As her final semester gets underway, it’s surreal for Baza Haile-Selassie to think that she nearly overlooked the U of M Carlson School of Business.
Raised in a suburb of Minneapolis, Haile-Selassie took on leadership roles from an early age. She played sports, joined the theater club, served on the student government, and was an ambassador for international issues in her community. But despite her love for home, she pictured herself going to a college outside the state and started exploring her options beyond the University of Minnesota.
Ultimately, it was the small-town feel of the community and its proximity to leading corporations that convinced her that Carlson was a standout.
“There are so many opportunities for mentorships and internships in the Twin Cities,” she says. “There are a lot of other great business schools across the country, but they’re in the middle of nowhere. You don’t get businesspeople visiting your classes like we do here.”
There are also boundless opportunities for international experiences, and with Haile-Selassie’s desire for exploration undiminished, she embarked on a life-changing international experience last fall. In addition to studying in London and travelling throughout Europe, she worked on the business development and marketing team at global engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff in London.
As she looks forward to graduation, she’s excited to start her career after being recruited by a locally headquartered international corporation.
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