Assistant Dean Of MBA Admissions And Financial Aid At UCLA Anderson School Of Management

Shows

Clear Admit MBA Admissions PodcastEpisode 434: MBA Decoded--Who Goes, What You Learn, and Why It’s Worth ItWhether you're just beginning to explore the MBA path or are deep into your application journey, this panel from the 2025 Clear Admit MBA Fair is designed to break down the essentials of business school and answer the questions every prospective student has—but might be too afraid to ask. Representatives on this panel include Melissa Rapp, Associate Dean, Graduate Admissions, at Emory Goizueta; Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean, Admissions at MIT Sloan; Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA Anderson; and Amber Walsh, Senior Associate Director of Yale School of Management. Who actually goes to business sc...2025-07-0925 min

Clear Admit MBA Admissions PodcastEpisode 434: MBA Decoded–Who Goes, What You Learn, and Why It’s Worth ItWhether you're just beginning to explore the MBA path or are deep into your application journey, this panel from the 2025 Clear Admit MBA Fair is designed to break down the essentials of business school and answer the questions every prospective student has—but might be too afraid to ask. Representatives on this panel include Melissa Rapp, Associate Dean, Graduate Admissions, at Emory Goizueta; Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean, Admissions at MIT Sloan; Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA Anderson; and Amber Walsh, Senior Associate Director of Yale School of Management. Who actually goes to business sc...2025-07-0925 min

Clear Admit MBA Admissions PodcastMBA Wire Taps 398—Interesting streaming experience. 770 GMAT, next season. Ghanian CFA.In this week's MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the activity of MBA LiveWire; upcoming this week several top MBA programs will be releasing their Round 1 decisions including Stanford, Chicago / Booth, Yale SOM, Michigan / Ross, Cornell / Johnson, CMU / Tepper, Emory / Goizueta, Boston College / Carroll and Georgia / Terry. INSEAD is scheduled to release its Round 2 interview invites. Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which will be held this week on December 3rd and 4th, and include Chicago / Booth, Georgetown / McDonough, Michigan / Ross, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are...2024-12-0236 min

Admissions Straight TalkHow to Get Into Yale SOM 2025 [Episode 598]In this episode, Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Yale School of Management, shares an overview of the Yale School of Management. The program offers a distinctive two-year, full-time MBA program emphasizing an interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum to prepare students for leadership in business and society. Bruce discusses how aspiring applicants can prepare for and approach the extensive application process, which includes a GMAT/GRE test score, written essays, a resume, a video component, a behavioral assessment, and an interview. Links mentioned in this episode:Yale SOM MBA AdmissionsYale SOM Application...2024-11-1237 min

Admissions Straight TalkMastering MIT Sloan MBA Admissions: Insights and Tips [Episode 596]Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of MIT Sloan School of Management, provides a thorough examination into the MIT Sloan School of Management's full-time MBA program, which is mission-driven, focused on identifying and solving the world's biggest and most complex problems. The program offers flexibility with a one-semester core and three semesters of electives, allowing students to pursue seven different certificates or concentrations. Dawna discusses the comprehensive application process, which includes a cover letter, one-page resume, 60-second video, and a behavioral video interview. She shares her tips on how to successfully approach the application. Dawna also highlights the early admission program...2024-10-1526 min

Admissions Straight TalkHow to Get Accepted to UCLA Anderson [Episode 592]Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA Anderson School of Management, describes the program’s offerings. Students are offered a customizable curriculum with a wide range of elective courses and specializations. The program also includes a capstone project and focuses on developing leadership skills. The summer quarter provides students with foundational elements and an opportunity to get acclimated to the program. The program also offers a business creation program for students with an entrepreneurial mindset and an applied management research project for students to work on real business challenges. Alex discusses the flexible testing po...2024-09-1045 min

Clear Admit MBA Admissions PodcastLive Admissions Q&A: Alex Lawrence of UCLA AndersonAssistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid Alex Lawrence brings 20 years of experience at UCLA Anderson to this special edition of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast. Hear his takes on admissions at UCLA, career goal trends, campus highlights and more.2024-08-1408 min

