One of the advantages of a big program like Wharton is that there are so many opportunities to get involved.

A typical day

The entire first year I found surprisingly busy. My day would start at 6:30 a.m. I'd wake up, workout until 7:30 a.m. so I could be in class by 9 a.m. I'd have class until noon. From noon until 1 p.m., I'd have a club meeting or an information session, or maybe there was a speaker to see. Then I'd have another class from 1:30-3 p.m. After school there'd be another club meeting or information session or I'd have rugby practice until 6 p.m. There was always something interesting going on, whether it be a lecture or some type of social activity from 6-8 p.m. At 8 p.m., I'd come back and do whatever work I'd have to do for the next day, which would often take until 1-2 a.m.

I was very surprised by the academics – the high caliber of the professors and the rigor of the curriculum. It was a lot more challenging than I thought it was going to be – but in a good way.

Exceeding my expectations

I had high expectations and I can say with all honesty, it exceeded my expectations from a personal standpoint, from a professional standpoint, and socially. It was a lot more than I thought it would be. I was very surprised by the academics – the high caliber of the professors and the rigor of the curriculum. It was a lot more challenging than I thought it was going to be – but in a good way. People were much more grounded than I thought they would be, and it was more a collaborative environment than I could have imagined. And, it was a lot more fun than I ever thought. From traveling through Asia to traveling through South America to meeting Warren Buffet to playing rugby to being involved in a charity fashion show – there were so many opportunities to push myself to do new things. I didn't know it would be like that. I didn't realize there were going to be so many opportunities to step outside your comfort zone.

Application of classroom learning to extracurriculars

I was involved in the African American MBA association as the Vice President for external affairs. As a part of the executive team, we were concerned with budgeting, strategy, marketing – every aspect of business that we learned in the classroom. We took different frameworks and lessons and applied them on a daily basis in how we ran the club. You can take what you learn and directly apply it to your life, even in an entrepreneurial environment. I have a few classmates who started businesses from business plans they developed in class. I have a friend who's a real estate developer, and he directly applied what he learned at Wharton to his own business.

What does the future hold

Professionally, I see myself being heavily involved in my company, aiding in the expansion of our company, serving as a mentor to junior colleagues and helping to recruit future talent. I see myself being involved in the community. If there's one thing I've gained more of an appreciation for at Wharton, it is social impact in the nonprofit community. There are a number of programs at Wharton, whether it's Community Consultants or the Nonprofit Leadership Board. Most people think of Wharton as strictly a finance school, but I think there are a number of amazing focuses, one being social impact. There are many opportunities to get involved in the community both in Philly and wherever you wind up.

I’ve been surprised by how busy I was from the beginning of my time at Wharton. Besides the time management skills, I also brought with me leadership skills and knowing how to work with different types of people. At Wharton, you work with a number of very intelligent people, who come from diverse backgrounds and have different perspectives. You have to learn how to work within that environment – know when to give, and when to take, and when to concede, to be successful. At Wharton, I really had to prove that I was competent and able to handle a leadership position.

Interests: Travel, Reading Biographies, Real Estate Investing, Strength Training, NCAA Basketball

At Wharton

Extracurricular Activities/Clubs: External VP, African-American MBA Association; Admission Graduate Assistant, Rugby, Investment Management Club, Cigar Club

Internships/Career Treks: Worked at PIMCO in the Account Management Participated in the Boston Investment Management Trek

Favorite Class(es): Strategy and Competitive Advantage, Negotiations, Derivatives, Formation and Implementation of Entrepreneurial Ventures

In Philadelphia

Current Residence: Locust on the Park

Favorite Philadelphia Activities/Places: Rittenhouse Square, Pat's, Phillies' games, Pub, Mahogany

Favorite Philadelphia Restaurants: Primo's, Hanan Food Truck (38th and Walnut), Greek Lady, Barclay Prime