Donald Gustavson
Full-Time MBA, Class of 2019
Hometown: Greenwich
Home State: Connecticut
Home Country: United States of America
Previous Institution & Degree: United States Military Academy (Chemical Engineering)
Pre-MBA Industry: Oil and Gas / Military
Pre-MBA Company: Halliburton / US Army
Pre-MBA Title: Technical Professional
Desired Post-MBA Industry: Consulting
Desired Post-MBA Function: Management Consultant
Summer Internship Company: North Highland Co
Summer Internship Title: Management Consulting Intern
Degree Concentration: Finance
Student Organization Membership: The Adam Smith Society - Rice MBA Chapter, Consulting Club, Energy Club, Finance Club, Technology Club, Veterans in Business Association (VIBA), Wine Club
What about the Rice MBA program has surprised you the most?
The quality of our education as compared to many of the other MBAs out there. Through the course of recruiting you may interact with candidates from premier programs throughout the US, and I have been very surprised with how much more prepared the average Jones student is relative to other programs.
What has been your favorite moment of your Rice MBA experience so far?
The overall experience of networking with my classmates and the Rice community here in Houston has been incredible, but in all honesty the satisfaction of getting the internship I truly wanted was my favorite moment. Ultimately, I left a good career to find something better and Rice did an outstanding job of helping me get there.
What is your favorite thing about and/or favorite spot in Houston?
My wife and I love to eat and there is plenty of amazing food here in Houston--we specifically love LA Fisherman on the west side. For non-natives it's a great place to get a feel for some real Cajun food.
In a sentence, what is the one piece of advice you have for prospective students?
The most useful exercise for evaluating a program is imagining how you see yourself fitting in with the people and the culture.