work Experience: I spent 1.5 years managing the websites and social media of an e-commerce coffee company, and then spent 4.5 years with Hewlett-Packard/HPE in operations and marketing roles.
Why business school? Why now? I have an undergraduate degree in history, so I felt like I needed to enhance my business skills if I wanted to accelerate my career in the business world. Additionally, I had become very interested in how business can be a force for good, and I wanted to obtain the business skills necessary to be a leader in this growing space.
Why the University of Georgia’s MBA program? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? I chose Georgia because of the collaborative and friendly culture, the community-minded businesses in Athens, and the small class sizes. The school’s relationship with local, state, and regional businesses was also a key factor.
Zach Godfrey, UGA Terry MBA
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to your MBA class? My focus on purpose-driven leadership, social impact, and building better businesses has been my key contribution. I’ve helped the class and MBA program understand the social impact sector and adapt the program for the future of business.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I’m a huge nerd, with a love for Star Wars in particular.
Post-MBA career interests? I’m committed to “Building Better Businesses for a Better South” and am pursuing a career where I can be recognized as a thought leader in the social enterprise sector in the South.
Advice to Prospective MBA Applicants
One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? Talk to current students in the program that share your interests. It’s important to understand if those students feel empowered to pursue the interests and careers they’re passionate about.
One thing you would change or do differently? I would develop a better understanding of which companies typically recruit and/or hire out of the program. While the MBA skillset can help you open doors to many careers, it’s much easier when your program has existing relationships that can be leveraged.
Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? The GMAT was by far the most time-consuming piece of the admissions process for me, but re-framing the hours of studying and practice as preparation for grad school helped me get through it. It helped me get back into the school mindset.
Greatest highlight so far at Terry/Georgia? I have plenty, but participating in the MBA program’s spring break trip to Peru was one of the greatest highlights. Getting to see Machu Picchu for the first time was an incredible experience!
One thing about Terry/Georgia that you didn’t expect before arriving? I did not expect the first semester to be as challenging as it was.
Thing you were most anxious about in your first year? I was anxious that my lack of formal business training in things like accounting and finance would force me to play catch-up to the rest of the class. Fortunately, that anxiety was largely baseless.
Thing you were most excited about in your first year? I was most excited to make new friends and really figure out how to pursue a career that aligned my skills with my interests. The Georgia MBA program has empowered me to pursue a career that brings these together.
About the Author
Matthew Korman
Matthew Korman is a writer on MetroMBA. Since graduating from Rowan University with a degree in journalism and political science, Matthew has worked as a music industry writer and promoter, a data analyst, and with numerous academic institutions. His works have appeared in publications such as NPR and Sports Illustrated.
