After working in environmental public policy, Danielle Mayorga (Haas, ‘20) chose to pursue an MBA at UC-Berkeley-Haas. After a diligent search to find a school that aligned to her goals, Mayorga found Haas to be everything she hoped it would be and more. In this interview, Mayorga shares her decision-making process for selecting Haas; dives into the characteristics and qualities of the Haas culture; and shares some of the defining moments of her Haas experience.
MBASchooled: What did you do prior to business school, and why did you choose to come to business school?
Prior to business school, I worked in public policy, specifically environmental policy. I spent nearly four years in government affairs for the City and County of San Francisco, and, then, I spent three years managing strategic initiatives and national coalitions at the U.S. Water Alliance.
I knew I wanted to go to graduate school, but I didn’t know whether I wanted a Masters in Public Policy or an MBA. Ultimately, I decided to pursue an MBA because I knew it would help me develop new skills and ways of thinking that would push me out of my comfort zone. After working in the public and non-profit sector, I saw the role business plays in influencing our cities and communities. I wanted to build my business acumen to be a more versatile leader.
MBASchooled: What were your big questions coming into making your decision on which school to attend?
Business school was a very big unknown. No one in my family has a masters degree, and, at the time, I really didn’t have many people in my friend circle or network who had gotten an MBA specifically. So naturally, one of my biggest questions was: where do I even begin?! How do I translate my unique experience to admissions? Will I even be a competitive candidate? What are the variables I should care about when narrowing down schools? How much does rank matter? How much does school geography influence my future career? What do I want out of this experience, and what opportunities will facilitate those experiences? What really matters to me?
MBASchooled: What helped you make your decision to attend Haas?
In addition to evaluating the questions that I mentioned, one exercise I did was I put two poster papers on my wall. At the top, I wrote “Danielle at Haas” and “Danielle at Other School”. Then, I put important factors on each like: where would I live ; what unique classes I was excited to take; things I would get involved in; potential career path; friends I had met at welcome weekends; etc. It really helped me visualize my life at each school, and, through that process, it started becoming clearer which school was the right choice.
MBASchooled: What characteristics were important to you in selecting the right MBA school to attend?
Coming from a “non-traditional” (in quotes because this is becoming more and more the norm) background, I was very value driven in my search process. Community was my primary criteria. I wanted to go to a school where I knew my experiences would be valued inside and outside of the classroom. I, also, wanted to surround myself with people that would challenge me in new ways and also lend a hand when I was struggling (like passing core finance!). Second, I wanted a lot of running room to explore. I had a few hypotheses about future career paths, and I wanted a school where I could explore and test them all.
Third, I knew I preferred a smaller class size where I could build a network that had breadth but also depth. Finally, I wanted to attend a school that was helping students think beyond the traditional frameworks of business and redefining what business will look like in the future.
MBASchooled: You ended up attending Haas. Why did you choose Haas?
At risk of sounding like a broken record: the people, the culture, the career opportunities, and the way the school goes beyond the traditional business school and explores the interconnectivity of business with government and societal systems. For me, the impact I want to have through my career is very locally-based. The Bay Area is home, so getting to learn from and gain access to business leaders in my own community was a bonus.
MBASchooled: How would you describe your Haas classmates? Feel free to give an example of someone who exemplifies this.
Inquisitive, brilliant, down-to-earth, driven, and compassionate. Everyday, I am inspired by something a classmate says in class, shares on slack, and is doing in the world. They are always spurring new ideas for a business startup; a way to come together as a community; or how we can give back to others in the world. It makes for an environment that inspires you to create,do,engage,give back, and take more risks because you know you have 600 people who have your back. We’re a very tight knit community, and we show up for each other.
It’s impossible to pick out only one classmate who exemplifies this because in our own unique ways, we all represent what it means to be a Berkeley Haas leader. I also can say with confidence that my classmates are the kind of leaders that I would willingly work for in the future. I don’t think you can always say that about a group of such diverse individuals. But, what unites us is shared values, mutual respect, and a hunger for doing better as leaders and as citizens.
MBASchooled: Oftentimes, students cite culture as one of the reasons why they select a school. What about the culture at Haas stood out to you?
