Njideka Harry

After 12 years in corporate finance and banking and a postgraduate fellowship at a premier university, I wanted to get an MBA.

Four years of research led me to Kellogg’s Executive MBA Program, where I sat in on a class and interacted with several students and alumni. It was then that I knew: Kellogg would be my first choice. Everyone was so receptive and supportive, and I wasn’t even a student yet.

Kellogg fosters that kind of supportive environment. My classmates are extremely talented mid- and senior-level managers who bring experiences from different cultures, countries and industries. Classroom and study group sessions stimulate in-depth discussions of real-world applications. We look at cases from widely varied and often entirely new perspectives. We have the freedom to ask how circumstances play out in different scenarios. How would we address the issues? What tools would we use to solve the problem?

A decade ago, I founded an international nonprofit that uses technology to create enriched learning environments for marginalized people in the developing world. Before moving to the United States several years ago, I lived in a developing country, where I witnessed firsthand how technology can help address a variety of social issues. I’ve leveraged that experience by donating my time to mission-based organizations at Kellogg. Post-Kellogg, my goal is to launch a commercial enterprise that has social impact.

Juggling work, school and life is about balance. I have three young daughters and travel from Louisville, Ky., to attend class on Kellogg’s Miami campus. In addition to making me a more effective leader, the Kellogg experience has made me much better at managing my time.