Meet Georgetown McDonough’s MBA Class Of 2025

Want to make something happen? You have to go where the action is – where the power brokers hold court and the decisions get made. It is the place where ideas collide, messaging gets framed, and money is awarded. Experience, expertise, authority, impact, and reach – the levers of power all concentrated in one area. That’s Washington D.C. – the nerve center, combustion engine, and memory lobe for the most powerful country in the world.

Here, you will find everything: institutions, agencies, embassies, and advocacies – the elected, the anointed, and the insurgents who shape policies and choose winners and losers. At the center of it all is Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Grounded in Jesuit values, the program takes an interdisciplinary approach that emphasizes social responsibility. Long known for being among the most globally-minded American programs, the program has invested heavily in sustainability and research to become a program geared towards using cutting-edge innovation to achieve a greater purpose.

THE INTERSECTON OF BUSINESS AND POLICY

That fits McDonough’s DC milieu, where channels idealism, know-how, connections, and influence so things get done. For the Class of 2025, DC offers a variety of benefits. Emma Nosofsky cites the “proximity to government, politics, law, history, business, and international organizations” as something that just isn’t as expansive in any other city. After studying business at nearby American University, Victoria Bravo Ortiz has enjoyed her return to DC – and its “diverse cultures, national landmarks, museums, entertainment scene, vast networking opportunities.” Academically, Matteo Memmo considers the one-two punch of McDonough and DC as a laboratory for seeing how policy and politics impact various industries. Matteo’s classmate, Ross Drwal, reinforces that point.

“In Washington, D.C., political and economic decisions are made on a daily basis that impact people throughout the world. At Georgetown, we get to learn the theoretical framework on how these decisions impact people and institutions, but we also have the opportunity to see these decisions come to life right in our backyard!”

That comes through access, says Adriana Estevez. She praises how the program enables her to engage with “policymakers, global organizations, and influential leaders.” Indeed, the district includes nearly 16,000 non-profits and over 175 embassies. In addition, 16 Fortune 500 firms are headquartered in DC, including Fannie Mac, Freddie Mae, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Capital One, and Booz Allen Hamilton. In the past two years, Raytheon and Boeing have moved their headquarters there too. DC has also emerged as an entrepreneurial hub. Startup Genome has pegged the value of its startup ecosystem at $85.5 billion dollars – nearly three times larger than other bigger cities. Notably, the region has become known for its capabilities in life sciences, cybersecurity, and cleantech, spinning out 15 unicorns from 2021-2023 and generating over $2.7 billion dollars in early-stage funding during the same period.

Washington, DC

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Between a flourishing public and private sector offerings, Washington, DC offers a wide range of opportunities for MBAs according to alumni like Esther Adusei (’23), who gravitated towards McDonough’s international offerings.

“Being in D.C. gave me the opportunity to work at the U.S. Development Finance Corporation as part of Georgetown’s Business for Impact fellowship, attend various conferences on U.S.-Africa relations, and industry-wide conferences all in the heart of D.C. Through the MBA I have been able to go on exchange to London for a semester, work on a consulting project in Rwanda, and complete my Global Business Experience in Chile.”

There is plenty more to do in DC when MBAs aren’t busy enhancing their prospects and pursuing their purpose, adds Kanokbhorn (KK) Saha (’23).

“Washington, D.C. is a destination; all things lead to it. You can enjoy everything from good restaurants scene to vibrant nightlife, and the best of it all…the museums and monuments. A regular day can involve walking to the Lincoln Memorial, then strolling down the National Mall and visiting a couple of Smithsonian Museums. From there you could have a nice meal at Le Diplomate and end the night in DuPont or U Street bars. It’s the best of all worlds, in my opinion.”

CHANGING THE FACE OF SPORTS

Coming into McDonough, the Class of 2025 already boasted impressive roles and achievements. Take Matteo Memmo. At NBC Sports, he worked as a decision sciences analyst. When COVID-19 hit, he was forced to step into the spotlight. After the lockdown cancelled major programming, he was assigned to analyze the network’s portfolio and forecast each sport’s viability. His review of NBC’s broadcast package with the NHL even made it to the desk of the company president and CFO.

