Veronica Cox

Hometown: Madison
Home State: WISCONSIN
Home Country: United States
Previous Institution & Degree: University of Wisconsin - Madison, Finance, Investment & Banking; Management & Human Resources
Pre-MBA Industry: Healthcare
Pre-MBA Company: UW Health
Pre-MBA Title: Career Pathways Coordinator
Desired Post-MBA Industry: Unsure
Desired Post-MBA Function: Diversity and Inclusion

Summer Internship Company: HPE
Summer Internship Title: Finance                                                                                                                                  
Student Organization Membership:

• Black Business Student Association

What about the Rice MBA program has surprised you the most?
The most surprising part of the MBA program is the rigor of the courses. Having come from an undergraduate business background I thought that some of the course work would overlap in what I had learned in undergrad but there was so much new information to be learned in such a short period of time. The curriculum was fast paced challenging beyond my expectation.

What has been your favorite moment of your Rice MBA experience so far?
Over Spring Break I traveled to Costa Rica with three friends that I met at Rice. Before this trip I have never had the opportunity to travel outside of the country so this was an extremely memorable experience. Having the opportunity to travel with classmate and friends who helped me along the way made my first experience abroad easy to navigate and enjoyable. It surprised me how quickly I made friends at Rice Business and how close we became.

What is your favorite thing about and/or favorite spot in Houston?
My favorite thing about Houston is the variety of places to go, food to eat and things to see. As someone who is not from Houston I get to explore Houston every weekend as an outsider and get to know the city. I have been to so many different, unique, delicious restaurants with my favorite being Latin Bites. I have also been able to go to different museums, the aquarium, Discovery Green, Memorial Park, improv shows and more. There is always something new happening in Houston and that is fun to explore.

In a sentence, what is the one piece of advice you have for prospective students?
My advice to students would be:

1. Come in with an open mind -- be open minded about who you think will be your friends, about what your next job will be, about your strengths and weaknesses. Having an open mind from the beginning will allow you the space to learn and grow in this new environment filled with so many opportunities.

2. Mentally prepare yourself to work hard -- students should know that first year is not easy and that hard work is required. The more you set that as an expectation, the better off you will be. "