Last weekend, Chicago Booth welcomed thousands of guests to the city to celebrate the 535th convocation of The University of Chicago. The weekend was filled with fun activities from a graduate reception at The Field Museum to the Chicago Booth Graduation Ceremony with Alumni Guest Speaker, Thomas Ricketts ’93, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Cubs.
Families watched in pride as over 600 Full Time MBA graduates walked across the stage. TBE had the chance to chat with a few of the members of the graduating Class of 2022 to hear some of the life and business lessons their families taught them. See the full roundup below and congratulations to The Class of 2022.
Maame Boah Appiah-Korang
“Education has always been a core component of my family and I’m thankful for the sacrifices my parents made earlier on in my life to put me through school. They made me dream big and be confident in my pursuit of every endeavor, including coming to Booth. I’m thankful that they got to see me graduate and also meet some of the lifelong fiends I’ve made here.”
Following graduation, Maame will stay in Chicago and return to McKinsey & Company full time where she interned last summer.
Kendra Witkewicz
“Knowing that my family has been cheering for me over the last two years has been a huge motivation – but seeing how successfully they have navigated their individual careers and relationships with kindness has been the real motivation. People are what matter the most and I’m inspired by my family to hold onto the incredible people that made up my Booth experience for the rest of my life.”
Following graduation, Kendra will move to New York City and return to Goldman Sachs full time where she interned last summer.
Charles Magiera
“During my MBA journey, my parents have always been more supportive than I could have imagined. For my mom, this journey began about two years ago, when I decided to apply to Booth. My dad, however, has taken an active role in my business education for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is my dad explaining stocks to me as “slices of pie”. Later, when he loaned me some money to buy an iPod, the variable interest rate was set based on whether or not I made my bed. These small lessons added up, developing in me a passion for finance alongside my love of science and technology, and laying the foundation for a more advanced business education. Now, as a proud Booth MBA, perhaps I have some things to teach my dad.”
Following graduation, Charlie will join Biogen’s Commercial Leadership Rotational Program in Boston.
Rayna Palsule
“5 years ago I made my Father and my Grandfather a promise that I will pursue an MBA at a top Business School in the United States. My father, who is my role model in every way, has made a lifetime of sacrifices for his children, and told me that his only wish from me in return is to pursue a Master’s degree to set myself up for a fruitful future. My father immigrated almost 30 years ago from India with close to nothing, and now is a CEO at a top tech firm due to his resilience, hard work, and integrity. Knowing that these are big shoes to fill, I set out to make him proud of fulfill my promise. Seeing him look at me from the graduation bleachers, eyes filled with tears and pride, is enough to last me a lifetime. And although my grandfather is no longer with us, I know he is proud of me too! I graduate from Booth, I realize how important these values have been in shaping my experience here, all the learnings I had, both personal and professional, and the friends I gained.“
Following graduation, Rayna will move to New York City to work as a Director in the Streaming Leadership Program at Paramount Global.
Regina Rivero Perkins
“My parents taught me to always be curious and eager to learn from everyone I met, to keep an open mind and listen before making any judgements. As I graduate from Booth, I realize how important these values have been in shaping my experience here, all the learnings I had, both personal and professional, and the friends I gained.“
Following graduation, Regina will move to New York City and return to McKinsey & Company full time where she worked prior to Booth.
Jarell Mason
“Booth has been an accelerated two year experience of me re-learning 30 years of my life, where I challenged myself everyday to become the best version of myself so that my family and community can participate in my current and future successes. I’ve been battled tested, sacrificed being thousands of miles apart from family and loved ones in the USVI, and have spent numerous nights questioning “Did I make the right choice?” What has kept me steadfast and unwavering during my MBA is the empathic and enriching connections I made and cultivated with my classmates, whom I unequivocally consider as family.”
Following graduation, Jarell will be working full time in venture capital in Chicago.
