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Former Pro Ballet Dancer Lands Deloitte Consultant Role After MBA

Aiming to keep on her toes and push her career to the next level, former ballet dancer Lara McGee enrolled in an MBA degree that helped her land a top consulting role with Deloitte

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Mon Aug 7 2023

BusinessBecause
There is no typical path to an MBA, but few students arrive on campus after a professional dancing career. 

That was the case for Lara McGee. 

Lara danced from an early age and spent much of her childhood in the ballet studio. She continued her passion while earning a bachelor’s in psychology. After graduation, she gained a professional role as a trainee with The Georgia Ballet. 

But Lara shortly discovered dance wasn’t her only passion. After gaining some experience in arts management, she decided to make this her focus, but found she was lacking in some of the specialist knowledge the career path required. 

Aiming to take her business acumen and quantitative skills to the next level, she opted to enroll in an MBA program. Today, the decision has paid off—earning her a consulting role with Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting and professional services firms. 


From the studio to the classroom 

Lara continued dancing and working as a ballet instructor while pursuing her management career, first as an office manager and later as director of community engagement at a pre-professional dance school. 

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When deciding where to study her MBA, she opted for Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in Atlanta. She was impressed by the curriculum and felt the school was a welcoming institution.

“Everybody that I talked to just was really open and welcoming, which I appreciated because I know these types of programs can be very competitive,” she explains. 

“I liked the faculty and coursework at Emory and I thought there was really high rigour,” she adds.

Of particular interest was the Goizueta IMPACT course, an initiative that helps students develop their problem solving skills before undertaking a practical consulting project that requires them to work in teams on real problems for one of many partner companies—previous clients include the likes of Coca Cola and Equifax. 

I was really intrigued by the whole IMPACT course,” says Lara. “It really set Emory apart from the other schools that I looked at.” 


Studying in a top MBA program 

With her goal to develop a well-rounded business acumen, Lara enjoyed the first semester of the Goizueta MBA, which teaches fundamental business modules in areas including finance, accounting, human resources, and marketing. 

Semester two offers students the chance to specialize in topics of their choosing. During a data and analytics module Lara was able to pick up technical expertise using programming and analytics tools such as Tableau. A human bias elective module also allowed her to channel some of the learnings she gained from her community engagement role pre-MBA. 

“The course was really research based and brought the perspective of how business affects society and how businesses can function better in the diverse world we live in. I really enjoyed that course,” she explains. 

A blend of theoretical and practical teaching helped develop Lara’s skills. While she learned key business theories and technical elements such as Excel, she also enhanced soft skills such as leadership, teamwork, and communication. 

She was later able to put these skills to the test during the summer period between first and second year, when all Emory Two-Year MBA students embark on an internship with companies across a variety of industries. 

Lara undertook her internship at Deloitte. With Emory boasting many alumni currently working at the company, she was drawn there during conversations with several insiders working in change management and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) roles. 

“Everybody was just really open and welcoming and open to sharing their experiences. And then on top of that, it sounded like the kind of work that I was most interested in.”


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Landing a consulting role with Deloitte 

Lara spent a four-month period with Deloitte where she worked on a change management project, refreshing the data and analytics department of a large healthcare firm. 

The role involved conducting competitor analysis, analyzing data, and working within a team of Deloitte colleagues comprising various levels of seniority. It utilized a variety of the skills she developed during her MBA. 

“There is a whole course about that at Emory called Leading and Managing Change. So I was able to apply some of the frameworks that I learned there,” she says. 

“It was really fun to apply what I was learning to something I was interested in, in the real world. The soft skills, and then the specific program skills as well, Excel and PowerPoint—all of those things.” 

After completing the internship in August 2022, Lara returned to Emory with an offer of a full-time job at Deloitte secured. She finished her MBA in May this year, and is currently waiting to begin a new role at the company as a senior consultant working within change management. 

“I'm excited to see where it takes me and get a little bit more involved,” she says. “It's been life changing and dramatic, but going from an arts management career to corporate America, it's a pretty big pivot. 

“I would not have been able to make this career pivot without going back to school.” 

Student Reviews

Emory University Goizueta Business School

Student

Verified

31/10/2023

On Campus

Excellent institution with valuable resources

In general, Emory University is an excellent institution with valuable resources. The majority of the professors I encountered were outstanding and displayed a genuine concern for their students. Furthermore, Atlanta provides a plethora of opportunities and experiences.

