Blog
Blog
MBA Voices
MBA Voices
I am often asked the question, “How do you get through business school with a family?” I might give a light-hearted reply, but what I really want to say is, “How do you get through without one?” Here at HBS with me is my incredible wife, Abby, and our two wonderful daughters, Sophie and Margot. Though my classroom room experience may look similar to any other student, it’s in that extracurricular time that the differences come to life. Sure, I don’t attend as many social events as the average student, but it’s not a major loss when I have a small fan club of my own at home. I don’t sleep in on the weekends, but it’s because I’m busy making waffles with my two best little friends. I might be seen jumping off a Zoom meeting in a hurry, but it’s only because some “owies” are only made better by dad. There are compromises, to be sure, but the joy I get from having my kids in my life far outweighs the difficulties. They are a greater source of confidence, reassurance, and purpose than anything I could muster on my own. [...]
Growing up as a Black male from South Los Angeles, I was raised in a vibrant community surrounded by a diverse group of individuals who gave me guidance and taught me core values –such as curiosity, community, and persistence. My childhood experiences and the values that were instilled in me from being brought up in South LA are the foundation of my being, and I am proud to call South Central home. Yet, it was not often that I interacted with entrepreneurs or individuals who climbed up the ranks in the corporate world. Advanced degree holders were not always visible, and I thought that admission to a school like Harvard was a pursuit far above my head, something I had seen on television but not so much in my neighborhood. [...]
On Memorial Day 2010, LTC Jamie Leonard, the most senior female U.S. military officer to be killed in combat, penned a compelling piece for her local paper titled “A soldier’s view on Memorial Day.” Specifically, Jamie wrote, “Take measure of what you have done for your country and ask yourself if you could do more.” With Jamie in mind, I’ve learned that successes and failures are not measures of a life well-lived. Instead, I’ve learned that a legacy is defined by the ways in which we share our gifts with the world. [...]
Thinking back to our first letter as students: “the answer is YES,” we could never have imagined where it would take us. The last twenty-four months have been hard for nearly everyone, but it has also been filled with so much to be thankful for and so much to celebrate! [...]
Ja’ Saint-Tulias (MBA 2022) is a forward-thinking aspiring digital beauty marketing leader and storyteller with an extensive background in chemical engineering and entrepreneurship from Michigan State University. Since she was a little girl she's been at the helm of the beauty industry from sewing pieces for high school fashion shows to becoming a certified esthetician and beauty blogger pre-HBS. Bachelor's in hand, Ja’ has set her sights on earning a master's degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School to pursue a career in marketing––a redirection she sees more as a "calling” than a career pivot." [...]
Load More Loading...
The views and opinions expressed in the MBA Voices blog are those of the authors.
Any political views shared by students are their own; HBS does not endorse a
particular party or candidate.