Meet The MBA Class Of 2027: Students Today, Leaders Tomorrow, Innovators Always

“EVERY DAY IS A PROVING GROUND”

In the U.S. Air Force, Connor Elkin put his master’s degree in Computer Science to work. The Harvard first-year MBA led a team of civilians, contractors, and military personnel in developing the Shadow’s Edge software for the U.S. Cyber Command.

“My biggest career accomplishment was integrating cutting-edge AI technology into our mission and product portfolio,” Elkin writes. “Leveraging the diverse set of experiences in my team, we combined Air Force Ventures startup investments, in-house software development, and research partnerships to bring first-of-its-kind machine learning and AI capabilities to cyber warfare operations.”

Last year, Tyler McLees claimed 1st place in the U.S. Army’s national hand-to-hand combat tournament. However, his biggest achievement, he argues, is passing the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP) and earning a spot on the 75th Ranger Regiment, which he describes as the “Army’s premier Infantry Unit.”

“Every day is a proving ground,” observes McLees, who is a member of New York University’s Stern School. “Once accepted, you learn quickly that your past accomplishments no longer matter. The operational pace is relentless, the expectations are high, and the people are world-class. I was fortunate enough to be able to deploy to combat zones with the Ranger Regiment, where I learned about leading under pressure from those who do it best. I carry those lessons, and that standard, with me every day.”

MAKING ENTERTAINMENT STARS IN INDIA

The Class of 2027 has also operated in some rarified air. In 2019, Jeff Liu, an Ivey MBA student, partnered with the Gates Foundation to handle Bill Gates’ media and speaking activities in China. UCLA’s Meshach Boyce successfully lobbied the Memphis VA Hospital to rename it after his grandfather: Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Luke J. Weathers Jr. If you watch Indian Idol, know that Aastha Gupta’s fingerprints are all over it. The IIM Ahmedabad MBA served as the creative director for Season 12 of Indian Idol – the series’ most viewed season. That doesn’t count her contributions to programs like Saregama Lil Champs, Superstar Singer, and The Big Picture – A New Age Quiz Show.

“I’ve been a part of creative teams that turn raw talent into stars on some of India’s biggest reality shows. I began as an intern on Indian Idol – the Indian adaptation of American Idol and returned years later as its Creative Director: the most unforgettable homecoming I could’ve imagined.”

The classroom will be familiar territory for Gila Schwarzschild, who just started at the University of Virginia’s Darden School. She has been teaching undergraduate and graduate level nutrition courses at Hunter College. Don’t expect Tamen Jadad-Garcia to be intimidated by any paper assigned by her professors at USC’s Marshall School. She has already published a book – Healthy No Matter What: How Humans are Hardwired to Adapt – along with an accompanying article for it in Time Magazine. At Deloitte, NYU Stern’s Olivia Manousos built the firm’s Media & Entertainment practice “from the ground up.”

“Through this experience, I created and executed the practice’s Go-To-Market Strategy, identifying and communicating the practice’s innovative offerings to new and existing clients,” she adds. “I led a team of three junior practitioners and collaborated weekly with partners across divisions, ultimately bringing together five siloed groups to present Deloitte as a unified front to clients. Although I was just a junior practitioner, I was considered an equal part in determining the strategy and design of the practice, directly enabling me to expand the firm’s footprint in the media space and secure multiple high-impact projects for the firm.”

SUCCESS MEANS YOU’RE UNNECESSARY

Manousos wasn’t the only builder in the MBA Class of 2027. Working for Clinton Health Access, INSEAD’s Raj Sachdev developed a vaccine supply chain that could overcome climate disruption. As a head brewer, IIM Calcutta’s Ketan Malhotra developed 10 craft beers that transformed Seven Rivers Brewing “from a boutique brewpub into a high-performing craft beer hub.” By the same token, Freya Twigden made her reputation in the beverage industry. After discovering Kombucha, a fermented tea drink, in China, she launched the Fix8Kombucha startup. As part of 2024 International Women’s Day, Fix8Kombucha was among the women-owned products featured in the Wholefoods Market window display in London’s High Street Kensington – receiving coverage from the BBC and The Times along the way. More recently, her brand was named the official Kombucha at Wimbledon.

