2018 MBAs To Watch: Martina Ravelli, Dartmouth College (Tuck) - Poets&Quants

Martina Ravelli

Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business

“Global citizen striving to become a wise leader focused on compassion, community-building, and ethical decision-making.”

Age: 31

Hometown: Trento, Italy

Fun fact about yourself: Up until a year ago, I used to be truly terrified of dogs! Now, my husband and I have a 70-pound German Shepherd puppy, and I could not be more attached to him – living proof to me that change is possible!

Undergraduate School and Degree:

BA in Foreign Languages and Business Administration (cum laude), Catholic University (Milan, Italy)

MA in Controlling, Finance and Accounting, Pforzheim University (Pforzheim, Germany)

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? I was a manager at Deloitte Advisory.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Microsoft (Redmond, WA)

Where will you be working after graduation? Microsoft

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Revers Board Fellow; McGowan Fellow; General Management Club Co-chair; 2017 Diversity Conference Co-Chair; 2017 Tuck Admitted Students Weekend, sponsorship committee; Teaching Assistant for various first-year classes

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? As part of Tuck’s Revers Board Fellows Program, I have had the honor to serve as board member for a local not-for-profit organization, which fights to end gender-based violence. This has been an incredible opportunity to broaden my reach, to make an impact on something I feel is important, and to help set a practice of balancing a future corporate career with volunteer work within my community.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Rather than one specific achievement, I am proud of my ability to successfully work in very different environments over the years, immersing myself in and adapting to different cultures, languages, and habits.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? It’s so hard to pick one as I learned a lot from every single faculty member I interacted with at Tuck! If pressed to choose, I would say Dean Matthew Slaughter. He never passes up an opportunity to combine excellent academic content with lessons on how to think as a wise leader in each situation. I’ve found my interactions with him to always be extremely insightful. He helped push me out of my comfort zone and gave me the confidence and the implicit support I needed to try out new things.

What was your favorite MBA Course Another difficult question. I particularly enjoyed those courses that forced me to reflect upon my leadership style and how I can grow as an individual—classes such as Leadership Out of The Box, The CEO Experience, Power and Influence, and Negotiations.

Why did you choose this business school? Given the opportunity to attend top business schools, I based my decision not on where a specific school would take me career-wise, but rather on how my experience during those two years would be. Tuck provided the type of collaborative community where I knew I could thrive. No less important, Tuck also has an extremely inclusive partner community which meant that my husband could share in my business school experience and take this journey with me.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be yourself. Tuck is not interested in a specific “type” of student, but rather in the diversity of everyone’s individual experiences.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Tuckies are sometimes stereotyped as being “too nice” or “too soft.” Although it is true that Tuck is not a cut-throat environment, I have found a healthy level of “collaborative competitiveness.” I believe that we are all pushing each other to do better and do more every day.

What was your biggest regret in business school? Not having spent more time with professors outside of the classroom. I am humbled every day by the quality and wealth of experience of Tuck’s faculty and by their accessibility. As my business school experience draws to a close, I wish I had taken more advantage of the unique opportunity to connect with faculty more often.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The list is long. My Tuck classmates are truly an exceptional bunch! In general, the classmates I admire most are the ones who challenge themselves, embrace change, do not shy away from difficult conversations, and try to make the world a better place.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I always knew that I wanted to work internationally, connect with people from different cultures, and solve complex problems. Business offers that. But as the first person in my extended family to ever attend college, those around me were able to provide limited guidance on the decision to pursue business. As for grad school, I will be forever thankful to my husband, John, for pushing me to pursue an MBA when I did not think I wanted or needed one. I cannot stress enough how transformative Tuck has been for me and for my growth.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…an architect.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would get all stakeholders (students, faculty, administration, career services, etc.) aligned on the competing priorities and demands on students’ time, in order to jointly create an environment that is even more conducive to both learning and personal growth.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

• Spend some time in South-East Asia – a part of the world I want to know better.
• Learn to horseback ride

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? As an intellectually honest individual who would offer a perspective that helped expand their worldview.

