Matthew Corban

Home City: Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Undergraduate Institution: Vanderbilt University

Undergraduate Degree and Major: BS in Secondary Education, Political Science

Pre-MBA Industry: Education

Pre-MBA Company: YES Prep Public Schools

Pre-MBA Title: Dean of Instruction

Desired Industry Post-MBA: Financial Services

Desired Job Function Post-MBA: Financial Services Management

Student Organization Membership: Rice Business Board Fellows, Consulting Association, Latin Business Student Association

What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA experience? Two things that stand out are how early the recruiting process is and generally how welcoming people are. First of all, I knew vaguely there were some recruiting events and info sessions in the first semester, but coming from education as my background, I was surprised by how many events there were. While in some ways this was a bit overwhelming while acclimatizing to campus life, I feel like it allowed me to more quickly get a gauge on what I wanted next in my career. The second factor was how welcoming people were. I know that one major benefit of an MBA is the network that you build. Coming from a non-traditional background of education, I had some concerns that people would not value my perspective or want to connect with me as much as people in traditionally more high-paying or valued careers. This was really far from the truth, as I've felt I've been able to make meaningful connections with varied people. I've also been able to make instant connections with the few people who also previously worked in education.

What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience so far? One thing that stands out is my interest so far in every class. I've worked ten years in education, so the things I have learned in class are very new. I appreciate how case studies allow me to analyze new problems on my own and then discuss them further with my core MBA team and then later with class. My core team has been a really good experience to get to know a small group of people really well and to have a consistent set of people to work through academic problems with.

What do you love most about Houston? The variety of food options and the ability to be outside most of the year are two of my favorite things. I know that within 5-10 minutes of me, there will be a huge variety of quality restaurants with different styles of global food offerings. Likewise, I enjoy the ability to be outside most months. I live by bayou running and bike paths and have enjoyed using those for runs, but also to bike to a bar to watch sports or to somewhere to eat, play disc golf, or work out. I enjoy the ability to dine outdoors and bring my dog most of the year due to the warmth as well.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective student? Be prepared first semester to explore different student organizations or industries that may fit your future goals.