Jasmine Fontaine
MBA concentration: Marketing
Background
BS in Political Science/Computer Science, United States Military Academy, 2002
Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton, Washington, D.C., 2007-2008
Signal Officer, U.S. Army, Fort Bragg, NC and Iraq, 2002-2007
Career goals
As a career-switcher, I am returning to school to develop my business skills and refine my leadership abilities. UNC Kenan-Flagler will help me leverage my experiences as a military officer and pair them with a well-rounded academic background to allow me to pursue a career in marketing. My goal after business school is to pursue a career in brand management with a consumer packaged goods company.
A tidbit about my personal life self that I do not mind sharing
I was excitedly looking forward to attending UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School with my husband. However, he is a helicopter pilot in the Army, and unfortunately he was deployed to Afghanistan and unable to start business school this year with me. Happily, he has returned safely, and we are looking forward to spending next year in business school together.
Why I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler
When searching for a business school, I was looking for a school that was right for me; a place where I could flourish as a student and hone my leadership and management skills. I found that UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School surpassed all of my expectations. The culture at UNC Kenan-Flagler is truly remarkable; the students and faculty genuinely care about one another. The small class size enables me to participate in class and engage in group discussions. The professors are extremely knowledgeable and approachable, and are willing to spend additional time outside of the classroom to help me understand difficult concepts.
I found UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Leadership Development Program to be extremely enticing; this program allows students to learn and practice leadership skills, apply them to real-life scenarios, and gain invaluable feedback to help better understand my strengths and weaknesses. I know UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Leadership Initiative will enable me to polish my leadership skills and help me in all future aspects as a business leader.
Student life
I am the Culture Buddy First-Year Lead. In this position, I am responsible for pairing each one of our international students with an American first-year student to facilitate their integration and acclimation to the United States. It also enables domestic students to meet our international classmates and learn about their cultures. As the First-Year Lead, I was given the opportunity to interact with our international students prior to their arrival and meet them as soon as they arrived in the U.S. This was one of the first leadership experiences available to first year students, and I jumped at the opportunity. I planned events that allowed the Culture Buddies to network and get to know each other.
I am also an MBA Ambassador. As an ambassador, I assist the admissions department by sharing my experiences and interactions with prospective students. By escorting prospective students to different classes and taking them on guided tours of UNC Kenan-Flagler I am able to learn more about what they are looking for in a business school. I am an active member of Carolina Women in Business, the Marketing Club, the Alliance of Minority Business Students, and the Military Veterans Club. These clubs help me pursue my passions and interests, learn from my classmates, and allow me to grow as a leader.
Additionally, I enjoy spending my free time with friends eating at excellent restaurants in Chapel Hill, watching the Tar Heels dominate on the football field, and playing intramurals such as flag football, golf and tennis.
My experience in the MBA program at UNC Kenan-Flagler
UNC Kenan-Flagler has an optional summer program, the Analytic Skills Workshop (ASW), for students that do not have a business background or for those that would like to refresh their proficiency before returning to school. There are two one-month long sessions, and I opted to take both. ASW helped me out tremendously by giving me exposure to classes such as Finance and Accounting in a low stress environment. Additionally, I was able to use these summer months to relocate to the Chapel Hill area and become acquainted with my new classmates and faculty. ASW gave me the confidence and skills necessary to comfortably start the fast-paced first year core-curriculum.
Many of our core-curriculum assignments are completed in small groups, which allow us to present our ideas and perspectives while also listening to those of our classmates. Sharing different points of view gives us exposure to alternate ways to approach and solve business problems. It quickly becomes apparent that teamwork truly is essential to our success. Additionally, the faculty and staff are great. They are caring and intelligent, and really take a vested interest in the success of each individual student.
My experience applying through the Consortium and attending OP
The only school I applied to through the Consortium was UNC Kenan-Flagler. This required me to fill out both UNC Kenan-Flagler and Consortium essays. Even though it was additional work compared to other Consortium schools, I appreciate the fact that I went through the same rigorous application process that the rest of my classmates completed. The caliber of Consortium students at UNC Kenan-Flagler is exceptional. My classmates have an immense wealth of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, and they have truly contributed to enhancing diversity in the business world. I was fortunate enough to be selected from this elite group of individuals to receive a Consortium Fellowship, and I am extremely honored to represent this distinguished organization.
The Orientation Program (OP) was effective in allowing me to meet fellow Consortium students and alumni from the other member universities. I met many inspiring people who will be my lifelong friends. In addition to this, I attended workshops that helped me prepare for the OP job fair and that ultimately resulted in an internship offer for next summer. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have received, and I hope to continue to be an advocate and spokesperson for the Consortium and its mission.