Student

Verified

31/10/2023

On Campus

Pleasant weather, campus and professors

Emory enjoys pleasant weather for the most part, with warmth and mild conditions. The only drawback is the spring season, particularly due to the heavy pollen presence. Everything becomes coated in layers of pollen, which can be problematic for allergy sufferers. Fortunately, this pollen season is relatively short-lived. During the spring and fall, the weather can be quite unpredictable, swinging from scorching heat to chilly temperatures. You'll often find students relaxing or studying outdoors on campus with Professors ever ready to attend to students personally.

Student

Verified

30/10/2023

On Campus

Outstanding academics

At Emory, the academics are outstanding! It takes a lot of effort and commitment, but the results are well worth it. Teachers are very approachable and like answering inquiries from students. Nobody ever turning away a student that I know of. The campus is beautiful and tidy at Emory, with many places to relax and study.

Student

Verified

24/10/2023

On Campus

Academic performance surpassed my expectations

Emory University's academic performance surpassed my expectations. Achieving good grades often requires substantial effort, and the academic rigor varies depending on your chosen major. Nevertheless, I encountered highly knowledgeable professors, well-equipped to teach their respective courses. Emory offers a wide range of subject areas to choose from, providing students with diverse academic opportunities.

Student

Verified

24/10/2023

On Campus

Outstanding institution with stunning aesthetics

Emory University is an outstanding institution! The campus boasts stunning aesthetics, the individuals are friendly, and there is an abundance of activities available in the surrounding areas of Atlanta, Georgia. Undoubtedly, my most cherished aspect of Emory was its people. I forged numerous friendships and encountered individuals from diverse backgrounds. Academically, Emory provides a manageable experience. The majority of my professors were excellent, although, as is the case with any university, there may be certain classes or professors that one may not enjoy. Nevertheless, conducting some inquiries and perusing online reviews should provide a fairly accurate insight into what to anticipate in each class.

Student

Verified

23/10/2023

On Campus

Professors skilled in interactive discussions

I take great pleasure in the small class sizes and the professors' skill in creating interactive discussions. The professors demonstrate a strong enthusiasm for their subjects, consistently making the course content fascinating. Moreover, I am captivated by the beautiful campus, and its location is equally appealing.

Student

Verified

23/10/2023

On Campus

Exceptional faculty members

Emory University takes pride in its exceptional faculty members who are highly educated and committed to utilizing innovative and successful teaching techniques.It is widely recognized for its extensive research endeavors, offering students a wide-ranging knowledge foundation that can be readily applied to a variety of academic disciplines.

Student

Verified

25/02/2023

On Campus

Review of Emory university

The Professors are awesome and you get a lot of opportunities to get involved both on and off Campus. The campus is very lovely. The community of people are welcoming, super nice, and entertaining. The dining halls have popular music from throughout the decade playing and the overall atmosphere is super relaxing and enjoyable.

Konya

Verified

3/11/2022

On Campus

Batch'20

Emory is an amazing campus and a school with a nice social scene. I always wanted to see what it was like living in the states and this made it happen. Loving making new friends, acquaintances and some for life bonds as well as learning new subject every week. Emory is a great choice.

Jamie

Verified

26/05/2024

On Campus

Professors are always enthusiastic

Emory University is simply outstanding. They have excellent academic programmes with a vast selection of engaging courses. The instructors are extremely informed and enthusiastic about their subject matter. Additionally, the student support services are excellent. They have advisors that help you at every stage and offer resources for career counselling, mental health support, and tutoring. Emory genuinely cares about your prosperity and welfare. This university is fascinating and forward-thinking at the same time!

Linda

Verified

26/05/2024

On Campus

Lending a helping hand

The instructors at Emory University are redefining what it means to be helpful. They support us academically and serve as supporters, mentors, and confidants in addition to being educators. They are always there to provide advice and support, whether it is by remaining after class to address unanswered questions or by getting together for coffee on the weekends to talk about our professional goals. Their commitment to our achievement goes well beyond the school day, demonstrating time and again that students at Memory are people with dreams, not just a name. It's all possibilities when you have instructors like these.

Paige

Verified

26/05/2024

On Campus

Exceptional mentorship

Emory University is a refuge for both intellectual prowess and individual development. These instructors motivate students in addition to instructing. They go above and above to make sure every student succeeds, offering anything from spontaneous office hours to late-night emails that explain difficult subjects. Their commitment to us doesn't stop in the classroom; they support and encourage us as we overcome both academic and personal obstacles. In addition to being competent, Emory's faculty members have a personal stake in our success, both within and outside the classroom. Emory stands out for the kind of help he provides.