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Testimonials from Students
Helen Brauner
MBA '04
 Your
general advice
Follow your heart – not the crowd. Use business school
as a time to explore your passions, and do not be afraid
to make a dramatic change in your career if you feel
compelled to do so.
How
you got to McCombs
I had been a technology consultant in the past and had
worked as an IT manager for a small children’s music
company in North Carolina for 4 years when I applied to
business school. I wanted to break out of IT, and I knew
that an MBA would help me to make the transition into
upper management.
Challenges you see for women
I do not think that business school is any more
difficult for women than for men. In addition, the women
at McCombs are extremely supportive of one another,
which I think provides a distinct advantage for us! The
most difficult challenge that I’ve faced as a woman has
been balancing being a mother with being a graduate
student. That said, it is entirely doable if you are an
excellent time manager.
Best
parts about business school
McCombs is a place where I am surrounded by a diverse
group of bright students who teach me new things every
day. I love the people here.
A
little more about yourself
I am from the southern U.S. and went to high school in
the U.K. I call myself a Texan as I have lived more
years in Houston than anywhere else. I am married to an
avid amateur golfer and have a 2-year-old daughter, both
of whom keep me balanced. I am an officer of the
Graduate Women in Business chapter at McCombs and an
active member of Net Impact. My career goals include
working in the clean energy industry and helping Austin
to become the “clean energy capital of the world”.
Kelly Cooley
MBA '04
 General Advice
I encourage women, if they are even thinking about
getting an MBA, to do it now. The Texas MBA program
has been one of the greatest experiences of my life – it
has provided me tremendous learning opportunities and
introduced great new friendships with incredibly smart
people that will be professional colleagues for the rest
of my life. My only regret is that I didn’t start
school sooner.
How I
Got to McCombs
I grew up in Austin, but lived in Washington, DC, for
ten years before business school. I received a B.A. in
Communications from American University, and then worked
in marketing at the Discovery Channel. I decided to
return to business school to obtain the hard core
marketing skills I didn’t acquire in undergrad. I chose
Texas primarily because the culture is very
collaborative, which is not true at most top 25 schools.
Challenges You See for Women
Honestly, I don’t feel I have been disadvantaged within
the program because I am a female. Every student has
the potential to create opportunities for herself, so
your fate is truly in your hands. Many of the
leadership roles at McCombs are held by women, and a
disproportionate number of the stronger students are
female. Women may face challenges in upper management,
but McCombs has definitely given me the skills that will
help me combat those biases.
Best
Parts of Business School
The best parts of business school are the students. So
much of the MBA experience – even the learning – takes
place outside the classroom through study team meetings,
student organizations and social outings. The best
piece of advice I received during orientation was to
spend time building relationships with my classmates,
and that couldn’t be more true, especially when it comes
to the job search.
A
Little More About Yourself
I am a Teaching Assistant for the core Marketing
Management course, which has given me a great chance to
meet students in the first-year class. I am a vice
president for two student organizations – Customer
Insight and Graduate Women in Business. I am also on
the McCombs Admission Committee, the Ford Career
Center’s Board of Governors and the Graduate Business
Council. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of these
activities, and I believe I am living proof that you can
be involved in multiple activities while maintaining a
sincere focus on studies.
Caren Williams
MBA '04
 Your
general advice
Time
is short in business school. Two years seemed like a
long time when I first arrived, but that time has flown
by! It is very important to take advantage of your time
outside of the classroom by getting involved, meeting
new people and making time for yourself. I would
recommend participating in activities within the school
as well as staying active in things outside of the
program. For me, that means a good mix of academic
involvement, exercising, attending social events, and
setting aside some time to relax! It is also important
to take advantage of the incredible people in the
program. The people at McCombs are amazing – I
definitely try to spend as much time with everyone as I
can before we all go our separate ways.