“I argued that we should consolidate some of our portfolio by not renewing the NHL deal and instead focusing on sports properties with more cohesion within the portfolio. My analysis helped executive leadership make the decision to not renew the NHL deal and instead look to acquire rights to Big Ten College football – a $7 billion multinetwork deal that was finalized in late 2022. This deal offers millions of new viewers, supports the already existing Sunday Night Football broadcast deal, and positions NBC to have a major foothold in Saturday sports broadcasting.”

COVID-19 also brought out the best in Pavan Singh. At Woodland Shoes, which he describes as “India’s premier footwear retail brand”, he went on a mission to boost store growth. Despite being the firm’s vice president for growth strategy, he personally visited over 100 stores across India, “spending 3-4 days in each state talking to customers, managers, and sales staff.” As a result, he says, he gained a “nuanced understanding” of the forces buffeting the consumers and their demands.

“I was able to identify a gap in the apparel market where Woodland could play a role. Accordingly, I created a design strategy to revamp our summer apparel collection by integrating these learnings. This included planning the depth and width of sub-categories as well as color schemes and product features that enriched the offering. The merchandise I curated included 60 apparel SKUs and received 100% approval from regional sales teams and was launched in 400 retail stores across all regions of India.”

Joe Weinstein, Senior Director at Business for Impact, speaking to a crowd of students interested to learn more about the impact internships available through Business for Impact at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business

A GLOBAL MINDSET

Sade Oyalowo worked as a copywriter for Penguin Random House. Here, she helped to develop ads for The 1619 Project, The New York Times, and The New York Times Magazine. At Visa, Adriana Estevez designed go-to-market solutions that boosted adoption rates by 21% and revenue by $1.7 million dollars. By the same token, Gio O. Tantoco created the Philippines’ first cloud kitchen company from the “ground up,” ultimately opening 195 restaurants in six months. In Columbia, Alejandra Giron worked on behalf of the government to handle construction licenses for non-port projects for nearly three-quarters of the 950-mile-long Magdalena River. In the process, she protected the populace from dangers ranging from flooding to erosion.

“Most of the Colombian population is in Magdalena’s River watersheds; 129 urban zones are in its riverbank, with 78% at risk of erosion or soil scouring,” she writes. “Thus, as a team leader, I decided to establish as a primary goal the improvement of the approval times for the allocation of permits for the execution of flood controls, considering the girl phenomenon and all the changes in the river due to climate change and infrastructure for transportation. At the end of that year, 42 projects met all established requirements, with 51% related to flood control, and we denied licenses for 30 more.”

One quality that unites the Class of 2025? They bring a heavy dose of international experience to the mix. Working in international teams, Alejandra Giron cautions classmates to adopt a holistic view. By taking time to absorb other cultures and practices, she says, MBAs gain empathy – and an ability to adapt quickly.

“Over the years, I have seen that in the execution of public projects in Latin America is not possible to duplicate the same kind of infrastructure from one place to another, even if it’s in the same continent,” she adds. “Because all cultures have unique features and it is important to see them through a different lens.”

THE GLOBAL BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

For Gio O. Tantoco, the global mindset took hold during a stint in Silicon Valley, where he witnessed the possibilities of “thinking big” and its applications to his startup ideas for the Philippines. In contrast, when Sade Oyalowo worked for L’Oréal in social media, the collaborations between global teams enabled the firm to establish a clear and consistent brand. Such examples reinforce why McDonough builds a global class that embraces curiosity as much as cooperation.

“More likely than not, we’ll all find ourselves working with people from different cultures or parts of the world throughout our careers,” writes Michaela Nesson, a Harvard-trained grants manager. “Exposure to global diversity helps prepare us to collaborate effectively in cross-cultural work environments, understand different approaches to business, and remain open-minded and adaptable.”

