From Oxford to Amazon, and all during Covid – we recently caught up with Diana Schwedhelm (OK 2009) who just attended her graduation ceremony at the University of Oxford. Turns out, Diana completed her MBA (with Distinction we might add) from Oxford University at the end of 2020 and due to Covid restrictions, they delayed the graduation ceremony until this year.

Congratulations Diana. What an incredible achievement, especially in the midst of the Covid-pandemic that year.

Diana, now based in Luxembourg, works for Amazon in their Last Mile logistics team. She shared some advice with us for any OKs looking to do their MBA abroad:

“For anyone considering an MBA abroad, I would recommend (1) researching the schools well (some schools have a stronger focus on social impact, entrepreneurship, consulting, finance, etc. This is helpful to know when aligning to your targeted post-MBA career path); and (2) spending enough time preparing. The school’s value diversity in experience (this is what you bring to other students in the classroom) so it is important to show this in your application.

Further, don’t underestimate the time required to study for the GMAT. I would suggest getting this out the way early on so that there is time to retake the test if required without missing the application deadline. On this point, most schools have 3 – 4 application windows/rounds. The earlier you apply, the better (also, there are more scholarships available during the earlier rounds so chances are higher if you want to apply for these).

In my experience, the MBA is really worth the investment. One of the most important things you will get out of it is the network of incredible people. In my class, there were >330 people from >60 nationalities, all with very diverse backgrounds and experiences which, together, make the MBA what it is.”

If you have any questions related to Oxford or the application process, or are interested in applying to Amazon, Diana says she is happy to answer any questions.
 
Thanks so much for the advice Diana, and all the very best from the OK Club.

** We are always looking to celebrate milestones with our OK network, please let us know if you have news to share with us! **