Kazybek Mussakhan

Home country: Kazakhstan

Home state: Almaty

Undergraduate institution: Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications

Undergraduate degree and major (and minor, if applicable): Electrical engineering

Pre-MBA industry: Oil and gas

Pre-MBA company: Chevron (Tengizchevroil LLP joint venture)

Pre-MBA title: Power system operations senior consultant

Desired industry post-MBA: Consulting

Desired job function post-MBA: Associate

Degree specializations: Energy, Finance

Student organization membership: CleanTech Association, Consulting Association, The Adam Smith Society

Officer: Rice Cleantech Innovation Competition (RCIC) - Executive Chair

What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA? I was most surprised by the level of support I received in the first few weeks. As someone who recruited for the consulting industry, I started networking with industry professionals early in the fall semester. It was overwhelming, especially on top of the intense core curriculum. However, thanks to CDO, the Consulting Association, and the amazing cohort of second-years, I had plenty of resources at my disposal to succeed in this journey.

What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience? My favorite thing about Rice MBA is the sense of community here. Every school claims they have that very "close-knit" community, but at Rice, that's actually true. Not only is everyone (I mean EVERYONE) willing to help you achieve your academic and career goals, but they also want to build true relationships with you. It includes every office at the business school, the faculty, and the students across different programs. The fact that every professor knows you by your first name speaks for itself.

What do you love most about Houston? There are three things that I would highlight:

1. The food. I love the abundance of amazing restaurants and food places in Houston. Whatever it is that you like, you will find it here.
2. Diversity. Coming from overseas, it was important to me to be in a diverse environment. I learned that Houston was the most diverse city in the U.S. before I came here. But I was still pleasantly surprised by how diverse the city was.
3. Prices. Despite being the fourth largest city in the U.S., Houston is not that expensive. As a student with no income, I couldn't be more grateful for that.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective student? Spend meaningful time thinking about what you want to do post-MBA, then speak with current students and alums to verify the school has a history of regularly placing people (of your professional background) in that industry.