The Global Business Experience (GBE) is one way that the McDonough MBA achieves this end. A semester-long international consulting project, GBE pairs small teams with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 500 firms (with past projects featuring the likes of Coca-Coa, Lamborghini, Citi, 3M, and Boeing). Earlier this year, MBA teams completed 46 projects, working in countries as different as the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Spain, Ghana, and Peru. After spending time working in the remotely at McDonough, teams head to their given country for a week abroad, which includes company visits, alumni dinners, and client presentations.

The GBE binds McDonough students, past and present, with 9,300 students completing 1,700 projects since its inception. For Gio O. Tantoco, the experience was an opportunity to hone the skills he’d been learning.

“Being able to concretely apply the global mindset we have learned in an international setting is a way for us to go out of our comfort zone and experience what we have been learning inside the classroom outside of it. I believe that this opportunity that Georgetown gives us to apply in-class principles in a real-world international setting even before we graduate gives a concrete idea of what to expect when we do graduate and are thrust into these contexts.”

Next Page: An Interview with Sudipta Dasmohapatra, Senior Associate Dean of MBA Programs

Page 3: Profiles of 11 Members of the Class of 2025

MBA Students at Georgetown McDonough

REPRESENTATIVES FROM 40 COUNTRIES IN THE CLASS

That said, the Class of 2025 received a strong dose of global diversity and cultural collaboration through the class composition, says Emma Nosofsky. In fact, 59% of the first-year class hails from outside the United States – from 40 countries to be exact. It isn’t just regional diversity that historically differentiates McDonough MBA classes, says ’23 alum Esther Adusei.  

“It always amazes me how well-traveled and globally-minded peers are in my social interactions. Many of my friends have spent several years working, teaching, traveling, and creating their own enterprises in countries outside of their countries of origin. Many of them also spent their childhood in multiple countries around the world. It has been so rewarding to see how their global experiences have made them more empathetic, culturally aware, curious, and respectful about learning about other cultures. In a variety of ways, the business school represents a beautiful fusion of global citizens.”

Gio O. Tantoco, however, is looking to be more than just a global citizen after two years in the McDonough MBA. “If I came out a better person than I did when I entered and stayed true to my values, I would consider that a success. If I developed meaningful relationships with my peers and helped them become better versions of themselves, another success. If I can better understand and solve problems, create new products and services that improve society for the better – icing on the cake.”

A CLASS PROFILE

Overall, the Class of 2025 features 258 students. Women account for 31% of the class, with U.S. underrepresented minorities making up anther 19%. Another 11% of the class previously served in the U.S. military. On average, the class is 29 years-old and possesses 5.5 years of work experience.

This year’s class also averaged a 695 GMAT, where scores ran from 630-743 in the mid-80% range. 37% of the class also took the GRE, where they average score hit 318. On average, the class also brought a 3.34 undergraduate GPA to McDonough, with the lowest average being 2.72 in the mid-80% range.

As undergraduates, 25% of the class majored in Business and Commerce. 19% of the class hold degrees in Humanities-related fields, followed by the Sciences (15%), Engineering (14%), Economics (10%), Social Sciences (5%), and Computer Sciences (2%). Professionally, 14% of the class last worked in Financial Services. Consulting and Technology each take up a 12% share of the class. The class also includes students who worked in Government (7%), Manufacturing (5%), and Consumer Products (3%).

McDonough MBAs at the Capital Mall

CURA PERSONALIS

You could make a case that the McDonough MBA would rank among the most purpose-driven MBA programs. That starts with its core foundation: Cura Personalis – the Jesuit principle for “care for the whole person.” Call it a two-sided coin. On one hand, Cura Personalis is a commitment to principled, servant leadership, taking the responsibility to attend to others’ needs and bringing out their absolute best. To do this, Cura Personalis also demands self-care, tending to one’s physical fitness, intellectual growth, and spiritual health – body, mind, and soul. In the process, McDonough adds a mission-driven component to its global outlook, one that looks to advance society through ethics and duty.

“I have been Jesuit-educated for the past 16 years,” writes Gio O. Tantoco. “Cura personalis is much more than a mindset to me, it is a way of life. I wanted there to be continuity in my MBA education as well. It is in Georgetown McDonough’s program that I believe I can accomplish maximizing not only my professional capacity. However, I also know I will be a better person because they also capitalize on building your character and forming your soul.  In orientation week, I could not count the number of times the faculty instilled “be good, do good” and “be a man or woman for others.”

