Boardrooms & bedtime stories: Meet Kellogg’s power moms
This content was originally published in Poets&Quants.
This Mother’s Day, we spotlight the stories of four Kellogg students who are raising families while redefining what it means to lead. From an executive MBA juggling global coursework with toddler bedtime routines to full-time students racing between campus and daycare, each has carved her own path through Kellogg - with support from classmates, professors, and partners - and emerged with lessons on balance, ambition, and the legacy they hope to leave.
Whether managing pregnancy alongside case competitions or squeezing in readings during pediatrician visits, these moms show that business school and parenthood aren’t at odds - they’re often part of the same ambitious path.
Alex Muir ’26 Two-Year MBA Program
Alex and her partner Tyler are expecting their first child, a baby boy, in September. Prior to joining Kellogg, she worked at a healthcare technology company, focused on data interoperability. Post-graduation she hopes to pivot into early-stage healthcare investing.
What challenges did you anticipate before applying and has your experience matched your expectations?
While applying to business school, I thought that we should wait until after I graduated to have our first child, assuming that having a child during school was not possible. I knew that I wanted to start our family soon, and I was nervous about taking a maternity leave shortly after starting a new job post-grad.
However, when I came to Kellogg, I started to look around and realized how supportive the community is of all types of students: expecting students, student parents, single students, and everyone in between. As I learned about the mechanics of taking classes (such as the possibility of taking 5-week courses instead of 10-weeks) and what business school was like, I started to realize that although busy, you are given the ultimate flexibility to curate your school experience. I realized that having a baby during the program was possible and now am an expecting mom!
How does Kellogg support you as an expectant mom?
As an expecting mom, I have been met with the utmost support and kindness from professors, staff, and my fellow colleagues. As I navigated my first trimester, my professors were incredibly invested in and understanding about my health. The academic advising office has been an incredible resource in giving me options around classes for the fall semester when the baby arrives, such as taking 5-week courses or remote courses.
Lastly, my Kellogg classmates have been my biggest cheerleaders — offering to bring me food when I was not feeling well, offering to help me navigate childcare when the baby comes, and even surprising me with a Northwestern newborn beanie!
The scariest part about having a child in my opinion, whether or not you are in school, is just the unknown. For me, the logistics of making sure I am a good mom and an ambitious student are what worry me - how are we going to manage classes and the baby? How are we going to ensure we have reliable childcare? The support I have felt from the Kellogg community as a whole has made me confident that although these questions still need to be answered, there are going to be solutions that will make it possible for us to start our family and complete the program.
Parnian Rao ’25 One-Year MBA Program
Parnian’s son Isa is 5 years old, and her husband works full-time. Prior to joining Kellogg, Parnian was a data science consultant at ZS Associates in Chicago. Post-grad, she will join Amazon as a senior program manager.
How does Kellogg support you as a mom and your child(ren) as you go through the program?
One of the reasons I chose the school’s One-Year MBA Program was because of the time commitment. I wanted to pursue a top-tier education, but I also knew I needed to be mindful of the impact on my family. The program offers the intensity and quality I was looking for.
I’ve felt truly supported by the Kellogg community every step of the way during my MBA journey. For example, late afternoon and evening classes were hard for me to attend because I needed to be available to pick up my son. I really appreciated the flexibility Kellogg offered of taking courses at the downtown campus, which allowed me to drop Isa off at home with his dad, and still attend class with the same professors. That flexibility made a huge difference in making the program work for me.
Everyone I interacted with at Kellogg — academic advisors, career coaches, professors, and classmates — are incredibly supportive. Professors were understanding when I have to miss class because Isa wasn’t feeling well and often allowed me to attend a different section. Group members were flexible about meeting times which I really appreciated. I’ve also used the school’s babysitting resources a couple of times when I was really in a pinch.
Overall, I’ve felt deeply supported by the Kellogg community — not just as a student, but as a parent. That empathy and flexibility has made all the difference in making this experience not only manageable, but truly meaningful.
What is one piece of advice you would give mothers, expectant mothers, or women in general about doing a program like yours as a mother?
Go for it! Just be intentional about how you manage your time, energy and expectations. There will be tradeoffs. You might have to skip a few events, say no to some opportunities, and yes, there will be days when you’re exhausted. But it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have.
