Hometown: I moved around a lot growing up, but my family is from Iran
City Before Booth: Toronto,Canada
Undergraduate School and Major: McGill University (Quebec)
Pre-Booth Job: Logistics & Ops at Ontario Power Generation
Summer Internship: McKinsey & Co.
Concentrations at Booth: Strategic Management, Business Analytics, and Entrepreneurship
Favorite Booth Class/Professor: AI with Professor Sendhil Mullainathan and Marketing Strategy with Professor Bradley Shapiro
Current Leadership Roles: Co-Chair of Energy Club, Canadian Business Group, and Belgian Club
What are some of the student groups you’ve been involved with?
Energy Club, Canadian Business Group, Belgian Club, CWiB, MCG, BTG, Analytics Club, AI Club, MENA, Wine Club
One thing you wish you had known when applying for MBA programs?
The story you craft on your career ambitions when applying to business school will be your roadmap when you start your MBA, especially at Booth, where recruiting kicks off almost immediately after LEAD. It is incredibly helpful to have a strong story to guide your recruiting process right off the bat, so take the time to reflect on what you hope to achieve through the MBA early to set yourself up for success in the fall.
What’s your advice for admission applicants?
Don’t let the fear of rejection hold you back – I almost didn’t apply to Booth because I didn’t think I measured up against the admissions statistics I was seeing online. The admissions process takes into account so much more than just test scores and grades, and so with that said, don’t remove yourself from the running based solely on that.
Why did you choose Chicago Booth?
I think this one is important, so bear with me. For me the biggest drivers were the flexible curriculum, the pay-it-forward culture and the access to a big city. From an academic perspective, I was really drawn to the flexible curriculum and the freedom it fosters to chart your own path at school. I studied Engineering in my undergrad, and during my degree, I only chose 12 credits out of 140 – that’s 3 classes. The opportunity to have a say in what I study and how I spend my time was very important to me. I found this academic freedom empowering. Over my time at Booth, I have been able to choose my classes intentionally, and doing so has not only made me feel more engaged but also has made me feel like I am getting the most value out of my experience.
The MBA is more than just about academics though, a big part of the experience is the people you meet. During my decision making process, I talked to many Boothies, both current students and alum, and the pay-it-forward culture kept coming up. This idea that a Boothie will always go out of their way to help you out, which I found to be true from the interactions I had. Once arriving on campus, I found that this is rooted in the strong community that binds Booth together. Most Boothies live within a one block radius, with the overwhelming majority choosing to live in one building informally referred to as the Booth dorms – as a proud resident of MPP, I have felt so integrated into the Booth community and have seen how strong it is.
The last factor for me was location – I reflected on my past experiences to shape how I thought about location for business school. Having experienced living in a city for university, and living on a remote campus when I was at boarding school, I realized how much I value being in a city with the opportunities and resources that it provides. Beyond the cultural and social offerings, Chicago can be an incredible resource for mbas, providing access to business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors. We have high profile guest speakers frequently venturing to campus to chat with us, and also many classes that offer partnerships with real businesses in Chicago. This is an invaluable asset, and one that I have found myself leveraging over the last year.
What is your favorite Booth Experience?
Traveling to Colombia with 350 other Boothies was an incredibly unique experience that has been amongst the top highlights of my time at Booth.
What do you hope an MBA will help you achieve in your future?
I decided to pursue an MBA because I wanted to change my career path to one where I could have a greater impact. Over my time at Booth, I hope to build out my foundational business tool-kit, personal and professional network, and leadership skills to facilitate my career goals.
Fun Fact: A video of me getting attacked by a bird went viral on TikTok.
Your Chicago Neighborhood: The Loop
What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago?
When the weather is nice, I really enjoy going for walks/runs along the lake, the majority of the time though I am exploring Chicago’s vibrant food scene (indoors)!