Students in the Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth program are a motivated group of accomplished professionals that value the quality of the experience over simply adding a credential to their resume. They're seeking a flexible path to an MBA that will give them the knowledge and expertise necessary to become leaders in their industry. Get to know them through the profiles below and find out what it is like to be a Texas MBA student at McCombs.
Meet Our Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth Students
Students in the Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth program are a motivated group of accomplished professionals that value the quality of the experience over simply adding a credential to their resume and are seeking a flexible path to an MBA that will give them the knowledge and expertise necessary to become leaders in their industry. Get to know them through the profiles below and find out what it is like to be a Texas MBA student at McCombs.
Explore a sample of our Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth class by clicking on one of the photos to the left.
Gayathri Thaikkendiyil,
MBA '14
Hometown: Chennai, India
Current Job: Manager Application Development, American Airlines
Undergrad Degree: Computer Science, University of Madras
Grad Degree: Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas
Why McCombs?
"I chose McCombs because it gives me the opportunity to pursue an MBA from a highly reputed school while I continue to make progress in my current career path. During my application process I received great feedback from my colleagues who completed this program. Having taken a few courses now, I am very much impressed by the faculty, student community, MBA+, student organizations, and the alumni network."
Email Gayathri at Gayathri.Thaikkendiyil@mba14.mccombs.utexas.edu
David Riley,
MBA '13
Hometown: Syracuse, New York
Current Job: Neonatologist, Pediatrix Medical Group of Texas
Undergrad Degree: Biochemistry and Chemistry, Cornell University
"I chose McCombs for my MBA for two main reasons. First, my career has gradually developed toward a broader perspective of health care delivery in which a more thorough understanding of the financial and managerial aspects of medicine is crucial to my future success and contributions to my practice. Second, McCombs provides a thorough education in business management and teamwork while immersing me among a diverse and successful group of faculty and students.
The field of medicine is undergoing rapid changes due to financial and political forces. At this point in my career I feel I have a solid grasp of clinical management. However, to excel as a physician one needs to also become proficient in management. From my MBA experience I am hoping to improve my management skills for the ultimate betterment of my practice and the care of my patients and their families."
Frank Yang,
MBA '14
Hometown: Yunnan, China
Current Job: Product Manager, CommScope
Undergrad Degree: Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University
Why McCombs?
"McCombs is one of the best business schools in the U.S. I love the brand of McCombs and UT Austin. The brand is well known and recognized in China and worldwide."
Email Frank at Frank.Yang@mba14.mccombs.utexas.edu
Kelvin Yam,
MBA '13
Hometown: Los Altos, California
Current Job: US Commercial Business Analyst, Global Grow Services, Cisco Systems
Undergrad Degree: Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego
Why McCombs?
"Ultimately, I picked the Texas MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth program because of its brand. I am not sure what the future holds for me but I want to be prepared for whatever may come. I believe the Texas MBA program was the best choice to prepare me for an uncertain future."
Email Kelvin at Kelvin.Yam@mba13.mccombs.utexas.edu
Lisa Mabli,
MBA '14
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Current Job: Product Management Analyst, NCR Corporation
Undergrad Degree: Liberal Arts, St. John's College
Grad Degree: PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley
Why McCombs?
"McCombs is hands-down the best MBA program in Texas, so I felt really lucky that the Dallas program in particular has everything I was looking for: superlative faculty, amazing classmates, a rigorous curriculum, excellent career services, and the ability to continue working while I pursue my degree.
Hook 'em!"
Email Lisa at Lisa.Mabli@mba14.mccombs.utexas.edu
Rachna Varia,
MBA '13
Hometown: Troy, Ohio; Originally from India
Current Job: Business Planner, Texas Instruments
Undergrad Degree: Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University
Why McCombs?
"I picked McCombs because of the quality of education, it's alumni network, flexibility that it is offered in Dallas on weekends, etc."
Email Rachna at Rachna.Varia@mba13.mccombs.utexas.edu
Stefanie Gordish,
MBA '13
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Current Job: Group Manager, Weber Shandwick
Undergrad Degree: International Business and Marketing, Ohio University
"My favorite element of the program is an underrated one: the classroom discussion. Having several years of work experience under my belt in the corporate world, I was prepared to take the hard skills I was learning and apply them immediately in my career. What I hadn’t anticipated was how valuable the insights from my classmates would be. Each individual comes from a different background and set of experiences that led him or her to this point in their career. The wide array of backgrounds and everyone’s willingness to share theirs with others brings a unique perspective to the classroom discussion and has opened my mind. I’ve found that this sort of engagement with your classmates is an underestimated intangible benefit of the program and something I plan to explore deeper over the next year and a half."
Email Stefanie at Stefanie.Gordish@mba13.mccombs.utexas.edu
Ousmane Traore,
MBA '13
Hometown: Bamako, Mali
Current Job: Project Engineer, Jaster Quintanilla
Undergrad Degree: Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington
"In my opinion, the Texas MBA program is the best program in Texas and I wanted an MBA from the top program that was available to me. If you are looking for a program with bright students that will push you above your limits, come to McCombs. In addition to the great work ethic that you will acquire, the degree comes with a great brand, the McCombs brand, and a great alumni resource."
Vipul Tiwari,
MBA '13
Hometown: Kota, Rajasthan, India
Current Job: Management Consultant, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)
Undergrad Degree: Computer Engineering, Iowa State University
"When I started exploring schools for my MBA, I was mainly looking for an International MBA experience; one that brings together professionals from various backgrounds in a multicultural setting and provides the tools required to meet the demands of today’s global marketplace. The McCombs MBA student body over the last few years has consisted of over 40% international students providing a cross-cultural learning environment. Add to this the Venture Labs Investment Competitions, which allows us to interact with real businesses and strategically design and present a business plan addressing the company’s goals. This experience has proved invaluable to me as I work towards revamping my career and my existing entrepreneurial venture. Other countless offerings by the Texas MBA program include the MBA+ Projects and the various student organizations. With a vibrant business community, an expanding global alumni network and world class faculty that have consistently inspired exceptional MBA graduates, I'm glad to be part of the McCombs MBA program."
Email Vipul at Vipul.Tiwari@mba13.mccombs.utexas.edu