Life After Scheller: Caroline Madison, BSBA ’24, Builds a Career in Washington, D.C.

Caroline Madison, BSBA ‘24

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Concentration: Strategy and Innovation
Center Affiliation: Institute for Leadership and Social Impact
Current Role: Associate, Boston Consulting Group
Current Location: Washington, D.C.

When Caroline Madison, BSBA ‘24, graduated from the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, she had a general idea of what her first few years of life would be like in Washington, D.C.

Professionally, she’d dive into her work as an associate at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Personally, she’d build a new circle of friends and explore the nation’s capital. One thing she knew for certain: Excitement was the overriding emotion as she thought about her next adventure.  

Two years into life in Washington, D.C., and Madison is surprised by how much she has grown.  

“While I certainly wouldn't say I have it all figured out, it's been exciting to see how I've been able to make intentional choices for myself, professionally, socially, or otherwise, that have helped me build a life I'm genuinely excited about in a new city and a new phase of life,” Madison said. 

Taking a Different Path 

Madison’s post-Scheller journey began thousands of miles from D.C.

Instead of immediately starting her career at BCG, she spent seven months in Paris working as an au pair. For Madison, who grew up in Atlanta, moving abroad meant leaving the familiarity of home and trusting herself to pursue a less conventional path. 

“More than anything, I'm proud that I trusted myself enough to pursue something that excited me, and also really scared me, even when it didn't necessarily align with the ‘traditional’ post-graduation timeline,” she said. “That experience taught me the value of taking chances on yourself.” 

That willingness to step into the unfamiliar continued when Madison moved to D.C. and began consulting. At BCG, she initially felt pressure to quickly determine what type of work she wanted to pursue. Exploring different industries eventually led her to BCG Federal’s Aerospace and Defense practice, an area she said was initially foreign to her but has allowed her to contribute to meaningful work early in her career. 

“I've found a space where I feel both challenged and fulfilled, and that sense of belonging in the work I do is what continues to excite me about my job,” she said.

How Scheller Prepared Her for a Career in Consulting 

As Madison found her footing at BCG, she drew on skills developed at Scheller that prepared her for the demands of a consulting career. She points to Professor Aleks Rebeka and her courses as particularly influential in teaching her to become comfortable with ambiguity, think critically, and act on feedback — skills she now relies on in consulting. 

“Having already been challenged to develop those skills at Georgia Tech gave me a foundation that I continue to rely on today,” Madison said. 

At Scheller, Madison found collaboration a natural part of the learning environment, preparing her to work alongside colleagues with different perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. 

“I've learned that some of the best ideas come from people who approach a problem completely differently than you would,” she said. “Being an effective teammate requires just as much listening and openness as it does contributing your own perspective.” 

Redefining Success 

Perhaps one of Madison’s biggest areas of growth has been how she defines success.
In college, success often came with identifiable milestones: good grades, internships, a job offer, and graduation. Life afterward has been less clearly defined. 

“Over the past two years, I've started to view success less as a series of accomplishments and more as a reflection of how intentionally I'm living my life,” she said. “Of course, professional growth and achievement remain important to me, but I've also learned to value the experiences I pursue, the relationships I invest in, and my willingness to take risks and challenge myself.” 

As for the next two years? Madison is comfortable not knowing exactly what they will bring. 

“My life now looks nothing like what I imagined it would be two years ago,” she said. “I've learned that some of the most rewarding experiences are the ones you never could have planned for, and I'm looking forward to seeing where that mindset takes me next.” 

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