Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business students come to learn, explore, and build community. As they move forward in their careers, they take everything they've learned and use it to power innovation in industries and businesses across the globe. In celebration of Spring 2024 Commencement, we sat down with a few students to learn about their experiences and the wisdom they've gained in the process.
Meet Jon Spearman, who is graduating from the Full-time MBA program.
Hometown:
Ringoes, NJ
Undergraduate School and Degree:
Georgia Tech, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Describe yourself in 15 words or less:
Future-oriented, passionate about leveraging technology and business for societal good, and a lifelong soccer player.
Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school?
I worked at Universal Technical Resource Services, Inc. (UTRS) as a mechanical engineer.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career?
In my professional career, I’m most proud of my work during my summer internship. I combined skills from both my past work experience and from my first year of the MBA to significantly contribute to two projects and transition my completed work to my teams at the end of the summer.
Why did you choose Scheller?
I chose Scheller because I wanted to learn more about how to combine business and technology. I wanted to have the technical expertise to solve critical problems and create value for people, businesses, and society. I had already learned a lot on the technical side of things from my mechanical engineering background, and Scheller seemed to be the perfect place to integrate that knowledge with its MBA curriculum with courses like Emerging Technologies and the TI:GER Program.
Community work and leadership roles in business school:
Peer Leadership Committee, First Year Rep
VP of Professional Development on the Graduate Business Council (GBC)
Senate Chair of the Graduate Student Senate
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during your time at Scheller?
The extracurricular achievement I’m most proud of during business school is becoming the VP of Professional Development for our GBC. I’ve had a wonderful experience during my MBA, and I’m proud to have been able to help serve the program and work to improve it for my classmates and the students who enroll after me.
Who was your favorite MBA professor?
My favorite MBA professor was Professor Jonathan Giuliano. As professor of the TI:GER program, Technology Innovation: Generating Economic Results, I had Professor Giuliano for 3 semesters. He was incredibly passionate about the program and his classes, provided wonderful insight on both startups and venture capital from objective knowledge and his personal experience, and worked hard to find outstanding guest speakers willing to come talk to our class. The TI:GER program was a huge reason why I came to Scheller and Professor Giuliano made sure it was exactly what I was hoping for.
What was your favorite course as an MBA?
My favorite course was the Emerging Technologies course by Professor Eric Overby. I love learning about new technologies, so having a course centered entirely around emerging technologies, how to predict and forecast, how they can be affected by competing technologies, adoption rates, and various stakeholders, and developing realistic scenarios to highlight key areas of interest for businesses to focus on in the future was perfect for me.
What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at Scheller?
My favorite event was the Crawfish Boil that we have each spring. Scheller has a very close and connected community, and it’s always wonderful to see the community all come together for each Crawfish Boil. Alumni from past years, our faculty and staff, and current student all getting together for a fun evening really showcases how much we all love Scheller and its community.
What is the biggest myth about Scheller?
I think one of the biggest myths about Scheller is that its primarily for engineers and technical people since we are part of Georgia Tech. This isn’t really the case, though we do have several former engineers. Many of my classmates come from diverse and non-technical backgrounds such as wine distribution, professional and Olympic sports, or running non-profit organizations. None of them are worse off for not having a technical background.
What did you love most about Scheller’s location in the heart of midtown Atlanta?
Honestly, I loved the weather of Atlanta. Coming from New Jersey, I loved having warm weather so often, being able to walk in Piedmont Park, play on the club soccer team, or hang out in one of our classmate’s apartment pools.
Where did you intern during the summer of 2023?
Strategy& in Atlanta
Where will you be working after graduation?
Senior Associate at Strategy&
Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why?
One thing I would do differently is focus more on slowing down and enjoying the moment a bit more. I’ve loved my experience in the MBA program, and as it ends, I realize I will treasure the time I’ve shared with my classmates. While we’ll still be connected as part of the Scheller community, I do wish I could have slowed myself down and appreciated my time in the program even more.
What surprised you the most about business school?
How much fun I had while being part of it! While school is still challenging like it was during my undergrad experience, having such a close-knit community made all aspects of the program a fun experience. Whether it was participating in clubs, hanging out with friends between classes in the student lounge, or preparing for interviews, there weren’t many moments where I wasn’t enjoying being with my classmates.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire?
The classmate I admire most is Spenser Wipperfurth. Spenser is a dual-degree MBA and is getter her Ph.D. as well. Besides her Ph.D. and MBA, Spenser is incredibly active in the Georgia Tech community, serving as the vice president of Academic and Research Affairs of the Graduate Student Government Association. Besides being able to balance this well, Spenser is also an interesting person who loves to travel, bike, and knit.
Fun fact about yourself:
I’ve played soccer for 23 years and have played for six on Georgia Tech’s Men’s Club Soccer Team.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
Two things that I would like to complete professionally are to consistently work in areas of emerging technology such as space, renewables and nuclear energy, and AI. I’d also like to pioneer a new initiative or practice at my company that creates significant value company wide.