MBA Mama of the Month Jennifer Sepulveda Talks About Surviving Her 1st Semester at Columbia Business School
What surprised you most during your Fall semester?
JS: Time is very limited and the “core” classes are intense. I knew I would face a rigorous curriculum, but I honestly thought I would have more time. I quickly learned that going to business school as a full-time student is a full-time job. Not only are we in classes most of the day, but we are also working on group projects and individual assignments outside of the classes in addition to recruiting and other networking events. There is so much going on it can feel overwhelming.
What childcare options and support network have you utilized during the Fall semester?
JS: One of the reasons I decided to be stay in New York City for my MBA was to be close to my family. I have a very supportive network that consists of my parents and my daughter’s father. Since my daughter was already enrolled in a school and her school’s after-school program, I did not need additional childcare. On the days my daughter does not have school, my mother babysits.
What student clubs are you involved in at CBS?
JS: General Management Association, Technology Business Group, Columbia Women in Business, Black Business Student Association, I-Prep, Harlem Tutorial, and Wine Society. I have leveraged those clubs for resume review, networking, and access to company events. I also serve on the board for two clubs, I am AVP of Summit in the Hispanic Business Association and AVP of Conference in the Chief Entrepreneurial Officer Club. As AVP of Summit, I had an amazing opportunity to work alongside peers and second year students to organize the Annual Hispanic Business Summit last November. I will also be working on organizing the CEO’s conference this spring.
What was the highlight of your Fall semester?
JS: The highlight of the fall semester was our cluster trip to Cartagena, Colombia during Fall break.
First and foremost, the fall break conveniently fell around my birthday. Fall break was October 30-November 3rd. My birthday is November 2nd. I have never been the person who schedules a series of birthday activities and I had not celebrated my birthday in three years. So, this was a great opportunity to take a vacation. Second, I went on the trip with my cluster. There were almost 70 of us in Colombia. It was an experience to build closer bonds with my cluster mates. I do not always get the chance to participate in most of the cluster activities due to my responsibilities with Jenelle and my schedule, so for me this was a great opportunity to learn more about my cluster mates.
Not only was it just an amazing experience to explore the country with my cluster and get to know them well, but it was truly awesome how my cluster surprised me and my fellow cluster mate who shares the same birthday as me, with birthday cakes at our all white party in Cartagena. The experience meant a lot to me and really shows the caring and close community at Columbia.
During my time abroad, communication with Jenelle was mainly via text messaging/imessage. I later realized I was able to make voice calls through watsapp when connected to the wifi in the Villa I stayed in. Throughout my trip, I sent pictures so Jenelle could see mommy’s adventures and I let her know how much mommy loves her and missed her.
Other than Colombia, did you go on any other trips during your first semester?
JS: I attended CBS’ west coast technology trek with the Technology Business Group. I traveled from January 3rd-8th. My parents watched Jenelle the entire week. They took her and picked her up from school for me.
Since I was gone for a longer period, Jenelle really missed me and I had conversations in which she was in tears asking me to come back.
I sent her many pictures and status updates on all the companies I visited to my mother’s phone so she was in touch with what mommy was doing and knew I was thinking about her and also missed her. The support I have received from my family has been great. I feel truly blessed to have a strong support network that I trust. From personal experience, I know finding childcare can be a major hassle. Even when you have family helping, it may not always be perfect. I highly encourage moms to take at least one trip because it truly is a rewarding experience.
What are your plans for the summer internship period and how are you planning to manage childcare this summer?
JS: My plan is to obtain an internship in New York City or close to the city. In managing childcare I plan to enroll Jenelle in summer camp close to my internship. There are a ton of summer camps in NYC, it can be overwhelming but I use Mommypoppins to find a camp that best fits what I need.
What are some time management tips you used to stay on track with managing motherhood, school, social life, extracurriculars and/or recruiting during your first semester?
JS: Time is of the essence. I take my daughter to-and-from school everyday. Managing my time effectively while in business school is very important. For the most part, I work on team assignments during the day when I do not have classes. Planning ahead and keeping your support network informed is very important.
As a mom, have you received any resources or specific support from CBS?
JS: Since my daughter was already enrolled in school prior to my attendance, I have not needed to use any of the CBS resources. However, I have recently began looking for a new school for my daughter and have been in touch with Marcia Roesch from the Work/Life balance office. This past fall, the office of student affairs had a lunch for parents which was nice to meet other parents at CBS.
