Kirsi Zhou

Home Country: United States

Home State: TX

Undergraduate Institution: New York University

Undergraduate Degree and Major (and minor, if applicable): Leadership and Management Studies

Pre-MBA Industry: Technology

Pre-MBA Company: Amazon Web Services

Pre-MBA Title: Cloud Support Engineer

Desired industry post-MBA: Consulting

Desired job function post-MBA: Management Consulting

Summer Internship Company: BCG

Summer Internship Position: Consultant

Degree Concentrations: Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management 

Student Organization Membership: Rice Business Board Fellows, Beer Club, Consulting Association, The Adam Smith Society, Forte, Out & Allied, Rice Business Women's Organization, Technology Association, Wine Club

Officer: First Year Representative for Out & Allied and Food Club

What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA? The depth of the network. I expected connections with classmates, but I didn't expect to genuinely befriend alumni. Rice has this rare quality where the community doesn't stop at graduation, I've built real relationships with second-years and alumni who show up for you in ways that go far beyond a LinkedIn introduction. The support here isn't transactional. It's real.

What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience? Partio for sure! It's not just a party; it's a platform. In February, I organized Lunar Partio to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and seeing the entire Rice Business community support a tradition that's deeply personal to me was something I didn't expect to feel this proud of. It reminded me that this school doesn't just put inclusion & diversity like a bumper sticker, it actually celebrates it.

What do you love most about Houston? The food, and I say that as a restaurant owner. Houston has one of the most underrated food scenes in the country, incredibly diverse and surprisingly affordable. Plus, everything really is bigger in Texas – the portions, the space, the value. Coming from New York, that last part still gets me every time.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective? Choose fit over fantasy – the right program will give you more than you ever imagined.