Tyler Hilliard

Home City: Houston

Home State: TX

Home Country: United States

Undergraduate Institution: Lamar University

Undergraduate Degree and Major (and minor, if applicable): Finance

Pre-MBA Industry: Legal

Pre-MBA Company: N/A

Pre-MBA Title: Financial Accountant

Desired industry post-MBA: Energy

Desired job function post-MBA: Finance

Student Organization Membership: Rice Business Board Fellows, CleanTech Association, Finance Association, Jones Student Association (JSA or JSAP), Rice Energy Finance Summit

Officer: I am a Rice Board Fellow - SEARCH Homeless Services
Social Chair for RBSAP
Deputy & Finance Chair - Energy & Cleantech Association 

What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA experience? The most surprising part of my Rice MBA experience has been how quickly complete strangers turned into genuine teammates and friends. There’s a unique sense that everyone is pushing themselves individually while still pulling for each other at the same time, and that has probably been the biggest surprise for me.

What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience so far? It’s been rewarding to look back and realize how much more confident, adaptable, and well-rounded I’ve become since starting the program. Every semester has pushed me into new situations and exposed me to opportunities I probably would not have encountered otherwise. Some of my favorite moments, though, have honestly been the more informal ones such as spending time with classmates at Valhalla.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective student – one sentence? Don’t compare your background to everyone else’s. Your unique experiences are part of what adds value to the class.