Student Feature: Kamali Thompson, RBS '16

Kamali at the RWJ Medical School White Coat Ceremony

RBS students are making an impact both inside and outside the business community. Kamali Thompson is a dual MBA/MD student, but if that isn't impressive enough....she is currently the #5 Women's Saber Fencer in the U.S and is a 2016 Olympic hopeful!!! Continue reading to learn more about Kamali's experiences as a student at RBS and as a professional athlete. 

Thanks so much Kamali for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview! First off, how did you end up at the Rutgers MBA program? What made you decide to pursue both an MBA and MD? 

During my interview at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the student interviewers gave us a complete overview of the school. This included information such as student demographics, clubs/organizations and dual degrees. When they told us an MBA was only a 1-year program I decided to look into it if I was accepted into RWJ. My first year of medical school, I realized I was going to have to take off 2 years to train for the Olympics instead of doing 3rd and 4th year of medical school due to the rigorous schedule. When I remembered how appealing the MBA program was, I looked into the classes offered. I thought it would be a great idea to take business and healthcare policy classes because eventually I want to open my own medical practice. 

What do you envision doing with the dual degree? What kind of jobs will you be looking for after you finish school? 

After I receive my medical degree, I plan on becoming a primary care sports medicine physician, meaning I will need to do a primary care residency and a sports medicine fellowship. My end career goal is to have a multidisciplinary sports medicine office, where professional athletes will be able to see all of the doctors involved with their medical care (e.g. primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists). In order to be experienced enough to open that practice I want to work for a professional sports team first, preferably football or basketball. 

What's been your favorite class at RBS? 

My favorite class was Buying and Managing Mid-Market Businesses with Pankaj Amin. He was such an amazing teacher! It was once of the most practical classes I've taken. As soon as the class was over I felt like I was ready to go out and buy a business. The best part was he didn't just teach us how to buy a company, but how to evaluate investments in general. 

Now onto the fun stuff...How did you end up becoming an Olympic Contender for the U.S. Women's Saber Fencing Team? 

I didn't start fencing until high school which is really late for fencing and sports in general. My senior year of college I finished 6th at NCAA Championships and was really proud of how much I accomplished in such a small timeframe. I wasn't ready to give up fencing just because I was going to medical school and I still had room for improvement so I decided to try to qualify for the Olympics! My first year in medical school, I started traveling to international competitions and shot up to a top-10 ranking in the country. Last year was my best year because I finished 2nd at three national competitions, indicating I was moving in the right direction. It was also the first year I was able to attend all 8 of the international competitions, which allowed me to seriously attempt qualifying for the national team.

Kamali Representing Team USA at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia

You said you spend a lot of time traveling internationally to participate in competitions. What's been your favorite place to compete so far? 

I've been to 15 countries and Italy is by far my favorite place in the world! I've seen 3 cities, not the famous cities, very unexpected locations because that's where the competitions were held. I love Italy so much that earlier this year I went to Livorno just train with the Italian team for a week! The people I've encountered in these cities really enjoy life and spend time with their family and friends everyday dissimilar to the fast paced environment we experience in the NYC metro area. Also, the food in Italy is much healthier and satisfying than food in America. I can't believe I'm able to eat at all when I come back home.

Pursing a dual degree alone is a lot of work. How do you manage that AND your rigorous training schedule? 

The key for me has always been time management. I know I don't have much time so I have to use every possible moment to study, complete homework assignments or watch videos for fencing. Sometimes that means reading articles and writing papers on the bus to practice or on flights to competitions. I’ve also become excellent at scheduling and usually schedule every hour of the day to ensure I complete all of my assignments. If I don't schedule everything, a task usually gets forgotten about.

If/when you ever get some time to relax, what do you like to do for fun? 

I practice in the Chelsea area of NYC, but I don't see much of the city. In my spare time I like to explore new areas of the city and do activities like visit museums or parks. Sometimes I won't see my friends for weeks at a time if I'm away for a competition so usually I'm just happy catching up with them.

