I can’t believe that our time at Booth has come to an end, 2 years goes by so quickly! Graduation is tomorrow and we will be saying goodbye to our time as bloggers for The Booth Experience, as well as goodbye to this time in our life as MBA students. We are all excited for this next chapter—and for the new generation of TBE bloggers to share their stories, experiences, and insights with you. Stay tuned for more from them coming up! But for now, we all want to leave you with a few parting words as we embark on our post-MBA paths.
Jenny Farrall, ’16
I came to Booth to make the transition from consulting into marketing and was able to make that dream a reality. I will be working as a marketing manager in the food industry this fall and am very excited for this new opportunity. While I am sad to leave the community, friends, and fun of Booth, I have come to realize that going to Booth is not a two year decision, but a lifetime decision. Countless alumni have helped me throughout the recruiting process, including a great group of Booth alumns at my summer internship. This lasting bond and connection because of Booth is something that I know will help me throughout my career, with networking, advice, and mentors to guide me in my journey. My current classmates will also never be far away, our 1st year reunion is already being planned! Good luck to all of those looking to apply to Booth and know that not just current students, but the entire Booth community will be helping you along the way!
Gordon Taylor, ’16
To my all my readers, I want to say thank you for the support, comments, and consideration. It was an amazing ride here at Chicago Booth and you made my experience much better. I wish you good luck and definitely reach out to me on LinkedIn if you have any questions and/or comments about Booth or just life in general.
Sana Suh, BA ’09, MBA ’16
It’s hard to believe that my time at Booth is already coming to an end! I came in as a career switcher, unsure of whether my experience in investment data and research would be transferable to a new career in marketing. The support that I’ve gotten from the entire Booth community has exceeded all my expectations and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned during my time here, not to mention the incredible and diverse people I’ve gotten to meet and have fun with. As for my next steps, I will be moving to New Jersey to work in Marketing for Reckitt Benckiser (to the shock of my Booth friends that consider me the quintessential Chicagoan because I was also here for undergrad). I came to Booth with the main goal of switching careers but I feel like I’ve gained so much more in the process. My time at Booth may be coming to an end but the memories will last for a lifetime and my life as a Booth alumna is just getting started. To the Class of 2017 and beyond, good luck and make the most of your time at Booth! Don’t take anything for granted and try your best to keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone because that’s where the reward is the greatest.
Drew Thomas, ’16
To all current and future admits: If we have been able to offer you a useful perspective, I am glad. If we haven’t, when you are here, think about sharing your perspective through The Booth Experience. I wish you all the best of luck in the future!
Ramiro Sanchez Caballero, ’16
It is hard to believe that my time here at Booth is almost over, it has gone by so fast! I will soon be moving to NY to start working at WPP, and although I am really looking forward to it, these past years have been the best of my life, and it is hard to say goodbye. As I reflect on my Booth experience, I realize that the most important part of it were the people I met. I am so grateful for the friends I have made and the amazing moments we have shared. Booth has a great community of people that are genuinely interested in your success and well-being. Take advantage of it. Spend time getting to know your fellow Boothies, and you will discover how much you can rely on them. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Get to know people from different backgrounds, and you will be surprised by how much you have in common. Please reach out if you have any questions or need help. Good luck!
Faria Jabbar, ’16
It has been such an honor to not only spend two awesome years at Booth, but to work on The Booth Experience blog and share some of that experience with future Boothies! It’s hard to process that my Booth Experience is actually over, but I’m so excited to see how far my new skills, experiences, and friendships will take me from here. Saying goodbye feels surreal … but I’m really looking forward to being an involved Booth alum and keeping tabs on the amazing things that happen in the Booth community through this blog.
Gaspar Betancourt, ’16
What a crazy and wonderful experience this has been! I started at Booth two years ago with a plan to go into Brand Management from a Media / Entertainment background. Instead, I’ll soon be heading to the technology industry at Wipro as a Global Business Manager traveling all over the world including India, UK, and Germany. Booth has completely changed my life. The community that I am now a part of and the network that I have cultivated here will follow me for the rest of my life. I have established close bonds with brilliant people from around the world and developed friendships that will endure long after I graduate. The Booth brand has created opportunities for me at top companies that I never would have had otherwise. Booth allowed me to learn as much from my classmates as from my professors and presented a wealth of extracurricular opportunities to develop as a leader and as a person. However, the most enduring way that Booth has changed my life is by introducing me to my fiancé, Jenya, and together we will be ambassadors for Booth wherever life takes us. It has been a pleasure being a part of the The Booth Experience team and, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I will never forget this experience.
Sara Raffa, ’16
I don’t think it’s quite hit me yet that my two years at Booth have come to an end. I know this is cliché, but it seriously feels like just yesterday that I was moving to Chicago and meeting hundreds of my amazing classmates during Orientation. But at the same time, SO much has changed since then. I came to Booth to with a goal of starting my own company, and thanks to the amazing resources, faculty and students here at Booth, I was able to do just that. While Eislee was an extremely rewarding experience, I’ve ultimately decided to wind down the business, move to NY and join an early stage startup. I’m sad to say goodbye to Eislee and the absolute best two years, but I’m excited for what’s next. I also couldn’t be more thankful for the experience, and for all the lifelong friends I gained along the way.
