MBA Mama Spotlight: Zeynep Ozfatura Gundogdu (Georgetown McDonough)

Guest Blog By: Zeynep Gundogdu // My husband and I are both from Turkey. We have a two-year-old daughter, who thinks she is a teenager. We like traveling and exploring new places. Our favorite place in the US is Universal Studios in Orlando and we’ve been there four times so far. We also enjoy cooking together. As you might have guessed, we love Turkish food and are fans of Italian cuisine, too.

I thought that my daughter would be old enough to start daycare at the time of my admission to an MBA program in 2015. I did all my test preparations and submitted applications accordingly. Since we don’t have any family support in US, it was mandatory for us to consider the childcare options for our daughter first.

The biggest challenge I have faced as an incoming MBA balancing grad school with motherhood has been time management! I had to prepare for GRE and TOEFL during my daughter’s nap and sleeping times. She would never let me study when she was awake. Since the beginning of the program, I am trying to find a balance between school, career events and my quality time with my daughter. I usually skip social events. But, when I need to attend employer events after classes, we book a babysitter for her.

My husband is a great supporter. He makes sure I have alone time on the weekends to study and focus on career search. Other than that, I keep a detailed calendar and try to plan everything ahead. I think planning is a must when you have so limited time and so many things to do.

My advice for women, especially mothers, considering an MBA is: don’t be intimidated by the workload, you’ll find a way to tackle all the obstacles. Just plan ahead and keep calm. Your child is your main priority. It’s OK to miss a few events. You’ll have so many other opportunities for networking during your MBA.

My daughter goes to daycare and we have an occasional babysitter. We try to organize kid-friendly activities with other student parents. We understand each other and give support as much as we can. The faculty at McDonough School of Business are all very eager to help and provide information on resources. They make you feel supported and part of an even bigger family.

In partnership with Forté Foundation, McDonough School of Business offers resources that enable female students to excel in business and become leaders in our fields. The Forté Fellows program also provides scholarships to 20 women in the MBA program and I am one of the proud fellows.