Deans Counsel40: Tony Bernardo (UCLA): So, You Want to Be a Dean?On this episode of Deans Counsel, moderators Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry speak with Antonio "Tony" Bernardo, Dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, a position he's held since July 2019.Tony began his academic career at UCLA Anderson and has been a member of the finance faculty since 1994. He has a long history as an active and engaged member of Anderson’s faculty and its administration, having served as department chair and senior associate dean for academic affairs from 2006 to 2009, and finance area chair from 2013 to 2015 and ag...2024-06-2137 min

Athletic Equestrian: Riding In College Podcast#139 Diversity & Inclusion with Dr Gary Fraser & Jane DaCostaDr. Gary Fraser is currently Associate Dean of the Full Time MBA Program at the Anderson School of Management at the University of California Los Angeles, where he is responsible for admissions, academic affairs, career services and student affairs for all full time MBA students at UCLA Anderson. Most recently (2019-22), he served as Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Jane Dacosta is the Executive Director and Founder of the Metropolitan Equestrian Team (MET). MET has branches in NY, CT, MD, GA, TX, MS and UT. MET’s miss...2024-01-1941 min

B-Schooled: Get Your MBA AdmitSpotlight on UCLA Anderson with Assistant Dean Alex Lawrence: B-Schooled - Get Your MBA Admit - Episode 172This engaging conversation with UCLA Anderson's Assistant Dean Alex Lawrence covers the program's new essay, what the adcom is looking for in prospective MBA students, how Anderson runs its applicant interviews, unique aspects of the program, what students do around campus, and much, much more.2023-08-0940 min

Admissions Straight TalkHow to Get Accepted to UCLA AndersonEverything you need to know about the UCLA Anderson MBA program [Show Summary]Alex Lawrence, UCLA Anderson’s Assistant Dean for MBA Admissions explores the hallmarks of the program and discusses what makes a competitive application. Interview with Alex Lawrence, Asst. Dean of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA Anderson School of Management [Show Notes]Welcome to the 484th episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Accepted's podcast. Thanks for tuning in. Before we get to our wonderful guest, I want to invite you to take advantage of a fantastic tool at Accepted, the MBA Admissions Quiz. Are you ready to app...2022-08-2343 min

Unchurned - The No. 1 podcast for Customer SuccessDear Leader, Why Would Anyone Listen To You? ft. Dylan Stafford“If the train tracks already exist you don’t need leadership, you need good management. When you are in the moment, in charge and there are no train tracks, you need to shine as a true leader.”In this unchurned conversation on Leadership with Dylan Stafford, Assistant Dean at UCLA, you get to learn about- What defines leadership in a true sense?- Leadership is a natural self-expression - Ways to become self-expressive- Four foundational factors of leadership - Power of your word as a leader - Drop the story...2022-07-2229 min

The A Suite PodcastEp 14: Running Your Own Race with Parth Chuahan 21'Today we were joined by Parth Chuahan who has connected with so many since coming to UCLA Anderson. Parth lives his truth day in and day out and leads by example. He just graduated and was even honored with the Dean's Award for Outstanding Service and Teaching Excellence Award! Join us as he shares his story and gives us some insights as to how he thinks we can all make the most of our MBA experiences. _______ Thanks for listening to The A Suite Podcast! We are UCLA Anderson MBA students bringing you the best insights...2021-07-0138 min

Drive TimeAnderson Prepared Me: Anika Sharin (’20), Sr. Partnership Dev. Program Mgmt, Sight Sciences Inc.Anika Sharin (’20) has commuted from the Bay Area to L.A. for three years because she chose UCLA Anderson over UC Berkeley. She keeps her base up north because she was hired by fellow alumnus Paul Badawi (’00), who founded the Silicon Valley-based company Sight Sciences. “The way we talk about sharing success at Anderson,” says Sharin, “he is really doing that.” Now, as she prepares to graduate, Sharin reflects on her Anderson SuperSaturday admission interview experience, launching her own health care startup, being a powerful woman in tech and FEMBA puppies (of course). Featuring: Anika Sharin (’20), Senior Partnership De...2021-01-2858 min