“Bringing gut health to centre court was an epic moment for me,” writes Twidgen, who is now studying at London Business School.

What kind of impact is the Class of 2027 capable of making? Check out these numbers. As head of corporate strategy and development at the Publicis Groupe, Sydney Peoples would qualify for a case study at Columbia Business School, where she is now a first year. Between launching five products and streamlining operations, Peoples helped quintuple her billings to $1-billion annually. Before joining the Goizueta Business School, Ornella Adekoye had helped small businesses secure over $60 million in loans. USC Marshall’s Eko Bianto Putra developed a proposal that enabled his bank complete a $650-million acquisition. At Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) – which boasts $29.6-billion in annual revenue – Charlie Doebbler found himself at the forefront of AI growth as an operations manager.

“I helped lead the rollout of AMD’s co-marketing operations platform,” writes Doebbler, a member of Cornell University’s 2027 MBA Class. “This platform hosted users on five continents and facilitated over $100 million in annual joint marketing spend with Microsoft, Google, Oracle, and other partners. Our efforts allowed us to capitalize on early momentum and served as the foundation for AMD’s integrated GPU/CPU go-to-market strategy.”

Before landing a spot in the Tepper School’s MBA Class of 2027, YJ Li worked as a senior program manager for Dell for Startups, where he was instrumental in building Dell’s startup ecosystem. While Li could claim that his biggest moments were speaking engagements at events like TechCrunch or SXSW, he instead points to fulfilling his definition of success.

“They say you’re successful when you become irreplaceable—I disagree. You’re successful when you become unnecessary,” Li observes. “Real leadership isn’t about building something that needs you—it’s about building something that transcends you. Watching that team now – expanding programs, deepening relationships, reaching startups I never could have touched alone – I see the true ROI of community building: impact that multiplies in your absence. Yes, there’s always more to create, but knowing I built something designed to outlast me? That’s legacy.”

A LOOK INTO THEIR LIVES

That’s just a few highlights of what the MBA Class of 2027 has already achieved. Who are they outside of business school? Emory’s Jasia Barrett’s undergraduate performance was so impressive that she earned acceptance into medical school without taking the MCAT (Spoiler alert: She ended up being a consultant at IBM and Accenture). IMD’s Zareen Cheema, a Volvo engineer, had been shortlisted by MarsOne “for a one-way mission to colonize Mars.” Before becoming a Kenan-Flagler MBA, Jeffery Obiagu, a CPA, claimed the Seton Hall basketball record for most blocked shots. Before earning a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering and building braking systems for AP Racing hypercars, the London Business School’s Alessandro Piglione starred in Let’s Go, Man-Soo-Ro, a football-themed television show. And INSEAD’s Amani Fancy channeled her talents into a larger platform to inspire others.

“I used to be a professional ice skater for Team GB and have won the TV show Dancing on Ice in the UK and Germany!…[I also] became the first Omani woman to skate at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman (my home town). This was an incredible feat given the cultural norms and it helped redefine the possibilities for the next generation of the Middle East!”

This is a class that doesn’t shy away from risk or adventure, either. HEC Paris’ Lachie Cairns, a backpacking enthusiast, has traveled across over 40 countries. NYU Stern’s Wilco Carey has “bungee jumped over Victoria Falls [and] skydived on Long Island.” Next on his bucket list? Paragliding in South America. Harvard’s Connor Elkin has actually been head-butted by a shark. And how is this for a way to prepare for the Booth School?

“Over the summer, my fiancé and I let our lease in D.C. expire in June and left our jobs to travel around the world before moving to Chicago for the fall semester,” writes Marianna Shakhnazaryan. “[It was] a trip that involved 26 flights and took us to 18 countries from Japan to Montenegro to Portugal, before ending in Morocco with our pre-orientation group trip.”

THE BEST OF TIMES

And the adventures didn’t end once MBAs arrived on campus. Over Easter, IMD students headed to the Swiss Alps for what they expected to be a weekend of hiking. After being hit with eight inches of unexpected snow, they found a “winter wonderland” that made the class’s time together all the more memorable.