What is your favorite movie about business? The Pursuit of Happyness – a lesson on the importance of hard work and perseverance, as well as an important reminder to business leaders of the issues and dangers of income inequality.

What would your theme song be? “I Lived” by OneRepublic

Favorite vacation spot: Mezzana, a small village in the Italian Alps where my father was born, and where time seems to have stopped. It is the perfect place to rest one’s soul away from internet and to be immersed in nature.

Hobbies? Hiking in the woods with my family, working out, cooking, baking, and playing board games.

What made Martina such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“Martina is an extremely strong student. She consistently ranks in the top 5% of the class and was selected this summer to be Tuck’s McGowan Fellow; one of the top honors available to second-year students. She has a BA in Foreign Languages and Business Administration (Cum Laude) and an MA in Controlling, Finance and Accounting. Martina will receive her second masters degree from Tuck in June! She speaks five languages, has lived and worked in a number of countries, and she is a curious learner. I have been extremely impressed with her intellect, dedication, and work ethic.

In addition, Martina was one of this year’s Diversity Conference co-chairs. This annual conference is one of Tuck’s largest and most significant events, and Martina did an amazing job helping to organize and manage all of the moving pieces. She is both detail-oriented and strategy-savvy; an extremely valuable combination on any team! She was able to facilitate several complicated sessions, while simultaneously asking important questions about our purpose and vision. She was accountable to both the administrative team and to her fellow co-chairs.

Martina has also been involved in the General Management Club and the Technology Club. She is bright and innovative, highly responsible, and extremely thoughtful and compassionate. She personifies Tuck’s core values of confident humility, empathy, and judgement. It is my pleasure to recommend her.”

Elizabeth J. Winslow, Senior Associate Director, MBA Program
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

 

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2018 Best MBAs: Alen Amini, Dartmouth College (Tuck) - Poets&Quants

Alen Amini

Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business

“Midwest born and raised, son of a Persian rug merchant, aspiring Arkansan, and proud uncle.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio.

Fun fact about yourself: I am a Kentucky Colonel…just like Colonel Sanders.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Miami University (OH), B.S., Operations

Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, MPA (dual-degree student with Tuck)

Where did you work before enrolling in business school?

• The White House, National Economic Council, Summer Intern 2016
• Jamshid Rug Gallery, LLC, General Manager, 2014-2015 — I ran my father’s oriental carpet store after his passing before business school.
• Teach For America, High School Math Teacher and Vice Principal, 2011-2014
• Southeast Arkansas Community Foundation, Executive Director, 2013-2014
• Austin White Cultural Arts Center, Executive Director, 2012-2013
• City Year and Public Allies, AmeriCorps Member, 2009-2011

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017?

Pricing Strategy, Summer Associate at Walmart in Fayetteville, AR

Summer Associate, United Nations Foundation

Where will you be working after graduation? To be determined. I am considering several opportunities at the intersection of business and public policy.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: (Include school awards and honors)