How
you got to McCombs
After
majoring in Biomedical Science as an undergraduate, I
decided that practicing medicine was not my true
passion. I worked for a medical practice one summer and
found that I was more interested in the management and
operations of the business, so I began to pursue
business opportunities upon graduating. After working
as a Consultant for Accenture and then as a Project
Manager for VarTec Telecom, Inc., I knew I wanted to
focus my business career in Marketing. It was the
perfect transition time for me both personally and
professionally. In choosing a school, I knew I wanted
to be in a relaxed city with great weather and at a
school with a collaborative working environment –
McCombs was a great fit!
Challenges you see for women
Honestly, I do not find it to be any more challenging as
a woman in business school. True, there are relatively
fewer women in the program compared to the number of
men; however, this small group has allowed me to make
great connections and friendships with the other women
at McCombs. It almost seemed like we all had an
“instant connection” with each other when we first
arrived. Additionally, women in the business
environment are extremely supportive and eager to help
other women with similar career aspirations. Some
people will say that it is harder to be taken seriously
as a woman in business, but I do not agree. I believe
that if you work hard and take yourself seriously, you
will be treated that way in return.
Best
parts about business school
I
truly feel that one of the best aspects of business
school is the quality and diversity of people in the
program. My classmates hail from various countries,
professional environments and personal backgrounds. A
large part of the experience at McCombs has been having
the opportunity to work with all of these people and
expand my knowledge and exposure to such diversity.
Business school has been a time to discover my
professional aspirations, challenge myself
intellectually, and build a network of friends and
acquaintances that I hope to continue interacting with
in the future. And what isn’t great about being a
student again?!
A
little more about yourself
It is
very possible to make a career switch in business
school…don’t let anyone tell you differently. While it
might not come easy, it is definitely possible. With a
degree in Biomedical Science and a career background in
Telecommunications/Technology Consulting, I was able to
work this summer as a Marketing Intern at an Advertising
and Promotions agency. I worked on several consumer
packaged goods and entertainment clients and had such a
great experience. If you are passionate about your
career goals, it is definitely possible to make them
happen!
1st
years –
Leticia Castellanos
MBA '05
 Her
advice
Network! Your classmates are really your greatest
asset. My classmates are all very diverse and extremely
bright, they come from different industries and cultural
environments…I learn as much from them as from the
professors. This is truly a unique opportunity in life.
How
she got here
I am from Mexico City, and I have an undergraduate
degree in Marketing. After five years working as a brand
manager for a pharmaceutical company, I realized an MBA
was the next critical step in my career. I had reached a
plateau in which an MBA was the only way to move
vertically. McCombs offers a flexible curriculum that
will allow me to improve my training in finance and
general management, as well as acquire the skills
essential to thrive in a higher position.
Challenges she sees for women
I
come from a culture where women have little support from
men in large corporations. In Mexico, men hold the
majority of senior management positions because women
are believed to be more committed to family than to
work. Historically, women have stayed home to take care
of the children. Today, this situation is changing.
Women are looking into MBA programs such as McCombs’ to
acquire the skills and tools to become more competitive
in the business arena.
Best
parts about b-school
Get to know people from different cultural backgrounds
and interact with them in class and on team projects.
By doing this, I have broadly widened my horizons and
have been given the opportunity to interact and
understand other cultures. Moreover, I have learned to
cherish other’s values and to open myself to different
ways of thinking and solving problems.
A
little more about her
I plan to continue my career in brand management after
graduation. In the long run, I want to start my own
marketing consulting company for small businesses in
Mexico. I aim to use what I will learn at McCombs to
help small businesses prosper in my country.
Edian Nelson
MBA '05
 General Advice
The
MBA program at the University of Texas at Austin is
wonderful. The professors are spectacular, as they are
passionate about their specialization and are eager to
share with each of us. The program is well organized,
especially with the plus session that divides the
academic classroom learning experience in two. There
are numerous opportunities to get involved, develop your
leadership skills and polish your professional skills.
At the same time, these numerous opportunities can be
overwhelming. My advice is to put a prioritization plan
together before coming to school where you weigh family,
personal, academic, professional and networking etc.
