Asking “Why Not Me?” Before Business School

I did not always plan on going to business school. I was hesitant to apply but I asked myself, why not me?

I recently graduated from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where I studied industrial systems engineering. Outside of my coursework, I spent a lot of time working in creative spaces. I was the co-founder and former creative director of my university’s digital media team, and I work as a professional sports photographer for Getty Images.

By the time I finished undergrad, I had technical and creative experience, as well as an internship. What I did not have was clarity about how those pieces fit together long-term.

Why a Cross-Country Visit Led Me to UC Davis

I was first exposed to UC Davis through the University of California’s Summer Institute for Emerging Managers and Leaders (SIEML), a two-week program hosted by the UC Davis Graduate School of Management in May 2024. The program brought together students from across the country and provided an opportunity to experience UC Davis in person.

Living on campus with 50 other students, I got something unexpected: clarity. The faculty had one-on-one conversations with us, I saw actual classroom sizes and I learned what real student-support means.

Most importantly, I realized the Master of Management program wasn't asking me to choose between engineering and creativity—it was designed to combine them.

A professor explained how management skills accelerate technical careers. I thought about my industrial systems engineering background and realized this wasn't a detour. This was exactly what I needed to fast-track into project management leadership.

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What Financial Accounting Taught Me About Photography

Here's what surprised me most about business school: it made me better at my creative work.

I took financial accounting in the first quarter, and honestly, it felt like learning a new language. I had zero accounting background. But the way the professors taught it—breaking it down, making it accessible—I started applying it immediately.

When clients reached out for photography work, I finally understood how to price myself properly and learn there is a business side to being creative. I had answers to the questions:

• How to negotiate contracts?
• How to look at the market and position my services competitively?
• How do you get your work out there?

In data analysis, my group worked on a predictive project comparing NBA player salaries and team win rates. We analyzed data, built models and interpreted results together. It was technical, hands-on, and exactly the kind of work I'll need to do as a project manager, analyzing team performance and resource allocation.

Learning to Make Better Decisions Through Emotional Intelligence

One of the biggest shifts for me came in my individual and group dynamics class, where we discussed emotional intelligence and decision-making.

I learned that decisions are not just about logic or one person’s perspective. For decisions to work, you have to consider how others are affected and how they feel. That idea changed how I approach problem-solving.

I noticed it outside the classroom as well. Friends back home mentioned that I was asking different questions and taking more time to understand their perspectives before jumping to solutions.

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Advice for Students Considering Business School

If you are considering business school, my advice is simple: go for it.

Many master's programs require full-time professional experience. The UC Davis Master of Management doesn't. That was huge for me. I had robust internship experience and a clear goal—coupling my engineering background with management training to pursue project management. But in today's job market, getting that full-time role can take months or years. Why wait when you already know where you're headed?

I'm halfway through the program now, and I already see how this experience is preparing me for the future, and I am glad I took the chance to ask, why not me?