• Tuck Men as Allies (Manbassador Program), Co-Founder & Co-Lead
• Forte Foundation/Tuck Men as Allies Symposium, Co-Organizer
• Tuck Writing Initiative, Founder and Program Lead
• TEDxWheelockSt, Founder & Co- Curator
• Freedom Summer Collegiate, Co-Founder and Board Member
• Key to the City, Executive Director & Founder
• Student Business Journal at the Tuck School of Business, Editor-in-Chief
• Tuck Gives Co-Chair
• Upper Valley International Film Festival, Director
• TuckStuff, Relationship Manager
• theBOX Food Truck, Chief Talent Officer
• Tuck ‘Controversial Convos’ Co-Curator
• The Tuck Times, Editor-in-Chief & The Citizen (HKS) Editor-in-Chief
• Tuck Social Venture Fund
• Tuck Serves Co-Chair
• Tuck Deanery Fellow, School Curriculum Review
• Harvard Kennedy School Interim Student Body President
• Tuck Inaugural Case Competition, Co-Organizer (in cooperation with Tesla)
• Dartmouth College Resident Fellow (West House)
• Tuck Bridge Associate
• Tuck Follies, Creative Co-Executive Director
• Tuck Student Board Judicial Board Member
• Table Tennis Chair and Tournament Co-Organizer
• Tuck Case Competition Co-Chair
• Business & Politics Club Co-Chair
• TuckCast Producer
• World Government Summit, organized the inaugural Tuck cohort
• Tuck Emerging Markets Conference Co-Chair
• Math Camp TA, Next Step: Transition to Business MBA Fellow, TA and tutor for various classes
• Journal of Human Rights Policy, Co-Founder and Managing Editor
• Kennedy School Review, Managing Editor
• Research Assistant at the Belfer Center, the Shorenstein Center, and the Ash Center at Harvard
• Interned and worked on different projects with FullStack Academy, Mass General Hospital, a mid-sized Private Equity Firm, and the Virtual Student Federal Service for the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Veterans Affairs

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I have been fortunate in the number of opportunities I’ve had at Tuck—from helping to manage our student-run apparel store (TuckStuff) to working with classmates on a student-run food truck (theBOX), and then planning events for Tuck’s male allyship initiative. As an AmeriCorps and Teach for America alum, I am especially proud of working with first- and second-year classmates to put on a day of service for the Tuck community at-large, and collaborating with a peer to launch a non-profit organization that provides educational and professional services to adults experiencing homelessness.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My contributions as a teacher and assistant principal at Lakeside High School in Lake Village, AR. I worked with community members, colleagues, administrators, and students to raise over $100,000 to send students on educational trips to countries in Europe and various U.S. states. We also raised student performance on the math state assessment and the ACT significantly. We reduced the number of hours students missed because of discipline infractions significantly, and we launched a GLSEN chapter (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) in Arkansas that continues to provide support to LGBTQ students.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Although Tuck students are fortunate to have a number of outstanding professors, my favorite Tuck (and graduate school) professor has been Tuck’s dean, Matthew Slaughter. I was fortunate to have him for Global Economics for Managers, and his course was timely and rigorous. He asked thoughtful questions and he engaged students very well. I appreciated how seamlessly he integrated topical themes into the material. As a former teacher, it was great seeing how much time and effort he put into his pedagogy while balancing his extensive administrative responsibilities.

What was your favorite MBA Course? Tough question. If I have to choose, Strategic Brand Management with Professor Kevin Lane Keller. Not only is he a tremendously engaging professor (and a tremendous human), but I now appreciate how critical a product or company’s brand is to its bottom line and long-term sustainability.

Why did you choose this business school? From the career development office, to the MBA program office, and admissions, I had an incredibly positive experience throughout the entire application process, especially as a non-traditional candidate. The faculty and staff are incredibly helpful, kind, and really have students’ best interests in mind.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Put in the time to be able to answer “Why Tuck?” Tuck is a tight-knit community and I would encourage applicants to think critically about why they want to spend two years of their lives engaging with the community directly and the rest of their lives engaging with the network broadly.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I think there is a perception that Tuck is in the middle of nowhere and isolated. While it is not in a major metropolitan area, the location engenders an authentic community where students really get to know, support, and learn from one another.

What was your biggest regret in business school? I wish I could spend more time learning from and getting to know classmates, faculty, and staff. I also never played hockey.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Although I admire a number of my classmates, I especially admire my classmates who ventured to the U.S. for the first time to attend b-school. It is hard enough re-acclimating to an academic environment, and I can only imagine how much of a transition it has been to travel thousands of miles from home to then have to (deftly) navigate new social, professional, and cultural norms. Kudos!

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My father. He grew up a farmer in rural Iran and immigrated to the United States in the mid-1970s. He ran a small oriental carpet store in Cincinnati, OH, for nearly 40 years. I grew up helping him in the store and was always astounded at his business acumen and intuition. I always laughed when he would talk about his 3 P’s of business: passion, patience, and I can’t remember the third one. After he passed away, I ran and eventually liquidated the business. I definitely caught his entrepreneurial bug.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be… an (aspiring) journalist. Or an Oriental rug man.”