In a 2024 column for P&Q, Shelly Heinrich, associate dean and managing director of MBA Admissions, further outlines how Cura Personalis is imbued in the program. “Cura personalis is not a value easily described before arriving on the Hilltop, but when you get here you understand the impact. Your peers are not competitors – they’re collaborators. Your professors know you and care for your well-being. Our alumni are just a call away. You receive personalized attention from faculty and staff to achieve your goals. There is a village of people here who care for you, care for each other, and care about making the world a better place.”

SUSTAINABILITY AND NON-PROFIT PROGRAMMING AMONG PROGRAM STRENGTHS

That means tackling some of the world’s toughest challenges by applying business tools. This purpose has resulted in McDonough investing heavily in coursework, research, partnerships, fellowships, and activities centered around ESG. Not only does this initiative align with McDonough’s ‘Do Good” philosophy, but also taps into the marketplace’s growing interest in pursuing strategies that produce positive outcomes for the greatest number of people.

“Georgetown is committed to shaping leaders who aren’t just skilled in finance and marketing, but also are good people,” adds Michaela Nesson. “Georgetown prioritizes service and makes sustainability and social impact fundamental to the study of business, and this was the type of community I wanted to be surrounded by in business school.”

Sustainability isn’t McDonough’s only differentiator. In a 2023 survey of MBA alumni and students, the school posted the 3rd-highest and 8th-highest scores for its Nonprofit and Consulting curriculum respectively. It also boasts Top 10 Executive MBA and Undergraduate Business programs. The school has also made heavy strides in its Entrepreneurship programming. In fact, 94% of McDonough faculty are involved, in some way, with startup ventures. Even more, nearly 9% of McDonough MBA grads who graduated from 2018-2022 launched or joined startups. And there is one other area where the school has increasingly become a force, adds Ross Drwal.

“Georgetown has a very strong reputation for its commercial real estate program. There is an MBA Certificate in Global Real Estate that students can do, which essentially teaches students how to be a commercial real estate investor from professors who have extensive real estate investing experience.”

McDonough School of Business

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATE DEAN

What is next on the agenda at the McDonough MBA? Earlier, P&Q reached out to Sudipta Dasmohapatra, senior associate dean of MBA programs at Georgetown University’s McDonough School. From new developments to sustainability and leadership programming, here are Dasmohapatra’s thoughts on all things McDonough.

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Dasmohapatra: “This year we are welcoming our first class of Flex MBA Online students. To further expand on the reach and flexibility of the Flex MBA program, Georgetown McDonough recently launched a Flex MBA Online to further help our students balance work, life, and school, no matter where they are located in the United States, on their path to career advancement.

The Flex MBA Online delivers the same degree as the in-person program, including the same professors, career resources, and signature experiential learning opportunities, with the added convenience of virtual classes. The online program has been intentionally designed to maximize the learning experience and includes both synchronous and asynchronous content, two week-long residencies in Washington D.C., participation in McDonough’s signature week-long global business consulting experience overseas, integration into the Georgetown community through co-curricular and student club engagement opportunities, and ongoing career programming. We believe that the Flex MBA Online will continue to build on Georgetown McDonough’s renowned MBA offerings while reinforcing our values of cura personalis – caring for each student’s unique needs, abilities, and circumstances in order to encourage their own flourishing.

Georgetown McDonough continues to make innovative curricular and co-curricular enhancements for traditional Full-time and Flex MBA students to explore their passions and deepen their understanding of specific issues. This includes new courses that address emerging industry trends in AI and Analytics, Digital Marketing Strategies, Sustainability and Social Impact, and Real Estate that can provide students with relevant and practical skills in the modern business world. Additionally, we have continued to expand our global experiential learning opportunities this year through additional partnerships and exchange programs, specifically in Italy and Ghana. These relationships expose our students to diverse cultures, business practices, and real-world consulting assignments that develop a global mindset and adaptabilit, which are essential qualities in today’s interconnected business world.”

