Keenan Reynolds ('22)

I was drawn to the Smith GDB program because as someone who was very interested in entrepreneurship and innovation, my undergraduate degree in political science had not provided me with the skillset I needed to found my own business; the GDB program's intense accelerated curriculum, team-based learning environment, and the unmatched resources available to graduate students within the Smith School of Business made the decision to enroll an easy one for me.

Over the course of the four-month program, I was privileged to learn alongside, grow with, and be inspired by my driven, creative, and ambitious classmates, none of whom majored in business at the undergraduate level. In doing so, I made lifelong friends, battled through both personal and academic adversity with my teammates, experienced substantial personal growth by being pushed out of my comfort zone, and refined the professional skillset I needed to be able to make my business successful right away.

If I had to offer advice to prospective students, I would tell them to simply embrace the grind with their teammates. Taking 10 MBA-level courses over such a condensed timeline was definitely difficult, but the amazing thing about the GDB is that you have your team to support you the whole way through. In the real world, your ability to be a strong teammate will be what separates you from other potential job candidates, and this program's sole mission is to help you develop the skillset you need to accomplish your professional goals.

• Undergraduate institution: Carleton
• Undergraduate Field of Study: Political Science
• Current Position: President & Founder of Spotlight Sports Media