Thanks so much Kamali for sharing your experience with us. On behalf of the RBS Community, we wish you the best of luck on your Olympic journey!!! 

Feeling inspired? Check out Kamali's Fundraising Page to support her journey. Let's get RBS represented in Rio 2016!!! 

Summer Internship Series: Crystal, Priya and Vinatie

The summer is coming to an end and so are our internships! Therefore, this will be the last installment of the Summer Internships Series. Thank you to everyone who contributed, I hope you all enjoyed learning about what the Rutgers MBA Class of 2016 was up to this summer! For our last update, we've got Crystal Orr, Priya Shivkumar and Vinatie Pasricha talking about their experiences this summer. 

Crystal, a Marketing student, is working for HP in New Jersey...

"Hello everyone!! I am currently a MBA Global Marketing & Communications Intern at Hewlett Packard, working in the Financial Services (HPFS) business unit right here in New Jersey. I actually started in March and my internship is for a year, so I’ll still be here part time once the semester begins.

It’s an exciting time right now at HP as the company is going through a separation and will be split into two organizations in November. I am definitely here at a good time because I am getting the firsthand experience of going through a large transition at a top 20 company and involved in the process of implementing and communicating a new brand strategy (names, logos and messaging) to employees, customers and partners.

Currently, I work on various projects focusing on global internal communications and sales and colleague engagement. Some of my daily tasks include designing and creating content for our intranet pages, Yammer account (internal social media), and internal reference materials to support the sales team including separation information. I am also learning everyday about IT consumption and the financial aspect of technology for businesses and enterprises.  

I’ve had diverse and interesting experiences here thus far, ranging from volunteering for the Take your Kids to Work Day activities to donating blood for the first time to attending a Brooklyn Nets game.  One of my first major projects was actually coordinating the second annual HPFS mini golf tournament for philanthropy day with proceeds going to Room to Read. This was a fun experience as I love to plan events and got the opportunity to meet a lot of colleagues in the office.

Since, I will not have an official summer break prior to starting school again, I’m headed to New Orleans next week for a few days of fun! See you all soon!"

Priya, concentrating in Finance, writes from Madison, NJ...

"This summer I am interning with Quest Diagnostics in their Corporate Finance function. Within Finance, I am with the Revenue Recognition and Analytics team, which has a mix of both - Accounting and Finance. My team and other corporate functions are largely based out of Giralda farms in Madison, NJ, which is a beautiful location! My project over the summer was to develop analytical tools to evaluate the cash collected against the accounts receivables recorded for each of Quest's business units. 

Through the summer, various lunch and learns were organized for the interns where we got a chance to meet Executive Directors and VP's from different parts of finance. The CFO attend our final presentations earlier this week and it was really good to get so much face time with him over the summer. Glad to be done with my presentation even though my internship runs for 2 more weeks!  Over the summer, I also went on a lab tour (Quest's main lab is @Teterboro) and had a lunch and learn session with an ex-FBI guy who is now the head of Corporate security at Quest. Interesting experiences! 

There is a girl in my team who is an excellent baker and makes amazing stuff for birthday's and other events ..so all of us wait for someone's birthday to come up so that we get some home baked goodies! Everyone is really nice here and its been a wonderful summer. Look forward to wrapping up my project soon but will miss working once school starts! 

PS: And yes, there is a huge Rutgers contingent here at Quest." 

Vinatie, who is specializing in Marketing and Marketing Research Insights & Analytics, checks in from Iselin, NJ...

"This summer, I am interning at Ansell, the personal protective equipment company that makes gloves, condoms and clothing. The company is organized into four global business units – Industrial, Medical, Single Use and Sexual Wellness. I am working for the Single Use Global Business Unit as the Global Branding and Strategic Marcom Intern with the Global Marketing team. What makes this business unit exciting, is the fact that it was created just a year back as a result of an organizational restructure and the integration of Ansell with the recently acquired BarrierSafe Solutions International, Inc.