Drive TimeI Love My Bruins: Steve Yu (B.A. ’95, ’03), Assistant Dean and CFO, UCLA LawEven the assistant dean and CFO of the UCLA School of Law had to overcome his fear of public speaking. Double Bruin and alumni board member Steve Yu is an active mentor and tireless advocate of higher education, yet he says doing the dishes is crucial to staying productive. The winner of the UCLA alumni network’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award proves he’s just like us. Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, curre...2021-01-2852 min

Drive TimePlan Your Work and Work Your Plan: Brent Pressentin (’15), Partner Advisor, AdvicePeriodGet to know Brent Pressentin and, 30 minutes later, you might be managing your money better than you were before. Despite the peripatetic nature of his early career, the self-described Cheese Head says, “Planning is a consistent theme in my life,” something he learned to value at 23 working for E&J Gallo. Post-college, he test-drove the carbon-fiber Trek bike Lance Armstrong rode in his fifth Tour de France, got his feet wet in internet security and chased the girl of his dreams to Washington, D.C. But He found his “why” in wealth management when he earned his MBA from UCLA And...2021-01-281h 03

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast: Ashley Merrill ('15), CEO/ Founder - Lunya CompanyAshley Merrill (’15) launched her sleepwear business, Lunya, one month after starting business school in Anderson’s FEMBA Flex program — and a few weeks after finding out she was pregnant. She initially couldn’t picture how she’d manage all of it at once. “Confidence was one of the gifts of business school,” she says. “It wasn’t like I went to accounting class and that was the gift, it was feeling like I could wrap my head around business terminology, basic structures of business and leadership.” Now she is “reinventing sleepwear for the modern woman,” including some very recognizable figures. 2021-01-281h 03

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast with Susan Francia (’18), Olympic Gold Medalist, Coach and Vaccine CrusaderLocated in San Diego and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in rowing, Susan now works for a medical research company that is working on a coronavirus vaccine. Hosted by Dylan Stafford, Assistant Dean of Admissions of the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program, the Drive Time Podcast features interviews with current students, faculty, and administrators from the UCLA Anderson as they discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development, and more. More episodes here: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/admissions/assistant-deans-advice/drive-time-podcasts 2021-01-2853 min

Drive TimeFrom Marine to Movie Maker: Joel Searls (’17), Investment Banking Associate, McCafferty & Company Why does a U.S. Marine Corps veteran earn an MBA from UCLA Anderson? And what can his military training teach the rest of us about dealing with COVID-19? Joel Searls reflects on these topics as well as his decision to reinvent himself as an associate producer of a feature-length Hollywood movie, Running with the Devil (2019), starring Nicholas Cage and Laurence Fishburne. Featuring: Joel Searls (’17), Investment Banking Associate, McCafferty & Company Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and...2021-01-281h 14

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast: Sophie Gao (’20), Amazon, Finance Leadership Development ProgramGrowing up in China, Sophie Gao dreamed of an American experience. Her father made sacrifices to pursue becoming a medical doctor, and Sophie followed his work-hard example to get herself to the U.S. for college and career. She completed her Anderson MBA while living and working in Arizona and, distance notwithstanding, served as a FEMBA Council member and tutor. She was an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion student representative and, in 2020, she co-founded the nonprofit Humans of Wuhan to educate people and diminish racism. Through on-campus recruiting, she landed a new job at Amazon she’ll start right after gr...2021-01-2854 min

