Meet our MBAs: Dan Johnson

Dan Johnson (MBA ’18)

Dan Johnson (MBA ’18) from Westborough, MA, on his MBA journey and why he chose UNC Kenan-Flagler.

Hometown: Westborough, MA

Undergraduate and graduate education:

• BA in Communication Studies and Philosophy from Boston College
• Masters in Education Teaching Leadership (M. Ed) from the University of St. Thomas

Past employers and job titles:

• Fourth grade literacy teacher and grade level chair at KIPP Houston Public Schools in Houston, TX
• Recruitment manager at Teach For America in Boston, MA
• Lead instructor at Initiate Development Education and Service High School in Beijing, China

Describe yourself in 15 words or less.
I am a passionate reader, traveler and student of the world.

Share a fun fact about yourself.
Prior to enrolling at UNC Kenan-Flagler, I traveled to Cuba with a group of friends from Spain to study emerging entrepreneurship in the hospitality and restaurant industry.

Describe your biggest career accomplishment so far.
My biggest accomplishment has been having the privilege to mold the minds of underserved youth in the U.S. by teaching at a KIPP charter school in Houston, and by recruiting some of the most talented college students in the U.S. to join the fight for educational equality – one of the most pressing issues related to social justice of my generation.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants?
I highly recommend starting the application process well in advance. If possible, I believe that applicants should begin the process more than a year in advance of applying to business schools. Additionally, applicants should strongly consider their fit with the programs that they apply to and ultimately choose to enroll in. It is not all about rankings and average GMAT scores.

Why did you choose to pursue your MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler?
I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler because of its collaborative Carolina culture, the heavy emphasis placed on leadership development in the MBA Program and because the teaching faculty genuinely cares about student development and learning.

What is your dream job? 
When I was teaching in Texas as a Teach For America corps member, I read a book – “Conscious Capitalism” by Whole Foods co-CEO John Mackey – that transformed my view of business. I believe business can and should work to transform society by investing in communities, employees and sustainable environmental practices. Ultimately, I hope to join an organization that operates with a conscience and help them grow their business in a marketing or business development role.

What do you hope your business school peers will say about you after graduation? 
I’ve learned from MBAs that the relationships that you build in business school are some of the most important in your career. Therefore, I’ve set a goal to build high quality relationships with my entire business school class of about 300 at UNC Kenan-Flagler. As I am someone that is transitioning into business school from the non-profit sector, I hope to keep my passion for social change alive as an MBA student. I hope to leave a strong impression on my peers that I am someone who is passionate about leveraging business to transform society for the better.

This post originally appeared on Poets & Quants.