The object of my projects for the summer is to assist the team in product integration, portfolio optimization and create tools to elevate the expertise of the sales team. For my first project, I am assisting in the development of competitive positioning statements for all disposable gloves based on a newly created segmentation matrix. This will help them drive clearer differentiation and better integrate Ansell single-use products with BarrierSafe products. My second project is to develop a demo kit, which will allow our sales representatives to demonstrate how Ansell gloves perform better compared to competitor gloves. For this, I have been working closely with the R&D team and creative agency to design tests to demonstrate attributes such as ergonomics, enhanced grip, chemical resistance and puncture resistance.

It’s hard to believe that the internship is already coming to an end with just 2 weeks left! I have really enjoyed working with my team. The culture is extremely collaborative and transparent, which makes everyone in the organization very approachable.

For those who have been following the blog, you have already heard from Susan about the lunch & learns organized by HR. These weekly sessions have been a great way for us to meet senior executives and learn about the company and the business. Some of the exciting ones were with the CEO, CFO, President of the Single Use GBU and Head of Sales for NA. Last week, Ansell organized a day cruise around Staten Island for all employees. It was a refreshing change, a great way to experience the true company culture and network with everyone!"

Thanks to all for reading each week! And good luck to the Class of 2017, who will be starting Orientation this upcoming Monday. Can't believe we went through all that a year ago, time has flown by. I look forward to seeing everyone in less than a month! Enjoy the rest of your internships and rock those final presentations! 

Summer Internship Series: Susan, Laavanya and Jaclyn

And we're back! Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend! I know a lot of people have reached or passed the halfway point, I can't believe it! This week we've got Susan Smith, Laavanya Shriram and Jaclyn Kirna talking about their internships...

Susan, concentrating in Finance and Supply Chain Management, writes from Iselin, NJ...

"Greetings from the distant land of Iselin, NJ, where I am interning in global financial planning and analysis at Ansell. Ansell makes personal protective equipment, such as gloves, suits, and condoms. They are a truly global company with operations in each of four regions: North America (NA), Latin America & Caribbean (LAC), Asia Pacific (APAC), and Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA).

So far, I have worked on some small tasks – collecting information on the manufacturing sector in different countries and on general economic conditions globally in order to predict and analyze the effect of global conditions on sales and creating bridge graphs for a presentation. I am also working to model sales forecasts and analyze growth with the complicating factor of acquisitions and the seasonal nature of the business. Remember Dr. Lei’s seasonal forecasting models? Well, I have been putting them to use! Most recently I have been collecting information on recent sales growth of competitors and distributors in order to see if the movement in manufacturing affects them in similar ways. 

It has been nice to meet interns from other schools, although there is a big Rutgers contingent. Go RU. Another plus is the lunch and learns that HR has set up for us. We met the Chief Human Resource Officer who gave us an overview of the company. We also met a brand manager and learned about a new product, both how it was developed and how a market is being created for it. The Director of IT gave us a view of how the IT department interacts with and supports the rest of the business. We will also be lunching and learning with a NA head of sales as well as the CEO."

Laavanya is concentrating in Supply Chain Management and Strategy and is working in Northvale, NJ...

"This summer, I am working for RAB Lighting, based out of Northvale, NJ. In little over a month, I have had 2 dinner parties, 7-9 cakes, and above all hands-on experience in various aspects of supply chain - procurement, inventory management, demand planning, new product development and logistics.

RAB is a third generation family owned U.S. company and the fastest growing company in New Jersey too. The company manufacturers and distributes commercial LED lighting. A year ago, the company began forming it's Supply Chain department and has been a growing team since. As a Supply Chain Intern, I am mainly focussing on demand forecasting & inventory management. I feel really lucky to have found this position as I am able to rotate in each team within the SC department, helping enhance/apply all that I have learnt via RBS. Also, the coolest thing, as the entire company located in one building, I literally walk through each process or department and see how they function. 

