Two male and one female Booth students walking together outside

Paying it Forward: One Boothie at a Time

We asked students what Booth’s pay-it-forward culture means to them

You can see a complete stranger outside wearing a Booth hoodie and you can strike up a conversation with them. The next thing you know, they’re offering you advice, suggestions or connecting you to other people in their field who might be of interest to you. Regardless of what industry you’re in, or whether you’re just starting out in the program, everyone is super willing to go out of their way to support your business or your venture, because we all just want to help each other succeed. That’s what makes Booth so special.

Rosemary Concepcion, Weekend MBA

The pay-it-forward culture is why I chose to attend Booth. I think at the most simple level it means that when someone in the Booth community asks for something, if you’re able to help, you just do. Whether it's referring a friend who lost their job through Covid to sharing time with prospective students who reach out… the willingness to answer questions and to help open doors where you can is really at the heart of the culture.

Lillian Foy, Weekend MBA

At Booth what we put into it is what we get back. Classmates are always willing to go out of their way to help you with all sorts of problems, and they know they can count on you if they ever have a question or want to ask for a connection inside of your professional network.

Gilbert Jimenez, Evening MBA

The pay-it-forward culture is best visualized through our Slack channel. This is something we’ve been seeing through Covid. I can ping 3,000 fellow Boothies and say ‘I’m looking for information, or I’m trying to find a connection at this company. Does anyone know someone who works there?’ Invariably there will be a flood of responses. There is a willingness to connect at second, third, or fourth degree network levels. You see it professionally, thinking about both jobs and networks, but also personally. If I’m going to Boston for the first time, I can drop a link and find a bunch of Boothies in Boston who will give great restaurant recommendations and offer to meet up with me.

Linda Pantale, ‘21, Evening MBA

One of the things I’ve loved about my Booth experience is how generous fellow students are and how your professors, academic advisors, and career advisors are willing to answer any question—no matter how simple or complex—about your life and career. 

Danny Urbina-McCarthy, ‘21, Evening MBA

For me, paying it forward is all about using your unique strengths and skills to support others. That will eventually come full circle in others supporting you as well.

Tess Cross, Evening MBA

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