Rowan Ghosh

Home Country: United States

Home State: TX

Undergraduate Institution: University of Houston

Undergraduate Degree and Major (and minor, if applicable): Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Pre-MBA Industry: Nuclear Energy

Pre-MBA Company: Jensen Hughes

Pre-MBA Title: Associate Engineer II

Desired industry post-MBA: Consulting

Desired job function post-MBA: Energy

Degree Concentrations: Energy, Finance

Student Organization Membership: CleanTech Association, Consulting Association, The Adam Smith Society, Energy Association

Officer: VP of External Relations at Adam Smith Society (1st year student representative)

What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA? The most surprising yet highly rewarding part of my Rice MBA experience has been the strong focus on practical skills development, particularly through classwork and case competitions. Many classes in your first year will have projects to apply the technical aspects of the class to real-life situations. Additionally, the MBA program has many opportunities to participate in case competitions that foster collaboration amongst students as they tackle real-life challenges in a time constrained event. These competitions allow you to develop your leadership, presentation, and teamwork skills. Ultimately, this has been an unexpectedly enriching aspect of my overall MBA experience.

What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience? My favorite part of the Rice MBA experience has been learning from my classmates. My classmates have varied perspectives and come from many different professional backgrounds and countries. By collaborating with them, I learn so much about various industries ranging from accounting, military, consulting, artificial intelligence, medicine, music, and real estate. Additionally, the student population is very diverse coming from various religious, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. Many students are from countries all over the globe and can bring a viewpoint about a region of the world I have never travelled to. By being in in an environment that brings together people with a diverse range of skills and perspectives, my own curiosity and way of thinking expands. Outside of academics, my classmates are truly wonderful people and interacting with them at Partios and extracurricular social events is always fun.

What do you love most about Houston? As a born and raised Houstonian, I love the city. Yes, we have crazy weather and terrible traffic, but the positives greatly outweigh these cons. Houston is a vibrant and diverse city that has access to amazing museums, wonderful shopping centers, and a wide variety of delicious cuisines. Houston truly is a melting pot and an amazing place to have new experiences.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective? Take the MBA as an opportunity to go outside your comfort zone and develop skills and knowledge in areas you never even knew about.