UNC Kenan-Flagler

 

Ariyah DeSouza

MBA Class of 2009

Ariyah DeSouza

My MBA concentration: Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Enterprise

My internship: Summer, 2008, global consumer and small business banking product manager at Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C.

Background

  • Born in Frankfurt, Germany, grew up in Columbia, S.C., came to Chapel Hill from Durham, N.C.
  • BA in English and Women’s Studies, Duke University, 2001
  • Before starting Kenan-Flagler, worked as an account manager for Ad Resources Inc., focused primarily on the marketing for Duke University Medical Center

Career goals

"Overall, I want to make a difference in society, and I want to make money doing it. I don’t think those have to be mutually exclusive. How I accomplish those goals is also important, because I want to be sure to promote social equity whether I’m managing people, projects or products."

Why I chose UNC

  • Students are some of the hardest working I’ve ever met
  • A results-driven attitude is cultivated within a supportive environment
  • The big picture and the details are always kept in balance

Student life

"There’s something for all MBA students. I’m vice president of events for Net Impact (part of a global organization of emerging business leaders committed to using the power of business to create a better world) and chair of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Association. I’m also a member of Carolina Women in Business and the Alliance of Minority Business Students. It’s a lot, I know, but involvement in these activities keeps things exciting and helps me apply the skills I’m learning."

My experience of the MBA program at UNC

  • "Not only are faculty and students a diverse group, they have a well-rounded view of the world. For one thing, they know how to apply themselves to work during the day and how to play at night. For another, they’re very accepting. My partner and I are out as a couple and we’ve not felt discriminated against."
  • "Never underestimate the importance of good time management on your grades and your life."
  • "The open door policy is amazing. You can e-mail a professor at 1 a.m. and you’ll have a response by the start of business that day. People really want to help you."

The UNC Kenan-Flagler network

"Everyone – faculty, staff, students and alumni – pull together as a team to make things happen. That became obvious to me when I attended Experience Weekend, and it’s still that way."

Close & Return



   Close & Return