Build a support system early and don’t hesitate to ask for help — it makes all the difference. And most importantly, try not to carry guilt if you can’t give your kids 100% every single day. You’ll make up for it on other days, and they’ll see your dedication and growth along the way. It’s hard, but it’s worth it!
Sarah Horwath ’26 Evening & Weekend MBA Program
Sarah is a mother of three: Teddy, 10, Madeleine, 8, and Peter, 6. Her husband, John, works full-time. She currently works as a Critical Care Outreach Nurse at Loyola University Medical Center, after having worked in intensive care, emergency response, and as a clinical nurse mentor throughout the U.S. as well as in Rwanda.
As someone who was a parent before starting the program, what challenges did you anticipate before applying, and has your experience matched your expectations?
I wrote down a list of fears I had about going back to school before I applied to Kellogg. My top fears, were naturally, related to the care and well-being of our children. Giving up control and accepting others’ help was one of the most difficult but humbling things I’ve experienced. The caregivers who have come into our lives, have brought diversity and creativity into our home - this unexpected benefit enriches our kids’ lives!
Recently, I traveled to South Africa for the Medical Technologies in Global Public Health course. This class and this trip in particular were something I had been looking forward to since learning about Kellogg, and it was only possible because my parents flew in from Florida to take over daily operations at home while I was gone!
There are times I struggle to keep up with the workload, especially if a class has a ton of readings. One day a few months ago I was with Teddy, my son who is 10, at the allergist, and I had a case study with me on drug pricing for healthcare strategy. We had quite a long wait in between tests, so I had him read a few pages of the article aloud to me and then we discussed it. It was a fun way to connect school to family and it made the burden of the homework completely vanish.
How does Kellogg support you as a mom, and support your children as you go through the program?
The Evening & Weekend Program is incredibly flexible and allows me to move through the coursework at a pace that is perfect for me and my family. Although I am slated as a weekend student, I take many evening classes, some virtual classes, and classes in Evanston as well. In the fall of 2023, my family attended the Kellogg vs Booth Annual Field Day at Lake Shore Park in Chicago and our kids loved racing around the track in the city next to Wieboldt Hall.
I am grateful for classmates who genuinely respect and support me as a mother in business school. I have made some wonderful connections and friends. I am thankful for professors who have encouraged me to use my experiences as a mother in class discussions!
Anisa Chowdbury ’25 Executive MBA Program
Anisa is a mother of two: Ayden, 8, and Ayaana, 2. Her partner is Tasveer. She is currently Vice President of Corporate Sustainability and Assurance at KERAMIDA; before starting the Kellogg Executive MBA program, she was Audit Manager for S&P Global.
What is your daily routine? What does a typical week look like - or is there such a thing?
The first couple of months were genuinely tough. I was juggling a demanding job, adjusting to the rigor of the Kellogg EMBA program, and managing the daily needs of my two young children. It felt like everything was happening all at once, and I was constantly playing catch-up. Balance felt impossible. But Kellogg doesn’t just equip you with academic knowledge, it gives you the tools to lead your life better.
Early in the program, we were given a copy of Professor Harry Kraemer’s book “168 Hours,” a practical guide on how to manage your time intentionally across a full week. It was a game changer. Later, “Habits at Work” by Professor Andrew Sykes reshaped my mindset around health, focus, and personal productivity. Slowly, I stopped surviving the program and started living it, with clarity and purpose.
Kellogg helped me build habits that turned my chaotic days into a more grounded and fulfilling rhythm. My MBA journey hasn’t just made me a better leader, but it’s also made me a more thoughtful mother. I’m still learning to be a more present partner and a more grounded version of myself.
I’ve learned that the key to thriving isn’t doing more — it’s doing what matters with energy and intention. That’s what I want to model for my kids that purpose and presence can live side by side, and that real leadership begins with how you lead yourself.
What is one piece of advice you would give mothers, expectant mothers or women in general about doing a program like yours as a mother?
You don’t have to wait for the “perfect time,” because it rarely comes. Do it because you are a mother, not in spite of it. Your children don’t need perfection, they need your example. You are showing them that ambition and motherhood are not mutually exclusive.
My advice? Build your village. Communicate openly with your family. Create sacred time, some for school, some for snuggles, some just for you. And most importantly, let go of the guilt. You are not taking time away from them, you are investing in the female leader they look up to.
Read the full article via Poets&Quants.