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast: Rob Busalacchi ('20) - Barclays, Investment Banking AssociateRecent graduate of the class of 2020 Rob Busalacchi, Investment Banking Associate at Barclays talks about his experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program as a former Marine. 00:00 Intro 03:15 Family Background 09:05 Undergrad Experience at Marquette University 11:00 Becoming a Marine/Military Experience 19:35 Deciding on an MBA & Grad School 26:00 Choosing Anderson 30:00 Being “Rough around the Edges” 33:10 Focusing on Finance 36:35 Anderson Student Clubs Highlight 43:50 Adjusting Study Habits 45:05 Finance Academic Internship 50:40 Barclays IB Internship 56:00 IB Preparation & Mentorship 2021-01-281h 38

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast: Kate Greenberg ('10), Chief Marketing & Development, Nationals PhilanthropiesA decade after earning her Anderson MBA, double Bruin Kate Greenberg (B.A. ’04, ’10) has led a remarkable career. When she was an undergraduate, the communications job she does now for the Washington Nationals’ charitable arm didn’t exist. She’s gone from managing PR for high-profile companies like Disney to shaping the communication strategies of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and she is now immersed in the #NATS4GOOD community response fund. Perks along the way have included seeing her name inscribed on a Nationals 2019 World Series championship ring and meeting President Barack Obama. 00:00 Intro 09:14 Choosi...2021-01-281h 47

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast: Dominique Kagele ('20) Genentech, Global Product StrategyRecent graduate of the class of 2020 Dominique Kagele, Global Product Strategy— Heme/Onc, Integrated Insights Leader talks about her experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program as a working mother. 00:00 – Intro 05:35 – Family and Growing Up in Reno, Nevada 08:15 – Undergraduate Experience at University of Nevada-Reno 10:00 – The Road to a Ph.D. 12:23 – Post-Doc Experience 12:45 – Choosing Between Academia & Industry 13:35 – Working at Pharmaceutical company GSK Deciding to get an MBA for a better understanding of how a business works. 14:01 – Choosing UCLA Anderson 17:22 – The Career Enhancing Experience 2021-01-281h 29

Drive TimeDrive Time Podcast: Tarang Lal ('20) M&A Advisory, PwCRecent graduate of the class of 2020 Tarang Lal, M&A Advisory— PwC, talks about his experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA)program and how he made the career transition from Petroleum engineering to an M&A Consultant at PwC. 00:00 Intro 03:50 Personal Background 07:50 Typical Day at PwC 09:30 Career Enhancer v. Career Switcher 11:20 On-Campus Recruiting & PwC Internship 18:10 Why Consulting? 20:16 Transition to Los Angeles 23:08 FEMBA Program Experience 30:10 “Journey of Impact” & Self Reflection 36:47 Takeaways from the Pandemic Spring Quarter 2020 39:35 South Africa Globa...2021-01-281h 22

Dream Life is Real LifeEpisode 59-How to “be a giraffe” and find better paths to wealth with Chris Jarvis-Dream Life is Real Life with Hanna HermansonSuccessful people see and do things differently. If you want to achieve big goals, you have to stop majoring in minor things, and elevate your vision to a higher level. Chris is on a mission to help entrepreneurs and high achievers do just this!In this episode, Chris shares what he’s learned from working with billionaires, and what they do differently. We also discuss how to make your dream life your real life (hint: not by thinking small), and immediate steps you can implement to set yourself on a more direct path to get there! Chris and Ha...2020-08-0734 min

Accepted Admissions Podcast2012 UCLA Anderson Admissions Director Interview PostedOur recent admissions Q&A with UCLA adcom members Dean Andrew Ainslie, Jessica Chung and Craig Hubbel covered lots of admissions topics and proved extremely helpful for those applicants interested in applying to UCLA Anderson. You can read the whole Anderson Q&A transcript or listen to the full audio clip online. (You can also catch up on past Q&As for other top b-schools on our MBA transcript page.) Here is an excerpt from the transcript that highlights the qualities or attributes that the adcom readers look for when identifying future UCLA Anderson students: Linda Abraham: Ronald asks, “If yo...2011-10-1600 min