“That weekend was about so much more than sightseeing,” writes Agustina Bigatti. “We hiked through snowy paths, had snowball fights, shared meals and sang songs, and even had a few brave souls go paragliding. But what made it truly special was the simplicity. No formal agenda, just deep conversations, spontaneous laughs, and a real sense of presence. It was one of those moments where time slows down and you realize how rare and meaningful it is to connect like that, with nature, with others, and with yourself.”

For others, it was the normal day that has made business school so special. That includes hangouts like Ram Bhai’s Tea Stall, which Aastha Gupta describes as a “rite of passage” for IIM Ahmedabad students.

“Ram Bhai even finds his way into our lecture halls, with professors referencing him to explain economic concepts,” Gupta jokes. “Whether it’s a breather after hours of case prep or a midnight escape with friends, Ram Bhai’s is where bonds are built over cutting chai and bun maska. Its charm is timeless: you’ll even hear it mentioned fondly in boardrooms when IIMA alumni reminisce. For us, it’s not just a hangout, it’s a shared tradition that connects generations of students through stories, caffeine, and community.”

GREAT PLACES TO LIVE TOO

And the communities surrounding these business schools were marquee attractions too. MIT Sloan’s Chloe Brown was attracted to Boston’s youth and energy…not to mention cheap Red Sox tickets. UC Berkeley’s Tabea Anna Charlotte Spors points to the Bay Area’s “bold ideas” and interdisciplinary collaboration, with classmate Sebastian Bardacosta Artagaveytia likening the area to a “live-action movie where every character is building something that literally changes the world.” For Bianca Ellis, a Citigroup executive who joined Georgetown University’s McDonough School, Washington, DC is the place for ambitious leaders who are pursuing a purpose as much as influence. Let’s not forget Los Angeles, where there is never a dull moment (or a day under 70 degrees).

“Where else can I start my week with a sunrise hike, take a beach yoga lesson with my classmates after an exam, and end the week in the mountains, all within driving distance,” asks Fernando Klüppel, a first-year MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School.

Olivia Manousos might say the same about New York City. “I am so excited to be in one of the entertainment capitals of the world. My favorite celebrity is on SNL this weekend? Let me just hop on the subway to 30 Rock and join the standby line to get a ticket. An artist is doing a pop-up concert in Washington Square Park? I’m there!”

That said, some MBAs opt for a slower pace and greater space than their urban counterparts. In Ithaca, New York, Cornell University’s Gio Caballero has ditched the headphone for more “meditative moments” alongside waterfalls and forests. At IIM Calcutta, Chirag Choudhry has found solace on a Joka campus that feels “world’s away” from Kolkata’s crowds, noise, and heat.

“With its seven natural lakes, lush greenery, and diverse wildlife, the campus is a nature lover’s paradise. Waking up to the sounds of exotic birds and studying amidst such picturesque landscape is a privilege few get to experience.”

“A ROCKET SHIP”

In the end, the MBA experience centers around narrowing the gap between who someone is and who they want to be, says Wharton’s Tanishi Agarwal, who has already shifted from biotech researcher to Goldman Sachs strategist. When it comes to growth, Agarwal’s classmate, Gorav Menon, likens their business school to something that goes fast, far, and fierce.

“Wharton gives their students a rocket ship and spends the next two years teaching them how to ride it. Each one is different, and none of us flies it the same, but they all go fast & high. When a Wharton career advisor asks what we want to do after this, they are not asking what industry we want to make money in; they are asking what industry we want to shape.”

And how will the Class of 2027 know if their rocket ship has reached its destination? Beyond a new role and employer, HEC Paris’ Sabrina Fajardo Gallegos believes success will hinge on her continuing to take the risks and maintain that student curiosity that led her to business school in the first place.

“My MBA experience will be successful if I say yes — to experimenting, to learning new things, both simple and complex, and to stepping out of my comfort zone. It will be a success if I leave with a strong group of friends who challenge me, support me, and let me do the same for them, a true community that makes each other better. I also hope to grow into the leader I want to become: one who remains humble, curious, and always willing to learn regardless of title, experience, or setting.”

 

Next Page: Profiles of 30 MBA candidates from the Class of 2027, including Harvard Business School, Wharton School, INSEAD, Northwestern Kellogg, IIM Ahmedabad, and more.