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

• Write for a major publication.
• Lose a game of one-on-one to Michael Jordan.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Hopefully that I am easy-going, always willing to lend a hand, and that I’m not excessively provocative.

What is your favorite movie about business? Citizen Kane. Not only is it a classic, I think it provides valuable insight on the importance of intrinsic motivations in running large enterprises rather than for the accumulation of power, wealth, and property.

What would your theme song be? “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie

Favorite vacation spot: Now that I no longer have any formal ties to it, I most enjoy visiting my hometown, Cincinnati, OH.

Hobbies? Reading, following politics, rooting for the Xavier men’s and women’s basketball teams, tennis, trivia, and admiring nice-looking antique Persian and Turkish carpets.

What made Alen such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“Alen is not your usual, typical candidate. He is one of the most amazing Tuck students I’ve worked with during my 25 years at the school. It’s hard to find an activity that Alen is not somehow involved with. He’s resurrected (after a 10+ year hiatus) The Tuck Times, the school newspaper and served as editor-in-chief; he is in the process of resurrecting the yearbook; and he is a student “owner” of Tuck Stuff and theBox, two entrepreneurial student-run ventures. He established the Tuck Writing Initiative, pulling together classmates who write well and creating mentorships with those students who don’t have the same ability to express themselves through the written word. He initiated the Male Ally-ship Program in conjunction with our Women in Business organization and the Forte Foundation and engaged over 50% of the male population at Tuck to be involved. With Forte and several fellow classmates, Alen will be hosting the inaugural Male Ally Symposium at Tuck for MBA students from our peer business schools (Wharton, Stanford, HBS, Booth, Kellogg, Darden). Alen and a fellow Tuck student who worked for Tesla over the summer engaged Tesla to come to Tuck for a case competition where 12 schools, 48 students competed. Alen is the co-director of Tuck Follies, our annual sketch comedy show and he is a co-chair of Tuck Gives, our annual charity auction that raises funds to support summer internships with nonprofit or public sector organizations.

I realize the above seems like a laundry list of activities but Alen is directly involved and invested in every single one of them. His desire to give back is what drives him – he is not doing any of this for Alen, it is always for others. Alen is altruism at its finest and best. Outside of Tuck, he is a Dartmouth College Resident Fellow, living with and mentoring undergraduates. He was a Tuck Business Bridge Fellow during his December vacation this year, mentoring and advising Dartmouth undergraduates participating in a three week certificate program. He also was a fellow for the Next Step Program, a two week executive education program at Tuck for current and former military veterans and national and Olympic athletes.  He founded and launched a local community TEDx program.

Alen is a joint degree candidate with the Kennedy School at Harvard University and the Tuck School. He spent a year at Kennedy prior to coming to Tuck and this fall, he commuted between Hanover and Boston (a two hour bus/subway trip) 2-3 day days a week in order to complete the program. He was at Tuck so often and so actively involved, many did not realize he was enrolled at Kennedy as a full-time MPP student! While at Kennedy, Alen was student body president, editor-in-chief of the Kennedy School newspaper and managing editor of the Kennedy School Review. Alen is intelligent, organized (he has to be), thoughtful, incredibly motivated and the consummate team player. He knows none of what he has accomplished is his alone, but in partnership and teamwork with others. He is humble to a fault. I’m always waiting for something to go awry with Alen, something falling through the cracks—but it never happens. This guy is on top of everything, all the time. He makes things happen without fanfare, without ceremony.

His curiosity about the world around him is inspirational. While many MBA students are focused on getting their dream job, Alen is traveling to Barcelona or Mexico City to participate in a case competition with fellow MBA students from throughout the world, or traveling to Iceland to present on a research project. No doubt he wants that dream job but in the meantime, he has more pressing matters to deal with in the realm of public service. He enables others to strive and do great things and there is no greater act of leadership than that.