Then set your priorities, write them down and stick with
it.
How
you got to McCombs
I am
a true Texas native. I was born and raised in Houston,
Texas. Upon graduation from high school, I moved to
Austin to attend The University of Texas. I received a
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and went to work for
Johnson and Johnson in San Angelo, Texas as a production
engineer and later as a production supervisor. And now
I am back at Texas pursuing an MBA with a concentration
in marketing. I love the lone star state!
Challenges you see for women
The historical statistics for the number of women
attending business school, as well as working
in Corporate America, show that there is still plenty of
room for improvement. We, as women, need to be willing
to break the ‘glass ceiling’. There are plenty of
opportunities and networks out there. Do not be afraid
to get involved!
Best
part about business school
There are so many best parts that it is hard to narrow
it down to just one. But if I have to pick one, it is
the Networking opportunities. We have a great system in
place, "The Cohort system" in which the incoming class
is divided into a smaller core of 65-70 students. Over
the first three semesters, the members of each cohort
take at least one 'core' class together. These cohorts
are carefully crafted to ensure that there is a diverse
mix of students within each cohort. Within each cohort
there is another division in which students are placed
into study groups of 4-5 students. Through this system
I have made several long lasting friendships with many
students from all around the world.
A
little more about yourself
There
is so much to tell, but so little time. I figured I
would share with you the same story that I have
shared time and time again with my business school
friends. The story is the origin of my name. It is
a creative combination of the names of my parents -
Edward and Diane, hence 'Edian'. In close, I would
first like to say congratulations on taking the first
step into pursuing business school, that of researching
the various programs. We look forward to talking to you
and telling you more about our program!
Karen Kelly d
MBA '05
 Her
advice
Make as many friends and contacts as you can, in and
outside of the business school. You never know when you
will need these people. Returning to school has
definitely reiterated to me the importance of strong
relationships. It is so easy to get caught up in
schoolwork and your daily routine, and as a result, put
all of your relationships on the back burner. Take it
from me, get your work done, but make building
relationships your first priority and you will succeed
in business school.
How
she got here
I grew up in Brownwood, Texas, a small town in central
Texas. I have undergraduate degrees in Management
Science and Mathematics, and worked as a consultant for
PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting and IBM Business
Consulting Services before deciding that consulting is
not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Once I
decided to return to business school, I quit my job and
spent the summer working in Human Resources as a
Leadership trainer to management at the Four Seasons
Hotel here in Austin. I decided to return to business
school because I really wanted to transition into either
Non-profit Management or Human Resources and to learn
more about entrepreneurship.
Challenges she sees for women
I believe there are a lot fewer women who make the
commitment to come back to business school because we
are at the age when most people are considering getting
married and having a family. It is much harder for us
as women to justify the time and expense of coming back
to school. The biggest challenge for me is breaking the
stereotype of the "family" woman. I definitely want to
get married and have several children, but this does not
mean that I cannot also be a successful businesswoman,
and an influential woman in society.
Best
parts about b-school
I have met the most amazing people here at McCombs, many
of whom will be my friends for life. The week before
school started about a dozen of women had a huge slumber
party and stayed up all night talking about all of our
past experiences and different backgrounds! I realized
that the diversity at McCombs is not just something that
makes the school a better place in the classroom, but
also in our social lives. It has opened new doors for
me so that I am meeting people from all types of
backgrounds. Additionally, the Professors here are
amazing and truly care about the students. They want to
get to know all of us individually and have even
sponsored our flag football teams, taken us to breakfast
and thrown parties for us at their homes. To me those
are the things that set McCombs apart from the rest!
A
little more about her
I will be working in Human Resources for the Kalispell
Hospital in Kalispell, Montana this summer. I am also
one half of the duo that makes up the McCombs GBC social
chair, which plans the weekly Think & Drinks, football
tailgates, formals and various other social events.
