In this Q&A, Anna shares insights on her experience as an early career MBA candidate and what attracted her to the Chicago Business Fellows program.
- By
- May 14, 2025
- Early Career
Insights from Early Career Candidate Anna Zumwinkle
In this blog, current Chicago Business Fellow (CBF), Anna Zumwinkle, talks about what the CBF Program has to offer early career professionals, what her MBA experience has been like thus far, and how Chicago Booth helps students develop as leaders. Read on to learn more about this transformative program from one of our current students.
The Chicago Business Fellows Program (CBF) is an offering within Chicago Booth’s Part-Time MBA Program, designed specifically for working professionals with three years or less of full-time work experience. If you’re interested in earning an MBA during the first few years of your professional career without having to put it on pause, the Chicago Business Fellows Program provides an early-career entry point to the Booth community and degree.
More on Anna and her journey to Chicago Booth…
Anna is a Weekend MBA student at Chicago Booth. She started the program in the spring of 2023 and is focusing her studies on finance and strategic management. For Anna, choosing to take the part-time MBA route afforded her the flexibility to continue growing her career in the financial services industry at a firm that she greatly enjoys.
Anna always knew that she wanted to formalize her education and dreamed of pursuing an MBA. Her mom is one of her biggest role models, both personally and professionally; she earned her MBA and naturally, Anna wanted to follow suit. More importantly, Anna wants to lead an organization someday and plans on utilizing her skillset as a lifelong learner. She relishes the opportunity to hone her business acumen and managerial and organizational skillset with some of the brightest minds in the world.
When Anna started the application process, she was immediately attracted to everything Booth has to offer. She loved Booth’s academic rigor and world-renowned faculty, coupled with the opportunity to join a dynamic group of intellectually curious peers in a great location. It’s been the perfect fit for Anna, and she has absolutely loved her time as a Boothie!
More on Anna’s MBA experience at Chicago Booth…
What attracted you to the Chicago Business Fellows Program; furthermore, why was getting an MBA early in your career important to you?
The Chicago Business Fellows Program was very influential in my decision to attend Booth. Specifically, I greatly appreciated Booth’s commitment and dedication to developing the next generation of leaders and fostering a community of other like-minded peers also pursuing their MBA at an earlier stage in their career. I chose to pursue my MBA at an earlier stage as I knew I wanted to accelerate my career trajectory within my current industry.
In what ways are you involved at Chicago Booth and how has that contributed to the connections you’ve made throughout your MBA journey thus far?
As a commuter student from out of state, it can be challenging to get involved. With that in mind, I try to spend extra time in Chicago when I can to take advantage of all the amazing clubs and events going on at Booth. Specifically, I am a Chicago Business Fellows advisory board member, where my colleagues and I help plan social events for CBF. I am also a member of Graduate Women in Business, and I recently played in the Booth Kellogg hockey game! So many of my memories at Booth are a direct result of the network and connections I have made here and they have not only made my experience more than worthwhile but they’ll also last a lifetime.
In what ways has Booth helped you develop as a leader and recognize the kind of leader you want to be in the workplace?
Booth has been extremely influential in developing my leadership skills. Classes such as Leadership Studio, Corporate Governance, and Managing in Organizations have served as invaluable resources to further refine my managerial tools and do some self-reflection on the type of leader I want to be. Additionally, pursuing the MBA part-time allows me to implement these skills in real-time in a corporate setting, which has been truly an incredible learning experience. Lastly, Booth has provided me with a great peer base that I leverage and learn from each and every day.
Fun Facts about Anna:
- She loves being active – hockey, golf, tennis, pickleball, and running are a few of her favorite activities!
- She greatly enjoys cheering her two sisters on in their respective hockey careers.
- She loves spending time with family and friends on the lake in the summertime!
We hope after reading this blog you have a better understanding of what the Chicago Business Fellows Program is and how students, like Anna, benefit from applying. We encourage you to read more Chicago Business Fellow student stories here and sign up to receive more information about the student experience, upcoming admissions events, and more as you continue learning more about Chicago Booth.
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