Dec. 7, 2018

Kate Schaufelberger, International MBA candidate

When will you graduate from the International MBA program?
I graduate in May 2019 with a specialization in marketing and a business analytics certification.

Why did you choose to attend a Moore School MBA program?
I chose UofSC because of their international strength — not only is the International MBA program ranked No. 1, but it also has the curriculum and immersion that really distinguishes it from any other international or regular MBA in my opinion. I feel like it has prepared me with a strong portfolio of business exposure and armed me with tools for the career path I want to pursue. I wanted something beyond traditional MBA classes — I wanted deeper understanding of global trends and the ability to translate business outside of the U.S., and this program has given me that.

Who at the Moore School most impacted you and how?
I’ve loved getting to know my colleagues on a personal and professional level. Being part of such a diverse group of people from all corners of the world has really impacted my knowledge of other industries, business functions and cultures — especially since many of my colleagues haven’t pursued a linear career path.

In addition to my classmates, I’ve loved getting to know our faculty — Beth Renninger is beyond fabulous. I love that I’ve had opportunity to get to know her in a class format and as an adviser of Graduate Women in Business. She has been a great asset when evaluating career opportunities because of her industry experience.

What do you enjoy most about your program?
I really enjoy that we have core classes that all MBA candidates take regardless of program and that the International MBA program works to intertwine global terminology, cases and elements into each of them. I think it results in a stronger foundation and understanding of key business concepts that has differentiated me in interviews. I’ve loved learning about cultural differences and how they impact multinational corporations and innovation.

What was the most valuable thing you learned in the program?
Working directly with external companies for short-term consulting projects has been an invaluable experience — not only seeing the inner workings of another company, but also adding another complex project to my toolbelt. I’ve had the opportunities to work with FedEx,  Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated and Textron on market research and branding projects and interned last summer with Coca-Cola in Atlanta as an MBA brand management intern.

What are your future career goals?
Immediately after graduation, I’m pursuing a career in brand management. Nowadays, with the two-way dialogue that occurs between companies and consumers, a brand entity is not a black and white value proposition created by the company — consumers very much own and contribute to the brand identity and personality as well. I would love to explore this across industries in the next few years through brand management and consumer insight research.