Background
BS in Political Science/Computer Science, United States Military Academy, 2002
Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton, Washington, D.C., 2007-2008
Signal Officer, U.S. Army, Fort Bragg, NC and Iraq, 2002-2007
Career goals
As a career-switcher, I am returning to school to develop my business skills and refine my leadership abilities. UNC Kenan-Flagler will help me leverage my experiences as a military officer and pair them with a well-rounded academic background to allow me to pursue a career in marketing. My goal after business school is to pursue a career in brand management with a consumer packaged goods company.
A tidbit about my personal life self that I do not mind sharing
I was excitedly looking forward to attending UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School with my husband. However, he is a helicopter pilot in the Army, and unfortunately he was deployed to Afghanistan and unable to start business school this year with me. Happily, he has returned safely, and we are looking forward to spending next year in business school together.
Why I chose UNC Kenan-Flagler
When searching for a business school, I was looking for a school that was right for me; a place where I could flourish as a student and hone my leadership and management skills. I found that UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School surpassed all of my expectations. The culture at UNC Kenan-Flagler is truly remarkable; the students and faculty genuinely care about one another. The small class size enables me to participate in class and engage in group discussions. The professors are extremely knowledgeable and approachable, and are willing to spend additional time outside of the classroom to help me understand difficult concepts.
I found UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Leadership Development Program to be extremely enticing; this program allows students to learn and practice leadership skills, apply them to real-life scenarios, and gain invaluable feedback to help better understand my strengths and weaknesses. I know UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Leadership Initiative will enable me to polish my leadership skills and help me in all future aspects as a business leader.
Student life
I am the Culture Buddy First-Year Lead. In this position, I am responsible for pairing each one of our international students with an American first-year student to facilitate their integration and acclimation to the United States. It also enables domestic students to meet our international classmates and learn about their cultures. As the First-Year Lead, I was given the opportunity to interact with our international students prior to their arrival and meet them as soon as they arrived in the U.S. This was one of the first leadership experiences available to first year students, and I jumped at the opportunity. I planned events that allowed the Culture Buddies to network and get to know each other.
I am also an MBA Ambassador. As an ambassador, I assist the admissions department by sharing my experiences and interactions with prospective students. By escorting prospective students to different classes and taking them on guided tours of UNC Kenan-Flagler I am able to learn more about what they are looking for in a business school. I am an active member of Carolina Women in Business, the Marketing Club, the Alliance of Minority Business Students, and the Military Veterans Club. These clubs help me pursue my passions and interests, learn from my classmates, and allow me to grow as a leader.
Additionally, I enjoy spending my free time with friends eating at excellent restaurants in Chapel Hill, watching the Tar Heels dominate on the football field, and playing intramurals such as flag football, golf and tennis.
My experience in the MBA program at UNC Kenan-Flagler
UNC Kenan-Flagler has an optional summer program, the Analytic Skills Workshop (ASW), for students that do not have a business background or for those that would like to refresh their proficiency before returning to school. There are two one-month long sessions, and I opted to take both. ASW helped me out tremendously by giving me exposure to classes such as Finance and Accounting in a low stress environment. Additionally, I was able to use these summer months to relocate to the Chapel Hill area and become acquainted with my new classmates and faculty. ASW gave me the confidence and skills necessary to comfortably start the fast-paced first year core-curriculum.
Many of our core-curriculum assignments are completed in small groups, which allow us to present our ideas and perspectives while also listening to those of our classmates. Sharing different points of view gives us exposure to alternate ways to approach and solve business problems. It quickly becomes apparent that teamwork truly is essential to our success. Additionally, the faculty and staff are great. They are caring and intelligent, and really take a vested interest in the success of each individual student.
My experience applying through the Consortium and attending OP
The only school I applied to through the Consortium was UNC Kenan-Flagler. This required me to fill out both UNC Kenan-Flagler and Consortium essays. Even though it was additional work compared to other Consortium schools, I appreciate the fact that I went through the same rigorous application process that the rest of my classmates completed. The caliber of Consortium students at UNC Kenan-Flagler is exceptional. My classmates have an immense wealth of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, and they have truly contributed to enhancing diversity in the business world. I was fortunate enough to be selected from this elite group of individuals to receive a Consortium Fellowship, and I am extremely honored to represent this distinguished organization.
The Orientation Program (OP) was effective in allowing me to meet fellow Consortium students and alumni from the other member universities. I met many inspiring people who will be my lifelong friends. In addition to this, I attended workshops that helped me prepare for the OP job fair and that ultimately resulted in an internship offer for next summer. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have received, and I hope to continue to be an advocate and spokesperson for the Consortium and its mission.