Student Ambassadors

The student ambassadors below are just a few of the many current students who generously volunteer their time to answer your questions about the Foster MBA program.

• To connect with MBA student ambassadors, please contact [email protected].
• To connect with veteran MBA students, email the Veteran Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
• You can also connect with our Alumni Ambassadors at [email protected].
• Questions about diversity at Foster? Contact the Diversity Initiatives Coordinator at [email protected]
• Contact the Women in Business Club, at [email protected]

Featured Ambassadors: Class of 2022

Andrew Wen Class of 2022 Hometown: Boxborough, MA Pre-MBA Job: Financial Analyst (Tech, E-commerce) Email Andrew	Desired Industry: Enterprise Tech Sales Why Foster?: I came to Foster because I felt the smaller class sizes would enable closer collaboration and building strong relationships with my peers and professors. I also wanted to gain exposure to a new tech company ecosystem. To that end, Foster was a no-brainer to me. Advice: Be steadfast in your goals, and try to avoid overly comparing yourself to others. Your authentic story is your greatest asset. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Foster Venture Fellow Clubs: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club (EVCC), LevelUp!, Foster Tech Club
Caitie Clarke Class of 2022 Hometown: Saratoga Springs, NY Pre-MBA Job: Product Manager, Expedia Group Email Caitie	Desired Industry: Real Estate Why Foster?: Foster’s entrepreneurship program sealed the deal for me! Advice: Learn to prioritize and strike a balance between academics, career search, and personal / social life! Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Veteran Clubs: WiB, Real Estate Club, Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
Christine Pham Class of 2022 Hometown: Orange, CA Pre-MBA Job: Software Engineer in Tech Email Christine	Desired Industry: Product Management in Tech or Retail Why Foster?: I knew I wanted to apply through the Consortium so knowing that Foster was one of the member schools made it one of my top choices. I really wanted to go to a school that was committed to increasing diversity and Foster has been showing that through partnerships with the Consortium, ROMBA and Forté. Along with that, I enjoyed knowing that this was a student-led culture and that I could really make an impact in the culture of the school. Lastly, Seattle is a great area to be in and the companies that you can recruit from were ones that I was interested in which made it easy in terms of ensuring the school aligned with my career goals. Advice: Don’t forget to take time for yourself to relax! The application process is tiring and so will school be once you start. Would recommend at least taking a vacation, whether it’s a week or a few months, to enjoy what you’ve accomplished. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: The Consortium, Forté Clubs: Diversity in Business, Women in Business, Level Up!
Dan Cluphf Class of 2022 Hometown: St. Louis, MO Pre-MBA Job: Investment Banking/Marketing & Events Email Dan	Desired Industry: Finance/Technology Why Foster?: I chose Foster because the school aligns well with my career goals and focuses on Learning-by-Doing. The location in the heart of Seattle is also just about impossible to beat. Advice: Don’t worry about trying to fit the mold of a “typical” MBA candidate. My class is anything but typical and full of diverse pre-MBA experience. Focus on where you want to go and how business school fits into that vision. Clubs: Foster Creative, Foster Wine Club
Emily Mathison Class of 2022 Hometown: San Diego, CA Pre-MBA Job: Scientist (Fusion Industry) Email Emily	Desired Industry: Clean energy or cleantech Why Foster?: Foster supports a fantastic balance between professional and personal life. On the professional side, Seattle is home to global industry leaders and a thriving start-up culture. Its a rich environment for connections and learning opportunities. Foster leverages this for a unique and hands-on program that’s integrated with the larger community. On the personal side, you can hit up a local coffee roastery on your way to the ski slopes or a craft brewery after a long day on the lake. And, you can do it all with a group of people who are genuine, wicked smart, and love life. Advice: Definitely do all of the in depth research on the schools you’re considering. But do it so that you have a solid, rational foundation to follow your gut instinct on what program is right for YOU. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Forté Clubs: Challenge4Charity, Foster Tech, Net Impact
Jennay/Jing Wu Class of 2022 Hometown: Changsha, China Pre-MBA Job: Senior AI Product Manager Email Jennay	Desired Industry: Tech Why Foster?: Inclusive community(you can make big impact if you want), great connections for people who wants to pursue a career in Tech industry, great location(Seattle!) Advice: 1) Take a deep dive into your past experiences and what makes you you. Find where your passions are and what are your strength to pursue it. 2) Each school has its strength, try to understand if the strength fits your future goal. Talk to the people there and feel it. 3) Also location is one factor to consider if you are someone cares about it like me. Clubs: Tech, FMA, Foster Creative
Liz Daly Class of 2022 Hometown: Woodside, CA Pre-MBA Job: Collegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coach Email Liz	Desired Industry: Retail/Technology Why Foster?: I came to Foster for the supportive, close knit community that brings together a variety of backgrounds. I wanted to be in a space where I knew I could ask questions, and have the support of my classmates, which I felt from the moment I arrived on campus. Advice: Look for a program that fits your long term goals, in an environment you know you can succeed in! Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Forté Clubs: C4C Class Rep, Foster Strategy Club, Foster Technology Club
Luke Sprague Class of 2022 Hometown: Sacramento, CA Pre-MBA Job: Customer Success Management in Tech Email Luke	Desired Industry: Product Marketing, Branding, or Finance Why Foster?: The class size and tight-knit community, the career management team that applies a tailormade approach for each student, location and local companies, and experiential learning opportunities. Advice: Find a program that checks as many of your boxes as possible. The MBA is a very personal journey and it’s important that you enjoy the experience. Spend quality time building your story for “why MBA”, as that will carry you through the application process and beyond. Clubs: Marketing Association, Net Impact, Outdoor and Sports Industry Club
