Donovan Walker
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
MBA Graduation Year: 2019
Specialization: Brand and Product Management
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Internship: Global Marketing MBA Intern at Hollister, Inc. in Libertyville, Illinois
Accepted position: Associate Product Manager at Hollister, Inc.
Wisconsin was very welcoming in my search for the right MBA fit. I was truly blown away by the admissions team. Director Betsy Kacizak was the very first recruiter I met at an informational event for the Consortium—which is a fellowship dedicated to the advancement of minorities in positions of management within American corporations. She greeted me with a big smile I won’t forget. After we spoke for 45 minutes, it was clear this was the school for me. Every subsequent encounter showed me Wisconsin had the collaborative environment I wanted.
I chose the specialized Wisconsin MBA program to gain hard skills. My soft skills have gotten me far in life, but I knew that it was marrying those to solid business knowledge that would set me apart in the marketplace.
The environment at the Wisconsin School of Business is authentic, collaborative, and fun. We don’t have strangers here. It feels like a 200-person family and the relationships we have forged give us a head start over other schools.
—Donovan Walker
Interaction with alumni is inspiring and led to my internship and to the job I will start after graduation. An alumnus from Hollister, Inc. came to speak to my class as part of a series of recruiting-company info sessions that we are able to attend in our first semester. This speaker was so passionate about the university and about his career at Hollister, especially about the corporate support he received in his current role. He inspired me to pursue an internship there. My time at Hollister went so well that I have been offered a full-time position after graduation.
I have gotten so much social and leadership benefit from participation in School activities. I share the position of social chair for the student body and love being a part of something bigger than myself. Organizing the spring ball was an amazing experience that served current students and prospective students—even cementing for some prospects the decision to choose Wisconsin. Another of my favorite experiences was with a Diversity in Business event. I moderated a session called “Meet the Mormons,” and it was amazing. Stereotypes were broken and myths debunked!
The environment at the Wisconsin School of Business is authentic, collaborative, and fun. We don’t have strangers here. It feels like a 200-person family and the network we have forged gives us a head start over other schools. Every single classmate of mine has a different story. Some are experts in a field and others have a wide range of experiences. I’ve been challenged many times, but it’s made me more confident. One of the most useful skills I am gaining is working comfortably and confidently within diverse, cross-functional teams and being able to lead a team with different skills to a common goal.