There are very few at Tuck who are not in awe of Alen and his many accomplishments—most may not know half of what he accomplishes on a daily basis. We don’t know when he sleeps, or if he sleeps. I have the highest respect for Alen Amini and know he is going to do great things in his lifetime.”

Sally Jaeger, Assistant Dean and Director of the MBA Program
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

 

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2018 Best MBAs: Sravya Yeleswarapu, Dartmouth College (Tuck) - Poets&Quants

Sravya Yeleswarapu

Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business

“Indian-American woman who loves getting to know people and is passionate about making a positive impact.”

Age: 28

Hometown: McLean, VA/Hyderabad, India.

Fun fact about yourself: I have a graduation certificate for Indian Classical Dance, Kuchipudi, and have been on multiple Indian dance teams. If I had any other career, it would definitely be as a dancer.

Undergraduate School and Degree: College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia; Double Majored in Finance and Economics

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Manager at Ernst & Young Advisory, Financial Services Office and Fellow at Kiva Microfunds in Uganda.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Amazon as a Senior Product Manager Intern in Seattle, WA.

Where will you be working after graduation? Heading back to Amazon as a Senior Product Manager.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Tuck Deanery Fellow – Assisting with the review of Tuck’s Core Curriculum
• Center for Digital Strategies Fellow – One of 12 second-year students selected to engage in discussion and research on the impact of information technology on business strategy. My research topic focuses on business models in emerging markets.
• Tuck Diversity Conference Co-Chair – Project Lead; Planned the annual diversity conference for prospective Tuck students and alumni.
• Tech Club and Conference Co-Chair – Planned the annual Tech Conference and launched the first annual Women in Technology panel at Tuck.
• Emerging Markets Conference Co-Chair – Part of the founding team to bring the inaugural conference to discuss technology, finance, policy and sustainability in the emerging markets.
• Tuck Admissions Associate – Interview prospective students for admission into Tuck.
• Consulted with local businesses as part of Tuck Community Consulting.
• 2017 Winner of JetBlue Case Competition
• Finalist for 2018 HKUST Global MBA Challenge.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?
I’m the proudest of our independent study in Spring 2017 which looked at how Nairobi became the “Silicon Savannah” of Africa. We—a team of five Tuck classmates—devised the proposal from scratch, traveled to Nairobi to meet with over 20 startups, VCs, PEs, and entrepreneurs, and developed a point of view on Kenyan growth. The five of us leveraged our diverse personal and professional backgrounds to bring this complex project to life. This study was important to me because we often only hear about the challenges facing the emerging markets. This experience rejuvenated my understanding of the immense opportunities in emerging markets.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My Fellowship with Kiva Microfunds in Uganda. After 5+ years working in consulting and managing teams, this fellowship was a capstone experience before coming to Tuck. It challenged me to use the principles I learned in my undergraduate curriculum and people skills I strengthened at EY to draw meaningful insights. Living in a new country alone, especially in more rural areas, for six months meant that I had to learn to deal with ambiguity, be unafraid to take risks, embrace the present, and be open-minded.

What was your favorite MBA Course? It’s hard to pick one course because there have been courses that shaped my thinking about business, society and our responsibility to both. I have to say it’s a tie between Governor John Lynch’s “The CEO Experience” and Professor Geoffrey Parker’s “Platform Design, Management and Strategy” classes.

In Governor Lynch’s class, we saw the incredible power of empathetic leadership through the mix of public and private sector cases such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Nike. The class reinforced that every leadership choice counts and shapes the future of the company, its vision, and its stakeholder’s lives.

Professor Parker’s class was unique because it was a partnership between Tuck and the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. The incredible diversity of opinion and thought in that class from both MBA and engineering students reminded me of the importance of collaboration across teams, especially in our complex business landscape today.