Matthew Morrow Class of 2022 Hometown: Chicago, IL Pre-MBA Job: Product Management Email Matthew	Desired Industry: Business Management Why Foster?: Foster’s unique entrepreneurial spirit Advice: Have a coffee chat with someone today! Clubs: Strategy and Honor Council
Mohit Juneja Class of 2022 Hometown: Mumbai, India Pre-MBA Job: Tech Enterprise Sales I NCR I Dell Technologies Email Mohit	Desired Industry: Technology – I Product Marketing I I Product Management I I Tech Strategy Why Foster?: Seattle, access to both large enterprises and startups in the technology industry, extremely collaborative Foster community Advice: Look at your school choice holistically and also from where you want to be eventually. Yes, rankings and other factors are important but try to get a sense of the community you will be getting into before you take a call. Clubs: Foster Tech Club, Foster Marketing Association, Foster Strategy Club
Nain Vaswani Class of 2022 Hometown: Pune, India Pre-MBA Job: Product Lead in Financial Services Industry Email Nain	Desired Industry: Technology Why Foster?: Foster’s tight-knit student driven community, collaborative environment, range of electives and experiential learning opportunities. Advice: Look forward to and be willing to try out new things. Focus on what you want to achieve and which experiences you can leverage to make the most of your life at Foster. Clubs: Foster Technology , Consulting, Strategy Club
Nivedita Kumar Class of 2022 Hometown: Kochi, India Pre-MBA Job: Tech – Sr. Program Manager Email Nivedita	Desired Industry: Tech Why Foster?: Small knit community, great alumni relations, located in the tech hub of Seattle Advice: Be open to new experiences and learning experiences. Ask a lot of questions, the community is very helpful. Immense help shall always be given to those who seek for it. Be clear about your end goals, non negotiables and what impact you want to create within the community you want to be associated with. Clubs: Wib, Foster Marketing Association, Foster Tech Club-First year rep
Patsachon Kriengwatana Class of 2022 Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand Pre-MBA Job: Marketing and E-commerce in Consumer Product, Business Development in B2B Manufacturing Email Patsachon	Desired Industry: Product Management/ Product Marketing in Tech Why Foster?: 1) Great track record of sending students into the tech industry 2) Small class size which fosters close-knit community and collaboration 3) Strong career management team that helps students achieve their goals Advice: Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask a lot of questions. Everybody here is more than willing to help. Apart from researching schools, takes time to learn more about yourself and what you want out of the business school, then prioritize your time accordingly. Clubs: Foster Tech, Marketing Association, Women in Business
Sasha Duchin Class of 2022 Hometown: Menlo Park, CA Pre-MBA Job: Retail (retail management), Project Manager, Stylist Email Sasha	Desired Industry: Brand Management Why Foster?: I choose Foster because of the smaller class size and community. I wanted to know my classmates on a deeper level and be able to make an impact at the school. I am from California and saw myself living in Seattle and enjoying the city and beautiful mountains! Advice: There is no right or wrong path, you have multiple paths and journeys. Choose the one that is most aligned with your value and goals so you stay true to who you are. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Forté Clubs: Women in Business, Foster Marketing Association, Diversity in Business
Shivani Tripathi Class of 2022 Hometown: Varanasi, India Pre-MBA Job: Technology Consultant Email Shivani	Desired Industry: Technology / Consulting Why Foster?: As an international student, I was looking for a school that was a perfect combination of all the factors such as community, curriculum, career, location, and ROI. Foster topped the list. Advice: Business education is a significantly important life decision, both time and investment-wise. Try to make the most of this opportunity by improving your learning curve, advancing towards your career goals, engaging in the community, and making life-long connections, while having lots of fun. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Forté Clubs: International Affairs, Challenge for Charity, Tech Club
Twisha Phirke Class of 2022 Hometown: Mumbai, India Pre-MBA Job: Software Engineer in Tech and Program Manager in Government Email Twisha	Desired Industry: Product Management Why Foster?: Foster truly takes pride in its community-driven learning and each member of this family promotes a growth mindset. Moreover, the reach and support of the Career Management especially in the Tech industry really helps build visibility. Advice: Know what you’re looking for but have an open mind; make use of your peers and connections, and take time to learn and grow. Be clear about your priorities and be ready to hustle! Clubs: Tech Club, Marketing Association, Consulting Society
Xianjin Cai Class of 2022 Hometown: Guangdong, China / Singapore Pre-MBA Job: M&A Advisory Email Xianjin	Desired Industry: Corporate Strategy / Corporate Finance Why Foster?: Collaborative culture; awesome alumni; great location Advice: Take this opportunity to reflect on your career and decide what resources you need to achieve your career goal. Schedule coffee chats with students from your target schools to find out more about the culture and the environment. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Forté Clubs: Finance Society, Consulting Society, Foster Tech
Ying Chen Class of 2022 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Pre-MBA Job: Private Equity Fund – Associate Email Ying	Desired Industry: Corporate Finance Why Foster?: Seattle, close-knit connections & community, networking opportunities with alumni Advice: Take time to fully understand what your unique experiences and perspective bring to the table. Do your own research, but come ready to learn and ask questions. Be sure to take care of yourself and your loved ones throughout. Additional Foster Community Affiliations: Forté Clubs: The Finance Society; Global Business Association

