Student Perspectives

Gaining entrepreneurial skills

As a product manager at Facebook, I lead cross-functional teams to develop the company's next generation of ad products. Beyond the knowledge that I gained in my courses, learning to lead without authority, bringing my authentic self, and acting with humility are key traits I acquired at Haas that have enabled me to thrive as a product leader at Google and now at Facebook.

Our strategy class helped me understand the strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise I started with a classmate. We were able to adjust our strategy in ways that served us well.

The Berkeley Launch Startup competition was a super opportunity to present ideas to venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and angel investors—almost all of them Berkeley Haas alumni. We got great feedback, and it was great to see alumni so committed to giving back to the school.

The Tech Mock Interview Day was incredibly helpful. Haas alumni who work at tech firms came to campus for a marathon day of mock interviews. Being able to interview with a real Googler was invaluable. I was so inspired I went on to become a tech career coach for fellow students.

From the military to an MBA program

The military has its own tribal knowledge; what I learned at Berkeley Haas was a different kind of tribal knowledge—that of the business world.

The Veterans Club is incredibly tight-knit and very involved in reaching out to veterans who may not realize how well they would fit into the Berkeley Haas culture. Like the military, Haas is a place that lives by its core values, only here they’re called Defining Leadership Principles.

Browse All Student Perspectives