Sitting in MBA classes for an entire day was quite the transition for Brienne Filkin, first-year MBA, who previously had been engaging with sixth-graders all day. Brienne has a BS in Organizational Administration from the University of Illinois and joined Teach for America after graduating. For two years she taught sixth grade math in an under-resourced public school before returning to Illinois to obtain her MBA.

During her first semester, Brienne was surprised by how willing her classmates were to work as a team to understand and learn the material. “I had heard some [MBA] programs are extremely competitive and cut throat, but our class genuinely takes an interest in ensuring every person succeeds, even if that means hosting impromptu finance sessions the night before the final or meeting early on Saturday mornings to review accounting problems.”

Brienne hopes to find a career where she can help other people attain their goals, and has already been successful in obtaining a summer internship where she will do just that. This summer Brienne will be working in Procter & Gamble’s Human Resources group in Cincinnati, Ohio. She said her internship interview felt comfortable and conversational, although she was more than ready to demonstrate her abilities.

“I was very prepared! I thought of possible questions and various scenarios that illustrated good decision making, initiative, and overcoming obstacles. I was genuinely interested in the position and also really enjoyed meeting with the P&G employees.”

Brienne’s corporate Human Resources experience will complement her academics and goals for the future. She is deeply committed to public education. Brienne plans to remain active in that industry as a volunteer, utilizing her MBA skills and knowledge that she is currently acquiring to improve the lives of others.