 

Featured Ambassadors: Class of 2021

Vinayak Prabhakar Class of 2021 Hometown: Chennai, India Pre-MBA Job: Tech Start-up Email Vinayak	Desired Industry: Tech Strategy or Tech Project Management Why Foster?: Inclusive community, great interactions with past students, small class size. Advice: Be proactive in understanding the school’s culture, so you can make the most of your interactions, and also, ask a lot of questions, there is a lot of help/guidance out here, so just ask. Clubs: Foster Tech
Parijat Class of 2021 Hometown: Muscat, Oman Pre-MBA Job: Data Science and Retail Email Parijat	Desired Industry: Product Management Why Foster?: West coast, community based learning, applied projects, and culture of social well-being. Advice: Come with an open mindset to learn & take this free time to relax before the start of school year. Clubs: Foster Tech, Consulting Society, and MBAA Representative
Devin Doyle Class of 2021 Hometown: New York, New York Pre-MBA Job: Tech and Human Resources Email Devin	Desired Industry: Human Capital Consultant Why Foster?: Seattle, Small Class Size, Student Driven Culture, ROI Advice: Find your non-negotiables and priorities and stick to them. There will be trade-offs and you will use your order of importance for difficult decisions. Take care of yourself. Call Grandma. Clubs: Consulting Society, Marketing Club, Women in Business (Ally)
Vivin Manoharan Class of 2021 Hometown: Coimbatore, India Pre-MBA Job: Data analyst in e-commerce Email Vivin	Desired Industry: Product Marketing or Technology Management Why Foster?: Foster has a great track record of sending student into the tech industry. The connections that Career Management has with big tech firms and the location of the School makes Foster a great platform to pivot into the tech industry. The class size is small and this builds an close-knit community. Everybody is ready to help here. Advice: Thoroughly research all schools that you are applying to and find the school that fits your personal and professional goals. Do not go with only the Rankings. You can always reach out to a student ambassador to have a candid discussion on the Foster experience. This goes for all schools. Clubs: Foster Tech, Marketing Association, Consulting Society
Gustavo Malva Class of 2021 Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil Pre-MBA Job: Project Management in Engineering Email Gustavo	Desired Industry: Corporate Finance Why Foster?: The close-knit community enables more meaningful connections with my classmates, alumni, professors, among others. Those connections are very helpful and reassuring, especially when you’re a career shifter – you can find a lot of people in the Foster community who has the same career goals as you, and their willingness to share information, and to help, you is amazing. Moreover, career management is a differential to the program. They have extremely competent personnel who will help you achieve your goals. Advice: Don`t look at the ranks only. Search for a program that you feel it`s the best fit for you. Clubs: Strategy Club, Finance Society, Challenge for Charity
Francesca Essilfie Class of 2021 Hometown: Diamond Bar, California Pre-MBA Job: Social Media Manager in Entertainment Email Francesca	Desired Industry: Brand Management or Media Marketing Why Foster?: I chose Foster because of its community. I wanted to be in an environment where I could create close connections as well as make an impact. Advice: Make time to learn more about yourself. Try to understand what makes you you, and think about what you can contribute as well as what you can learn from the communities you choose to be involved in. Clubs: Diversity in Business, Foster Marketing Association