Jennifer Chao
MBA '05
 Your
general advice
Get
really involved with a couple of organizations, such as
the Graduate Women in Business, and become part of the
McCombs community. If there is something that you would
like to do in school that does not already occur or
exist, take the initiative and start it yourself. The
professors and administration are really supportive
about helping you fulfill your goals and visions.
How
you got to McCombs
I
took advantage of every opportunity to learn about
McCombs and for McCombs to learn about me. I spoke to
people who were currently attending, or had gone to
McCombs. I attended a McCombs Admission Committee
information session, sat in on a class, and participated
in the optional interview. I also worked hard on my
essays to make sure that they reflected who I am and
what I wanted out of business school.
Challenges you see for women
Going
back to business school after working for several years
can be especially challenging for women because, at
times, it does feel a little like one has chosen to
delay starting a family in order to pursue one’s career.
Best
parts about business school
I
have met some really amazing people here, both students
and faculty. I love that there opportunities like the
Plus Program to try out different things that you’re
interested in.
A
little more about yourself
I
grew up in Austin and received my undergraduate degree
in Chemical Engineering from UT. For the last few
years, I was a business consultant with PriceWaterhouse
Coopers and IBM. I am currently pursuing the MBA
Marketing concentration.
Leslie Pierce
MBA '05
 General advice
My advice to
anyone looking to make the leap from work back to school
is to pick the best school environment. We all know the
schools that are known for their cutthroat mentalities.
There are a lot of people out there that will succeed in
that environment. But also know that not all business
schools are like that. McCombs is wonderful for
building a team-based environment. You will always have
individual work to do, but a lot of the work is done in
groups as well. Another important thing to remember is
to have fun!!! Understand that you are going to be
given more work than you can possibly finish; you just
have to learn how to prioritize. It is extremely
beneficial to your general state of mind to let go every
once in a while and enjoy a night out with your friends,
without feeling guilty about not studying. McCombs has
also been incredible about promoting this time off from
studying, primarily through our Thursday night Think ‘n
Drink’s.
How I Got to McCombs
I am originally from
Arlington, TX. In 1999, I received a BBA in Management
Information Systems. Most recently I was working as a
developer for a financial software company in San
Francisco, CA. While I enjoyed the company, I felt that
I had reached a plateau in my career. I was no longer
interested in programming, but I enjoyed the fast pace
of the finance world. Once I decided that I wanted to
move my career into corporate finance, I realized that I
would need to further my education to gain the skills
and knowledge necessary to propel myself into the
finance and managerial realms of business. I had always
wanted to go back to school and get an MBA, and it was
finally the right time to do so.
Challenges for Women
As a single
woman in the program, I have quite a bit more
flexibility with my schedule than the married women. I
am constantly amazed at their abilities to balance
school work with home life. All of them have very
understanding and supportive husbands, which helps
tremendously, I am sure. The biggest challenge for me
as a woman at McCombs has been making sure that my
opinion is heard and respected. As is typical in the
general business environment, women tend to be
overlooked or their opinions discounted. This is
especially difficult given the low numbers of women that
attend business school. The Graduate Women in Business
organization has made tremendous strides in the McCombs
community to help offset those challenges.
Best part
Without a doubt,
the best part about going back to business school at
McCombs has been the location. Austin is an amazingly
diverse city. I have lived in most big cities in Texas,
and Austin is by far my favorite. The other fantastic
part about McCombs is the sense of community. Everyone
here has the same goal, yet we are all taking very
different paths to achieve the goal of graduation. In
just 3 months, we as a class of 380 have bonded very
closely together. This is not a school of intense
competition and rivalry (except on the football
field!). Rather, this is a school based on camaraderie
and cooperation. The McCombs community closely
follows the “work hard, play hard” theme of life. This
has certainly helped me maintain my sanity during times
of stress!!
A little more about me
I am
active in several organizations, including Graduate
Women in Business, Graduate Finance Association, and
Graduate Business Wine Club. I am also an avid football
fan! My role models include Condoleeza Rice, Libby
Dole, Carly Fiorina, and Stevie Nicks.
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