Be it working in excel to report KPI trends or applying OB concepts enabling change management during Lean events, I find learning is everywhere and summer is too short to fully absorb it. I hope to gather as much as I can here and hopefully define my career path. This is also my first experience working for a small company (well when compared to MNC's I earlier worked for) with strong culture. Today I can vouch that there is a thing named work culture fit. Though my colleagues are diverse and unique, because we all have similar ideologies it makes working together fun and easy. I feel much more confident in voicing my opinions or ideas. The entire company has a family kind of vibe, anyone can walk into any space (yep even CEO's office) without feeling awkward and have an open conversation about anything. 

On a personal front, thanks to a 30 mile commute, I finally bought a car and have been making the most of it. Our classmate, Meghana Talasila, also on the same team as me, is in the same boat. So we hangout a lot and cherish our Rutgers roots. We have been exploring some hidden hiking gems in the Tristate area. Anyone interested?"

Jaclyn is a Finance and Strategy student spending her summer working in NYC…

"This summer, I am interning in Commercial Finance at Pfizer Inc.’s World Headquarters located in midtown Manhattan.  During the 10-week internship, I am working on two teams: Global Commercial Operations and Accounts Receivable – Working Capital Initiatives. On Pfizer’s GCO team, I have been collaborating with leadership team members and Op. Plan leads to help prepare Pfizer’s 2016 Operating Plan and build a compensation model for GCO spend.  I am also assisting GCO leadership team members with reevaluating their monthly reporting, forecasting, and budgeting processes based on regional needs.  On the Accounts Receivable team, I assist with DSO (days sales outstanding) trending, reporting, and analysis and I help the team prepare and validate AR reporting packages.  During my time on both teams, I am working to improve the efficiency of Pfizer’s reporting processes.

I just finished week 6 of my internship and it’s hard to believe how fast it is flying by!  Pfizer’s internship program has given me a lot of exposure to senior executives through the various lunch & learns planned for the MBA summer associates.  This past Tuesday, we had a summer speaker session with Chairman of the Board & CEO, Ian Read.  He shared his career path as well as his perspective on transformational leadership and it was exciting that the interns had the opportunity to ask him questions at the end of the session. At Pfizer, the MBA interns also work on a live case study throughout the summer.  My team is comprised of 2 finance interns and a procurement intern.  In early August, we will be presenting our recommendation to our managers and senior executives in the company. Earlier this summer, Pfizer colleagues volunteered at Camp Sebago (a camp located outside of NYC for inner city children).  I spent the day cleaning up the campsite with colleagues from different Pfizer locations and it was fun to watch a dance routine that the children performed for us that afternoon.  We lucked out with good weather and the lake up there was beautiful!

It’s hard to believe that just a year ago, I was teaching 22 super energetic third graders.  It’s been a challenging yet exciting career change into the corporate world, but I’m really enjoying the experience.  The best part is that I’m working with people who love what they do and I’m learning something new every day!

After the internship, I have plans to travel to Houston, Texas for a wedding and then to Austin, Texas to visit some friends (and any of the Dell folks who will still be down there!).  As a Jersey native who loves the beach, the summer wouldn’t be complete without spending some time at the Jersey Shore!"

Thanks for checking in and keep reading each week! 

Summer Internship Series: Anusha, Brandon and Amy

Each week this summer we will check in with a couple RBS students to learn more about their summer internships. For the inaugural post, we will hear from RAMS Co-Presidents Anusha Aneel and Brandon Harris, and RAMS Tech Chair Amy Lum. 

Brandon writes from West Orange, NJ....

"This summer I am working about 10 minutes from Rutgers Business School in West Orange, NJ at Groupe SEB USA, a large French consortium that manufactures and sells assorted housewares items.  My summer internship is a continuation of a Co-op program that I started in January of this year.   I am officially working as a Commercial Marketing Intern, but my responsibilities span both retail and commercial marketing.  

