2023 Best & Brightest Business Major: Sophie Maus
Sophie Maus
Emory University
Goizueta Business School
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Fun-loving dog mom and pasta enthusiast with a passion for businesses giving back.
Hometown: Earlysville, VA
Fun Fact About Yourself: I became an amateur beatboxer as a part of an acapella group in college.
Undergraduate School and Major: University of Virginia, Economics and Religious Studies
Most Recent Employer and Job Title: eVestment (Nasdaq), Client Success Manager
What makes Atlanta such a great place to earn an MBA?
Atlanta offers exposure to tons of Fortune 500 companies and incredible eats at an affordable cost compared to other big cities. I have lived in ATL for over two years and absolutely love the abundance of trees, the walkability of the Beltline, and how many cute dogs live here!
Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Emory Goizueta’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?
Emory is a deliberately small program which was very appealing to me. After attending a large school for undergrad, I wanted to study someplace where I would know all of the other MBAs and they would know me, too. Just as important as the size of ones’ network is the depth of those relationships, and Emory was able to offer a world-class education in conjunction with a close-knit class.
What course, club or activity excites you the most at Emory Goizueta (and why)?
I am incredibly excited about the second annual John R. Lewis Case Competition. As the only case competition of its kind founded by Goizueta students last year, the competition gets MBAs and participating companies to think strategically about their approach to diversity and inclusion, which is a topic that means a lot to me.
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:
After learning that Historically-Black College and Universities (HBCUs) are under-endowed compared to similar, predominantly-white schools, I campaigned to our CEO that we should start a Social Impact program focused on supporting HBCU endowments. The C-suite gave me their blessing and I successfully led the program through its pilot year. It continues in my absence, providing HBCUs with complementary data to help with investing decisions and student education in high-level finance courses.
How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general?
COVID-19 forced me to slow down and reflect on the things I am grateful for. First and foremost, I became incredibly aware of what a privilege being healthy is. My appreciation for my close relationships also grew. As COVID isolated many of us, I was lucky to have supportive people to talk to even if the conversations were virtual. From a career perspective, the year physically away from the workforce gave me a chance to reflect on the things about a company that are most important to me – with a company’s global and social impact coming in at the top of the list.
What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?
I decided to get an MBA to expand my understanding of business, especially in functions I have had little or no exposure to thus far, and to transform the level of influence I will be able to have in my career moving forward. After graduation, I hope to move into strategy/management consulting because I think the number of reps you get investigating and solving problems for clients builds unmatched business acumen. I also believe that consulting will help me reach my long-term goal of working at the intersection of strategy and social impact.
What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Emory Goizueta’s MBA program?
I would recommend reflecting on Goizueta’s values and what those have meant in your personal and professional life prior to writing essays. Values are of the utmost importance to our small community and demonstrating them in your stories is critical.
Interested in exploring Full-Time MBA opportunities? Learn more about Goizueta’s Full-Time MBA program.
