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Forté Fellows

Forté Fellow of the Month: Chantel Adams

Chantel Adams

Chantel Adams

Simmons College, Finance, 2009
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, Class of 2014
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Associate Analyst at Moody’s Investors Service; Client Service Accountant at Geller & Company

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
I knew as an undergraduate student studying finance that if I wanted to make it into the ranks of senior management I would have to get an MBA. After finishing college and working for about a year, I realized that there were certain aspects of business strategy and marketing that were very intriguing to me. Ultimately, I decided to pursue my MBA to become a more well-rounded businesswoman and to hone the non-quantitative skills necessary to lead an organization as a general manager in the long-run.

What advice do you have for women who are considering business school?
Spend a substantial amount of time reflecting on your professional and personal experiences to date. As you apply to business school, you will want to know exactly what you are looking to gain from your MBA experience. If you do your due diligence to identify where your knowledge and skills gaps are, then business school can be an extremely transformational experience for you. Throughout your two years you will want to continuously consider your long-term goal and take on opportunities that will help you become the best candidate for that role in the future.

What’s the most surprising you learned about business school during the application process?
Business school is a ton of fun! As I visited schools, I spoke with first year MBA students about their experience. It was expected that everyone said that the core is extremely challenging, but most students talked about how much fun the social events were. I found that to be shocking at the time.

Do you feel prepared for business school?
Prior to starting and throughout my experience at UNC Kenan-Flagler, I’ve asked myself and people who know me well what I should work on in order to achieve my short and long term goals. It has allowed me to be more targeted in my course selection, extracurricular activities, and job search.

What do you do in your free time?
I don’t have much free time these days. However, when I do find time I like to spend it working out, shopping, eating sushi, and drinking wine.

What would you tell your younger self about the MBA application process and being an MBA student?
Admissions committees just want to know the candidates they are admitting to help assess the fit with their program. My younger self would have been relieved to hear that. I would also inform my younger self that it is impossible to take advantage of everything that business school has to offer. Fear of missing out (FOMO) is real!

Please share something about your experience with Forté.
My experience with Forté began as a prospective student. I attended a Forté Forum in New York City and found the panels to be very insightful. I highly recommend that prospective women remain engaged with the organization throughout their time in business school and beyond. I have met some of my closest business school friends and mentees through Forté.


Think of business school as a two-year experiment. It is a safe environment to do all of the things that you’ve been too afraid to do up until now. Put yourself in challenging and uncomfortable situations so that you can learn and grow as leader.

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