Summer I Turned Classmates into Lifelong Friends: My Goizueta MBA Core Experience

by Nakul Mandhre · Published September 5, 2025 · Updated October 21, 2025

Nakul Mandhre 26MBA, a student in Goizueta Business School’s One-Year MBA program, reflects on his summer Core semester, highlighting the intensity of academics, the strength of community, and the lasting friendships that shaped the start of his MBA journey.

After six years in the fast-paced world of tech and consulting, I once again found myself sitting in a classroom. But this time it felt different and special. Surrounded by people from diverse industries, cultures, and perspectives, I quickly realized how much this environment would shape the way I approached business challenges with a truly global lens.

Our Core semester began with two weeks of community-building activities. We learned each other’s stories, strengths, and quirks, and even took long walks across Goizueta’s campus. I cannot overstate how inspiring it is to be surrounded by Atlanta’s greenery. It constantly nudges you to step outside, reflect, and recharge.

The academic rhythm was intense. Six hours of classes a day initially felt daunting. But our professors transformed each session into something highly collaborative, packed with interactive discussions and hands-on activities. Much of this I experienced alongside my Core team, a group of four strategy enthusiasts and two future doctors. We proudly named ourselves – Dr. Strategy (aka Team 1) was not just “number one” on paper. We topped nearly every assignment.

My favorite course during the summer quickly became Economics (no surprise, I am a math guy at heart). Every Tuesday brought fresh frameworks, methodologies, and insights. By Thursday, we were under the clock, solving tough case studies in timed sessions that tested both speed and precision. Those moments taught me a skill I know will matter well beyond business school: how to solve complex problems under real-world pressure.

Beyond academics, I have leaned fully into campus life. Emory’s WoodPEC fitness center is world-class, and I have made it a second home by playing tennis, pickleball, and basketball with classmates while also exploring yoga, boxing, and other fitness programs. These activities have been as much about bonding as they have been about wellness.

The summer was filled with opportunities on and off campus to learn, grow, and create memories with my 36 classmates from the One-Year MBA program. Now, as we head into the fall semester, the campus will come alive with an additional 250 students from the Two-Year MBA, not to mention thousands more from other programs. The energy, collaboration, and networking possibilities ahead feel limitless.

Sometimes I wish I had more than 24 hours in a day to soak it all in. But if this summer taught me anything, it is that time is best measured not in hours, but in friendships built, skills sharpened, and moments that shape you forever.

I am excited to dive into electives this fall, expand my learning, and continue turning classmates into lifelong friends.