After serving in the United States Air Force for seven years, Lucas Gico decided he wanted to further his leadership and management skills to better position himself for future career opportunities. Lucas ended up deciding to pursue an MBA, and enrolled at the University of Maryland Smith School of Business MBA Program. Lucas chose UM for it’s diverse cohort and, rankings and friendless to veterans, and took some time to share with us his journey to an MBA, why he chose Smith, and reflections on his first year of his MBA.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to apply to business school?
I was Active Duty Air Force for seven years, I worked at the hospital on base with patient care nutrition. I chose to apply for business school because I wanted to fine tune my leadership and management skills. With the competitive job markets, I wanted to fine tune my skills because it is very competitive for veterans getting full time positions after transitioning into the civilian world.
MBASchooled: What were the most important criteria to you when selecting MBA Programs to apply for?
One with a program with high rankings, with a diverse cohort and social mobility presence. It needed to be military friendly to accept my Post 9/11 Bill l to pay for the program. I also wanted a school near the DC area because I grew up here in Maryland. I have lived away for almost nine years while on active duty, so I wanted to be back home for a little.
MBASchooled: Based on your own specific career aspirations, what programs, resources or experiences at Maryland were most important to you?
I wanted a B school with a strong social mobility and strong alumni network.
MBASchooled: Think back to the MBA application process. What’s something you know now, that you wish you knew then?
To be more confident about my past work experiences. I did not think my past work translated well. I was pivoting into a new industry, but it is all about how you market yourself.
MBASchooled: Why did you choose to attend Maryland?
It is a diverse campus near the capital that is LGBT and Military friendly. They have high ranking programs and a fantastic alumni network. It is the university I wanted to attend since I was a child growing up in the area always driving by.
MBASchooled: What’s something you’ve learned about Maryland this semester, that you didn’t know when you made your admissions decision last year?
That their alumni are more than happy to speak to students and love lending a helping hand. I thought they would be too preoccupied in speaking with me in my career search, but most were genuinely happy to help.
MBASchooled: Now that you’ve been at Maryland for a semester, what’s been your favorite experience, and why?
The cohort for sure. Our cohort is very close, we had a Thursday social every week. We had a lot of fun virtual events that many actively participated in. We helped each other with class work, career services, and mental health checks. You can always find someone to talk to or help you out when you are behind.
MBASchooled: Oftentimes, the word “culture” gets thrown around when talking about MBA programs. Can you characterize the culture at Maryland?, and share an example of an experience that you think personifies this?
The culture here is open, friendly, and positive. Everyone is always encouraging each other and offers a strong support network to other students. They emphasize group work to build a cohesive cohort.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have, for students who are considering applying or applying to MBA programs right now?
Speak to current students attending to understand how they feel about the program, online information is not always accurate. Check alumni network and career services from the University/program to see how they support their students in career progression. Check what companies and partners the school has, most companies like to get students from a specific industry from each university.