There is a common business adage that culture eats strategy for breakfast. I think that culture is incredibly important in enabling success and holds true for business schools, but “good” culture looks different to different people. For me, the Haas culture was the right fit. I appreciated that Haas has actually codified our culture, and it’s quite literally written on our walls. At first, I thought our four defining principles were marketing catch phrases and lacked substance.
But, the more time I spent at Haas and talking to students, the more I saw that questioning the status quo, going beyond yourself, being a student always, and having confidence without attitude is really embedded everywhere at Haas: how our classrooms run; what our professors choose to teach and research; how we work together; how we socialize; how we envision our careers; how we lead in the world. What stood out to me was that it’s not lip service. Haasies talk the talk and walk the walk.
MBASchooled: What factor did your career goals/interests play in deciding on Haas?
My career goals definitely played a role in deciding to attend Haas. As I mentioned, I had a few hypotheses about potential career paths I could take: management consulting, corporate strategy, social impact, and small business/econ development. Ultimately, I was trying to find how I could bridge my policy background with a career in business. One thing that I’m really proud of at Haas is that there are so many different career paths represented — entrepreneurship,VC, big tech, banking, consulting, social impact, marketing, and more.
I appreciate that our Career Management Group really facilitates exploration to help us evolve our career vision and professors are also very invested in our career development. That means looking beyond the immediate post-MBA job search. Even in my last semester, now that I know my post-MBA path, I am still exploring new spaces that will likely shape my longer term career future.
MBASchooled: What resources, programs or information were helpful to you in making your decision?
As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t even know where to start my MBA journey! I stumbled upon the Forte MBA Launch program in my research and knew that program would be vital for me. It really gave me a roadmap for how to approach the application process and a support network of women who were pursuing similar goals in my city. I loved hearing alumni stories and began to see how to make my own story come to life.
I couldn’t afford a consultant so I relied on the MBA blogs for information gathering. Resources like MBA Schooled, MBAMission, and Poets & Quants were really helpful from application approach to school selection to how to hit the ground running year one.
Once I was accepted, a current student told me about Management Leaders for Tomorrow. I joined the professional development program to get a jump start on my career discovery and build a game plan for recruiting. Through MLT, I got to meet more MBA peers, many who were facing similar decisions. We really bonded through that process and continue to be friends despite ending up at different schools.
Deciding between schools was really difficult for me. I talked to so many current students and alumni to make sure I had all my questions answered and to get lots of perspectives. It was so reassuring to talk to people who had been in my shoes and hearing how they approached their decision. Once I felt I had all the information I needed, I consulted with my own “personal board of advisors”–mentors, friends, family, the people who know me the best and I trust the most. Finally, at the end of the day, I was the only one who could make the choice and I just had to follow my gut. Trust yourself. You will feel where you belong.
MBASchooled: Looking back on your first year of business school at Haas, in what way did this experience meet or exceed your expectations?
Of course my business school experience at Haas is better than I anticipated! Without a doubt, business school is tough, but it is about so much more than school. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to build relationships with such amazing people; have personal and professional experiences I never could have imagined; and grow as a leader. Class projects turned into opportunities to work with startups and fortune 500 companies on really interesting, timely problems. Electives, like Extreme Leadership, allowed me to take risks and reinvent who I was as a leader.
Taking on campus leadership roles showed me how to be an effective leader or change. My classmates, who I thought would be an extended professional network, have actually become close, lifelong friends.Throughout the two years, you are constantly faced with decisions and tradeoffs on how to spend your time, where to invest your efforts, and what your priorities are. But if you are intentional with your experience it can be incredibly transformative, personally, and professionally.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for those who are deciding on where they want to attend business school?
I found that MBA programs, especially when you look in the top 10, are incredibly similar. What differentiates them is not always the curriculum or the special applied learning experience (they all have that). It’s the people. Find the place where you can surround yourself with people who inspire you and that you are eager to learn from and learn with. Find the place that will not only allow you to be yourself but will help bring out a better version of yourself as a leader. As the MBAs, we tend to overanalyze data in decision making, but this is one decision where you have to lean into and trust a feeling. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s just the beginning of two years of discomfort!
For More Insights on How to Prepare for Business School, Check out our Admitted MBA Students Guide