Name: Afua Asantewaa
Class: 2022
Hometown: Chicago
Career Interests: Management Consulting and Venture Capital
After working as an implementation consultant, Afua Asantewaa (Cornell, ‘22) chose to get an MBA to move towards her purpose around fostering economic development in Africa. She chose to attend Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management primarily for it’s small class size, network, and entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this interview, Afua shares her decision to pursue an MBA, why she chose Johnson and her experience at Johnson as an MBA student.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to come to business school?
Prior to business school, I worked as an implementation consultant. I chose to get an MBA to redirect my professional career and learn new skills in a short period of time. I also wanted to gain a new network. I enjoyed the work I was doing, but reconnecting with my African roots and learning more about the economic climate of many countries on the continent left me feeling like my purpose was more aligned with economic development in Africa. Business school was the first step in getting me closer to fulfilling that calling.
MBASchooled: Why did you choose to attend Cornell?
I chose to attend Cornell for many reasons including positive interactions with students and the administration, the location, Consortium membership, access to Cornell Tech, small class size, venture capital and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and the alumni network. In the fall of 2019, I attended Johnson Meets Business and the Johnson Inclusion Summit.
I also attended an admissions dinner in Chicago. Both times, the alumni, administrators, and current students answered all my questions, asked me questions about what I wanted out of my MBA experience, and almost always offered to be of assistance in any way possible. I knew I wanted to get a lot out of my MBA and felt like having a supportive, committed community was vital.
MBASchooled: What was your decision process like? (When did you find out, were you considering other schools, when did you make your final decision?)
I found out I got into Cornell via a phone call from our Interim Director of Admissions, Eddie Asbie. Eddie was the person that reintroduced me to Cornell at my second MLT (Management Leadership for Tomorrow) seminar in Seattle. I was elated. I spoke with several mentors and reconnected with members of the Cornell community that I had met during the application process. I went over my checklist and everything checked out. I made my decision two weeks later.
MBASchooled: What resources were most helpful to making your decision? Did you talk to any people that were especially helpful?
MLT offered a lot of assistance when it came to deciding which schools we applied to. We had a spreadsheet with various criteria that we ranked by importance. We were also encouraged to visit and conduct primary research on at least ten schools. This process ensured that I was thorough in my search and would be happy to go to any of the programs I applied to. Current students, alumni, and administrators were very helpful.
MBASchooled: Did you attend any virtual admitted students events? If so, what were those like? Were they helpful?
I attended virtual admit weekends. They were great. I got to meet potential classmates, get a better sense of the school’s culture, and hear about the best things the programs had to offer. They were helpful and my experience was in line with the research I had done before applying.
MBASchooled: Now that you’ve been at Cornell for a semester, is there a specific moment or highlight where you felt confident that you made the right decision?
The support I received from the second year class and the career management center from the moment I accepted my admission offer made me feel confident that I made the right decision. Johnson students and alumni are well-represented at some of the top employers for MBA candidates and the support we provide one another as a community is one of the main reasons.
MBASchooled: Oftentimes, the word “culture” gets thrown around when talking about MBA programs. Can you characterize the culture at Cornell? Can you share an example of an experience that you think personifies what this means?
The culture at Cornell is very inclusive and supportive. Between Slack, GroupMe, Email, and the chat feature on Zoom, my classmates are very open to asking questions and cheering one another on. In the fall, I was on a core team with four other classmates. Two of my other core team members were preparing for consulting interviews. The entire semester we shared any information we received about various firms. One of my core team members even invited me to a coffee chat he was having with a firm recruiter.
MBASchooled: Obviously, it’s a little more challenging to find out what a school or program is like as a result of COVID-19. What advice do you have, or what specific actions would you recommend admitted students take, to really get to know a school before selecting a school?
I am sure there is a lot to be desired during this time when you cannot visit campuses or sit-in classes. I was lucky enough to have visited several schools in the fall of 2019 before the pandemic hit. I urge students to get creative as they explore programs. Some programs have campus tours recorded on YouTube or their websites. If possible, do a drive-by tour. The essence of the school is usually in the people. Try to find ways to connect with the people who are in the programs or attended them. That will give you a good feel. Other factors like reputation, career opportunities post-graduation, etc. can all be researched online. The people make all the difference.
MBASchooled: What’s something you wish you knew more about before starting your MBA at Cornell?
I wish I knew a bit more about how to exercise self-care while in a rigorous program during a pandemic . The MBA is a rigorous program and being in a pandemic opportunities for social interaction and physical activity are very limited. In Chicago, I had developed a routine to achieve the optimal work-life balance. In Ithaca, that was not as simple. If I had to do it all over again, I would create a schedule that reflects all the things I need to do to create balance in my life.
MBASchooled: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to recently admitted MBA students about how to make the best possible admissions decision?
Knowing what I know now, I would share that students should make the best decision for their circumstances. If you have a family, consider the environment that would allow you to thrive but offer them the best opportunity to support you and be comfortable. If you’re looking to make a career change, pick the school with current students who have been successful making the transition. Consider what is most important to you and let that guide your decision.