Sudipta Dasmohapatra

P&Q: Give us your one-minute pitch for your business school. What makes you unique?

Dasmohapatra: “Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business is distinctive for its long-time commitment to the Jesuit tradition, for its interdisciplinary perspectives and unparalleled access to business, government, policy, and diplomatic communities in Washington, D.C., and for its immersive, real-world exposure to global business. We offer rigorous and flexible undergraduate and graduate programs that are designed to educate the whole person and develop principled leaders with a global outlook rooted in a strong sense of ethical responsibility and societal impact. Across our programs, we integrate emerging business trends and experiential learning opportunities into our curriculum that empower students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. With the support of our renowned McDonough community, we believe that an MBA from Georgetown is more than just education; it is a catalyst for personal growth, global impact, and a lifetime of meaningful connections.”

P&Q: Sustainability has emerged as a major attraction to prospective MBA students. How does your full-time MBA program integrate sustainability across its curriculum?

Dasmohapatra: “The Georgetown MBA program is designed to encourage a holistic view of business, blending the principles of ethical leadership, international business, and societal impact. The goal of the program is to create well-rounded, principled leaders who are prepared to make a positive impact in their organizations and society at large. To that end, many of the core and integrative modules woven into the fabric of the curriculum provide discussions, case studies, projects, and experiences on sustainable business strategies and investments, corporate social responsibility, environmental management, and creating shared value. Georgetown McDonough MBA students also have a unique opportunity to earn a Certificate in Sustainable Business. The purpose of the certificate is to equip students with the knowledge and practical experience to lead and manage successful businesses with a deep understanding of the complex social, economic, environmental, and policy-related challenges of the 21st century.

In addition to sustainability coursework, students also can engage with sustainable business concepts through the school’s Business of Sustainability Initiative, which provides thought leadership, convening and outreach, and student learning opportunities on emerging sustainable business issues. There also are numerous student clubs engagements and events happening throughout the year focused on sustainability, including Net Impact, the Business of Sustainability Speaker Series, case competitions, and access to Georgetown’s Earth Commons Institute for environmental and sustainability innovation.”

Next Page: Profiles of 11 Members of the Class of 2025

Georgetown McDonough MBA Students

P&Q: What are some key elements in your teaching of leadership? What types of options does your school offer that deepens student experience with leadership and makes them more competitive in the marketplace?

Dasmohapatra: “Georgetown McDonough offers a well-rounded leadership education that focuses not only on the theory of leadership, but also on practical application, personal growth, and ethical considerations, preparing our graduates to become effective and principled leaders in their careers. The focus of the MBA education is on creating global principled leaders who inspire and motivate others to work together for the greater good, fostering positive change and sustainable progress.

Some of the highlights of our curriculum include the opening term course that launches the MBA leadership curriculum called Leading Teams for Performance and Impact, which explores the dynamics of diversity and inclusion, implicit biases, conflict and civility, and giving and receiving feedback. Another highlight of the program is the Leadership Communications course which is designed to hone the skills necessary to communicate effectively in diverse business environments. This course culminates with our signature Executive Challenge event – a day-long, team role-play “case competition” that simulates a day in the life of a senior leader where the students get to present in front of senior alumni leadership.

The McDonough MBA program emphasizes global leadership, offering study abroad programs, global consulting projects, and international immersions to help students understand the complexities of leading in diverse cultural and global business environments. Additionally, the MBA program offers integrated modules with courses focused on ethical leadership which underlines the importance of values-based decision making in business, offering the students a chance to explore the moral and ethical dilemmas they might encounter as leaders.

Other activities and programming include: the LEAD (Leadership and Emotional Intelligence in Business) program, which focuses on the development of students’ leadership skills and emotional intelligence through workshops, experiential learning, and coaching; the MBA Leadership Fellows Program which is designed to nurture leadership capabilities among students; guest speakers and conferences to expose students to diverse perspectives on leadership; service leadership opportunities; leadership coaching development throughout the student MBA journey; opportunities to join leadership clubs and organizations, among others. The school also invites experienced business executives and leaders to serve as executives-in-residence, providing students with opportunities to learn from their insights, experiences, and best practices.”