Interning at Groupe SEB gives me the chance to work with great brands in the housewares industry such as T-Fal cookware and small appliances, Rowenta haircare, Krups coffee makers and accessories, and All-Clad premium cookware, amongst others.  Specifically, working on the T-Fal Cookware team has given me the opportunity to oversee various projects including ones focused on new product development, development of go-to-market strategies, channel management, data analytics, and retail sales strategies.  As part of my responsibilities, I interface with many cross-functional employees, including finance, logistics, sales, innovation teams, and manufacturing teams in order to successfully achieve my project’s deliverables.  By working closely with my manager and by having access to senior level management, my learning process has been accelerated and I feel like I am developing as a marketer every day I spend at Groupe SEB.  

Overall, working at Groupe SEB during the Spring semester and continuing that work into the Summer has been a great experience.  Over the next few months, I look forward to contributing even more as a Commercial Marketing Intern and further developing my skills as a marketer."

Anusha is spending her summer in Columbus, OH...

"This summer I am living and working in the heart of downtown Columbus, Ohio at Nationwide Insurance Company. I am a Management Associate intern with the Marketing Leadership Rotation Program. I am simultaneously working on four different projects for the VP of Customer Insights & Analytics, which sounds like FOUR much, but the team I work for has been extremely helpful. Two of my projects are on brand transformation, another one is digital in nature, and the last one is on tableau. So far I have been interacting cross-functionally with several different teams and am hoping to get a pretty well-rounded experience from all these projects. Currently at the end of my third week now and loving it so far!

Nationwide has been kind enough to put me up in an apartment that is a 5 min walk from their headquarters so my commute every morning is painless! It has been great to connect with some old friends from when I used to live here and make new friends in the internship program. I am very excited to be here and hoping you are all having a fantastic summer too!"

Amy checks in from Chicago, IL...

"This summer I am living and working about 40 minutes north of Chicago at AbbVie. My official title is Commercial Analytics & Operations Intern and I'm working for the Marketing Analytics and Business Insights team. For my main project this summer, I am working on the brand Humira and analyzing raw, qualitative research data in order to gain a deep understanding of the patient experience for a specific Rheumatoid Arthritis patient segment. I'm hoping to develop some key strategic insights about this patient segment in order to provide input for future business planning. I'm very happy about my assignment as it allows me to utilize my social sciences background as well as apply concepts I've learned in business school this past year. I'm just finishing up my 2nd week and I really enjoy working with my manager and team. This is my first time working in corporate America and the pharmaceutical industry so I feel like I've learned SO MUCH in just these first couple weeks. 

I'm staying in a hotel about a 5 min drive from the AbbVie campus. It's not the most exciting area so I plan on spending most of my weekends in Chicago. I'm looking forward to catching up with some old friends in the city and trying out all the delicious food and craft beer Chicago has to offer. If anyone passes through the city this summer, let me know!"

Check back next week to hear from more members of the Class of 2016...

2nd Annual RBS Night Out with the NJ Devils

The Prudential Center, where the New Jersey Devils play, is just a 15 minute walk or 5 minute light rail ride from 1 Washington Park. Last night, the MBA Student Government Association (SGA) secured tickets to see the NJ Devils play against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Over 30 Rutgers MBA students took over Section 1 of the arena. Despite allowing two relatively early goals, the Devils played a strong last period and came close to tying the game. The game finished in a 2 – 3 loss, but everyone still enjoyed the night. Thank you Riley Miller for organizing such a fun event!

STUDENT FEATURE: Trevor Jackman, MBA ‘14

Trevor Jackman 

Finance Concentration
Treasurer, Investment Banking Group

Treasurer, Black and Hispanic MBA Association

Trevor is a full-time MBA candidate with a concentration in finance.  After becoming fed-up with his former workplace, Trevor decided to take his skills to the next level by enrolling at RBS.  He is now well on his way to his dream job at the FED.

How did you find yourself at RBS?

Born and raised in Jersey and went to Rutgers New Brunswick for undergrad, where I completed a double-major in Economics and Political Science. Before attending RBS, I had been working as a Financial Aid Advisor at a college in NYC. After 3 years of working hard (and dealing with a lot of office politics) I just wasn’t happy with the job. Also, I got tired of constantly being called to put out fires at work. It’s never a good thing when you wake up and dread going to work in the morning. I finally had enough and quit my job to pursue my MBA full-time.

Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

Working as a senior officer, directly under the President of the New York Federal Reserve Bank.  It’s unrealistic to think I could be the Chairman of the FOMC in 15 years…that may be 20 years down the line.

How was your summer internship?

I loved my internship because I got to interact with so many different people within the Federal Reserve. My coworkers all were very helpful and answered any questions I had about my projects.  We had luncheons with senior leaders and during one event I had the chance to speak with William Dudley, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Additionally, I got to meet some of the RBS alum that work at the FED, who really supported and taught me throughout the summer.  Overall, it was an amazing experience.  I was given a full-time offer, and I’m excited to start working at the FED next summer.

What has been your favorite class so far?

“Doing Business in China” I got to travel through China for ten days and experience a side of the world I’ve never been to.  We toured 3 difference cities in China and got to meet with several business leaders who have worked in various industries in China over the past 20 years.  I was surprised to learn first-hand the different challenges businesses face in the Chinese market, but it was a great learning experience. It’s pretty obvious why this was my favorite class. I’d highly recommend the class to any student. 

Who is your favorite professor?

I have to say Farrokh Langdana. He is really great at explaining complex financial issues in plain English that anyone off the street could understand.  I had his class from 6-9pm on Wednesday nights, after 6 hours of class… so for him to keep my attention the whole time tells you how great of a teacher he is.

What would you do differently if you could repeat your first semester all over again?

I would have talked to more second year students focusing in finance. I really didn’t take the time to get to know the second years as much as I should have and that could have been very helpful networking and for interview prep. Other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing about first semester.

Trevor and two other RBS students tour China as part of
the "Doing Business in China" course 

STUDENT FEATURE: Avril Hsu, MBA '14

Avril Hsu

Marketing

President, Int'l Student Org

Treasurer, RAMS

Avril is a full-time student, earning her MBA in marketing.  Originally from Taiwan, she has worked in seven countries and speaks four languages. She enjoys salsa dancing, learning guitar, and (surprise) traveling.  When she is not in class, she can be found negotiating portion sizes with the food trucks outside 1 Washington Park. 

Where were you before RBS?

 I was born and raised in Taiwan. After completing my undergrad in industrial design, I worked at a Swiss Consultancy called Process Brand Evolution, AG for five years. (www.process.ch). It’s an independent branding and design consultancy based in Switzerland, Taiwan and China.  I started as a product designer and then was promoted to strategy consultant where I helped clients develop new products, new lines of business, and implement go-to-market strategies. (Check out one of my cool projects that won six international awards. http://www.idsa.org/content/content1/t-tech-led-dimmable-light-bulbnature#! http://www.notcot.com/archives/2012/06/led-gluhbirne-nature-bulb.php)

While working at Process, I had the chance to travel and work in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Thailand, and China. Now, I’m here – the United States J

Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

Ahh this question is hard. I can only say that I enjoy living in the moment and exploring new challenges all the time. And these are the things I will still be doing in 15 years.

What do you do for fun?

I love to eat (all kinds of cuisine) and I eat a lot!  One time the food truck saw my tiny body, assumed I was doing some sort of crazy diet, and decided to give me less food. I’m NOT, so please fill the whole box full of food!  I also love salsa dancing, playing pool, and traveling. Currently, I am learning guitar… progressing slowly though.  

What would you do differently if you could repeat your first semester all over again?

Uh... Honestly, I would pay more attention in all classes… It is kinda hard to balance job/internship searching and classes, but you cannot lack one of them in your MBA journey! Now, I can better balance both classes and work, because I know both are equally valuable. J

What is/was your favorite class? Why?

Strategic management is an awesome class, especially if you are interested in consulting!  Definitely take this class. You will be able to pick up lots of frameworks and how to employ those. Breakdown the current problem into buckets, tailor the right method to analyze it, and from there, strategize the solutions for your companies.