Why did you choose this business school? I fell in love with Tuck’s campus, culture, and identity when I came to the Tuck Diversity Conference back in 2015. The faculty and administration knows every single student that walks through the halls here. More importantly, they take the time to engage with us in meaningful ways to help us grow both personally and professionally. They host dinners at their houses, show up at events you organize, and act as sounding boards when you have questions, ideas, or concerns.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be authentic. Tuck’s mission is about wise leadership and that always starts with strong self-awareness and being unafraid to be vulnerable throughout your application process.

What was your biggest regret in business school?
Not sticking to Tripod Hockey. I played four games and then life got the better of me and I deprioritized hockey. I came to Tuck having never ice-skated before and I wish I was leaving as a Tripod Hockey champion.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I genuinely admire every one of my classmates (and the alumni that came before me) who have shared their stories at Tuck Talks. Tuck Talks is a long-standing tradition at Tuck where 7-8 classmates/faculty/administrators share a personal story that shaped them to be who they are today. Some of these stories make you laugh, some undoubtedly make you cry, and all of them leave you inspired. It is one of the most popular and highest attended events at Tuck. It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable and trust your community with your story. I admire every single one of them wholeheartedly.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My parents, sister, and fiancé. They never let me waver and always inspire me to continue challenging myself.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…a dancer. I would start my own arts academy, teach dance, create a traveling performing group, and give back to local communities through the arts.”

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

• Fulfilling my promise to my mom to take her to Peru and hike Machu Picchu with her.
• Learning how to swim. I had a scary near-drowning experience when I was five-years-old and I never got over it. It’s time to face my fears.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you?
Always smiling, willing to lend a hand, and standing up for what’s right.

What would your theme song be? Really anything by Beyonce is my automatic theme song.

Favorite vacation spot: Zanzibar, Tanzania, or anywhere in Thailand.

Hobbies? Dance, Dance, Dance. Photography, reading and traveling. Lots and lots of traveling.

What made Sravya such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“When it comes to contributing to the Tuck community in a robust, authentic, and impactful way, Sravya Yeleswarapu is one of the top ten students I have ever observed. Sravya’s long list of accolades and activities are a glimpse into what Sravya does. I believe you will be impressed by who Sravya is.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sravya on multiple projects and initiatives during her two years at Tuck. Most notably in her roles as a second-year orientation leader, as the project lead for the 2017 Tuck Diversity Conference co-chair and as a co-chair for the Marketing Conference. Sravya led a team of students in developing content for the diversity and inclusion component of Tuck’s first year student orientation of over 280 students. In this role she worked with senior administration, our external consultants and her peers to design, develop, and deliver one of our most well-received diversity and inclusion programs. In her diversity conference role, Sravya led a team of seven peers, managing a large budget for one of our most visible programs. For the marketing conference, she was a project manager extraordinaire—sourcing content, speakers, and resources to pull off an event aimed at helping her peers build relationships, network, and pursue professional opportunities, even though she had already secured a coveted full-time position herself!

You will already know that she has a strong academic background and has excelled in Tuck’s rigorous curriculum. Sravya balanced a number of activities, including multiple leadership roles while keeping her studies at the forefront. One of the things that makes Sravya exceptional and a joy to work with is that she actively seeks out ways to improve every project, task, and team. She does this while maintaining an air of approachability, a humor you can see in her eyes, and a confident but inclusive spirit that is borne of the greatest asset to any person seeking education of any kind: boundless curiosity.

One of the things that is most apparent to anyone who meets this exceptional young woman is her ability to put others at ease with her authentic diplomacy. She is not only intelligent, but she is genuinely interested in others, her empathy and curiosity about other people and cultures allows her to connect with a diverse range of people. She brings these skills, many of which cannot be taught, to the Tuck community every day. She represents the school and its mission with integrity, a heart for service, and an inclusive spirit.

Sravya is an exceptionally clear and confident communicator, as evidenced by her success in her career, and selection for multiple leadership roles. While it is clear that Sravya is very bright, she is also emotionally intelligent with a warmth, charm, sense of humor, and genuine empathy. She has demonstrated the ability to respect, understand, and build relationships with a wide range of people. I enjoy our conversations, listening to her debate a point or topic, and am proud of her ability to say and do the right thing, even when it is difficult.