MBA students looking out at the McDonough campus.

P&Q: Two years ago, P&Q asked you to share how you’ve integrated AI, STEM, analytics, and digital disruption into your programming. Since then, what types of enhancements have you made in these areas?

Dasmohapatra: As the former academic director of Georgetown McDonough’s M.S. in Business Analytics program, continuing to infuse data analytics concepts into the MBA curriculum is an important initiative to me. Our MBA program offers cutting-edge opportunities to embrace the future of business in AI and analytics, which is exemplified through innovative elective courses such as Mobile and AI Strategies, Products and Business Models, Database Development and Management, and Fintech Revolution, to name a few. The school continues to offer the MBA Certificate in Customer Analytics and Insights as a response to a growing interest among businesses to use consumer-rich data to make decisions.

To address how technology is transforming the economy, society, and the nature of work, Georgetown McDonough launched the AI, Analytics, and Future of Work Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to develop innovative solutions and solve problems for the common good in three focus areas: The Promises and Pitfalls of AI; Technology and the Workplace; and Digital Technology and Inclusive Growth. Through research, convening, and education, the initiative informs students, faculty, business leaders, and policymakers on how to devise solutions for the emerging workplace. A featured event from the initiative in 2023 was a seminar series for faculty and students where senior leaders and experts in AI from a variety of industries and government organizations provided their insights on a multitude of topics including ChatGPT and the Future of Work.

The Georgetown MBA program continues to innovate and grow its offerings of STEM-eligible courses. Currently, the program offers 43 STEM-eligible electives, in addition to eight core courses that fulfill the STEM eligibility requirements. Commensurate with the offerings, we have hired faculty in multiple functional areas (notably, operations, accounting, marketing, management, strategy, and policy) with teaching and research focused on analytics.

Additionally, we are increasing our focus on using AI and analytics, machine learning, and data visualization in our admissions, academics, program management, and career outcomes to improve internal efficiency and effectiveness.”

McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University: Washington D.C., Architect: Goody Clancy

P&Q: How many courses outside the business school can MBAs take during your program? To what extent has your business school embraced coursework from other schools and departments at your university? Are students from other schools and departments at the university allowed to take MBA electives?

Dasmohapatra: “MBA students can take up to 13.5 credits outside McDonough. We encourage students to take advantage of the rich diversity of courses from other nationally-ranked schools within Georgetown, including the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McCourt School of Public Policy, and the Georgetown University Law Center. We also partnered with these schools to offer dual degree programs such as an MBA/Juris Doctor, MBA/Medical Doctor, MBA/Master of Public Policy, and MBA/Master of Science in Foreign Service to meet the growing demand for business leaders with cross-functional expertise. Students from other schools and departments are allowed to take MBA electives if they satisfy any prerequisites and space is available in the course. Additionally, McDonough students can take courses outside the MBA program through a full-time international exchange study abroad at one of our partner institutions.

Georgetown University participates in the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, in which member institutions share resources by allowing current students to engage in limited cross-registration. This includes American University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Howard University, and the University of Maryland at College Park.”

P&Q: What is your biggest student-run event of the year and what does it reflect about your school?

Dasmohapatra: “Our most significant student-run event of the year is the student-run International Festival which takes place in November. This spectacular celebration truly embodies the essence of our school’s spirit, showcasing the vibrant diversity and rich cultural tapestry that defines our MBA Program. Our MBA Program encompasses students from more than 40 different countries, so the International Festival stands as a testament to the inclusive and global nature of our institution. This event goes beyond merely celebrating the various nationalities represented in our student body; it serves as a platform to foster intercultural understanding and appreciation. By offering cultural experiences, performances, global cuisine, and interactive activities, the festival provides an immersive experience and reflects our school’s commitment to embracing diversity and promoting a truly global mindset among our students. It is a manifestation of our belief that embracing diversity is not only essential for personal growth but also crucial for driving positive change in the global business landscape.”

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