As part of our Countdown to Commencement series, we spent some time with a few soon-to-be graduates from our undergraduate and MBA programs to learn about their backgrounds, why they chose Scheller College, and what they plan to do with their degrees after Spring 2018 Commencement.
Meet Jason Alcedo. Jason is from Atlanta, Georgia and earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering right here at Georgia Institute of Technology. He describes himself as a “pragmatic idealist” who believes in the corporate responsibility to all stakeholders – not just shareholders. Jason has lived and worked in six countries outside of Atlanta (including Peru, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Ghana) and brings a unique global perspective to the Scheller classroom. Upon completion of his undergraduate degree, he worked as a design engineer on Google Fiber’s High-Speed Internet in Kansas City, enlisted in the Peace Corps a year later and then joined Global Communities, where he assisted the funding and construction of clean water infrastructure across Ghana. Post-graduation Jason will join Bristol-Meyers Squibb as an Associate Product Manager.
Scheller College is a school on the rise in a city on the rise. Opportunities abound within the College and the broader Georgia Tech community.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?
In the Sustainability Strategy Practicum, I worked with Autodesk to create an internal price on carbon to fund emission-reduction initiatives throughout the company. It was a pleasure to work with Autodesk professionals who advocate triple-bottom-line tactics to enact meaningful change in their operations. I also enjoyed researching the field of corporate emissions, an emerging investment and risk-mitigation opportunity for many organizations.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career?
During my time at Global Communities Ghana, I contributed to the construction of potable water infrastructure, providing many rural communities with their first source of clean water. From this I witnessed, firsthand, the power of Corporate Social Responsibility to help fund and facilitate initiatives that impact lives for the better.
Who was your favorite MBA professor?
Professor Tony Daloisio’s Leadership Development Workshop greatly impacted my understanding of myself as a leader, as well as the teams I lead. He challenged me to reflect on past experiences and facilitated thoughtful discussion providing an opportunity to learn from my peers’ experiences.
What was your favorite MBA course and what was the biggest insight you gained about business from it?
Professor Jonathan Giuliano’s Venture Creation was my favorite course. I learned fundamental concepts of lean startups and prepared a venture capital pitch, complete with financial models.
Why did you choose the Scheller College of Business?
Scheller College is a school on the rise in a city on the rise. Opportunities abound within the College and the broader Georgia Tech community. Our smaller class size enabled opportunities for me to form strong connections with faculty, classmates, and potential employers.
What is your best piece of advice to an applicant hoping to attend Scheller’s MBA program?
Our admissions team does a fantastic job pairing prospective students with current students of similar interests. If you have not yet had a conversation with a current student, I recommend you reach out to learn more about our incredibly tightknit community and the opportunities it affords firsthand.
What is the biggest myth about Scheller College?
I have heard opinions that Scheller’s MBA program is only for quant-focused engineers, but this is just not true. Many of my classmates have liberal art or business backgrounds. While the program definitely provides opportunities for analytical studies, many other offerings touch on the qualitative aspects necessary to serve as a competitive business leader.