Sravya is a leader amongst leaders and is trusted for her integrity, confidence, moral fortitude, and compassion. Sravya has dedicated herself to ensuring that Tuck and her fellow Tuckies would be better at the conclusion of her tenure. She has been a valuable contributor both inside and outside of the classroom. She has been fully engaged and has never stopped pushing herself and others to collaborate, dream big and most important: get things done. It is her ability to really listen, to organize and motivate her peers, her ability to manage people, projects and ambiguity, and her great sense of humor and lack of ego that make her a popular student and teammate.

The success of Sravya’s peers has been as important to her as her own development and success. Sravya gives credit where credit is due and seeks solutions, not excuses. From welcoming the first year class, to living the values of wise leadership, to helping her peers pursue their professional dreams, to paving the way for the next batch of hope-filled applicants, I can think of no better representative of Tuck’s values than Sravya.”

Dia Draper, Director of Strategic Initiatives, MBA Program
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

 

“The term overachiever is a common descriptor at elite MBA programs. Despite its over-use, occasionally the term is simply insufficient to describe a student’s achievements. Sravya is that student.

Merely listing Sravya’s exhaustive list of accomplishments and activities – which reach around the globe – would be far too reductive of the true impact Sravya has had at Tuck.

She is a leader in the Technology Club and in that role, crafted the largest and most well-attended Technology Conference ever at Tuck. In addition, she augmented the conference to include a “Women in Technology” event that brought together students and female technology executives to discuss the timely and important issues around discrimination and opportunity gaps affecting women in the sector. At the same time, she was planning and executing the Tuck Diversity Conference – one of the largest conferences on campus all year. Both conferences were a huge success, with record numbers attending the Tech Conference and rave reviews from students and executive speakers alike about both conferences. In fact, her peers supporting both conferences answered a question from the school administration about what made each conference so successful by stating, “We had Sravya. If other conferences want to repeat our success they should clone her.”

Beyond the well-crafted vision and flawless execution of these conferences, Sravya’s commitment to Tuck’s mission to educate wise leaders to better the world of business was clear in the programming and design of each conference. The passion she has for understanding the world and bringing what she learns back to the Tuck community is further exemplified by her focus on the intersection of technology and opportunity. For example, prior to matriculation, Sravya took time to travel to Uganda for a pre-MBA internship with Kiva Microfinance. There she helped local businesses learn how to connect with financiers to grow their businesses. That experience resulted in an independent student project examining the rise of Nairobi as the Silicon Savannah. Her experience and research resulted in Sravya wanting to help her peers understand emerging markets. Naturally, Sravya stepped up the plate and took on the responsibility for planning the first ever Tuck Emerging Markets Conference while simultaneously completing an independent research project with the Center for Digital Strategies – where she is an MBA Fellow – seeking to identify successful strategies MNCs can use to enter emerging markets.

Topping off her contributions at Tuck, Sravya helps our Admissions team select the next class of Tuck students as an Admissions Associate and is a Deanery Fellow working with faculty and the Dean to review and redesign the core curriculum at Tuck. Somehow she also serves on the boards of several non-profits in her home city, Washington, DC.

Sravya is a remarkable young woman. She is smart and poised, but also affable and open, and combines these qualities with true humility. To say that Sravya is an invaluable addition to the Tuck class of 2018 and an overachiever is certainly appropriate, but ultimately inadequate. She has truly had an impact on not only her classmates, but on the Tuck community and beyond. After graduation, Sravya plans to join Amazon as a Product Manager and we look forward to following her accomplishments there.”

Hans Brechbuhl
Executive Director of Center for Digital Strategies at Tuck

Professor Alva Taylor
Faculty Director of Center for Digital Strategies at Tuck

Patrick Wheeler
Assistant Director of Center for Digital Strategies at Tuck

 

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