Graduate / Moment that changed everything [5]

In February of 2008, I received a call from my dorm room. It was Vanessa. Her voice cracked but she didn't hesitate. "Jenn is gone. She killed herself last week." Jenn was one of my best friends in high school.

When Jenn died, there was no one with her. No one to talk her out of it. She planned her suicide the moment the rest of her family was on vacation. It took them a week to figure out that she was dead. By that time the smell of her corpse seeped into the rooms, forcing her family to move out. Time and time again it would run through my head. 'How could I have missed this?' If only I thought of a solution, I could've saved her.

I always remembered Jenn as someone that I wanted to be. She was one of the first creative souls I've ever encountered. She saw everything with beauty. She was bold, she never cared about what anyone said, and when she decided on something, there was nothing to change her mind. Not even death.

Since the time she passed, she has become to me a kind of spirit. When I imagine my creativity or determination, it has a physical form; and it almost always looks like her. She has transformed me into the creative leader I am today. She reminds me to be determined and never let anything compromise that determination. I have come to realize that even though I couldn't save her, she ended up saving me.

Graduate / Song that expresses who you are and why (250 words) [9]

If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 words) MBA Application

In Pulp Fiction as directed by the Quentin Tarantino, there is a moment where Mia Wallace, as played by Uma Thurman, comes home drunk from a victorious win. She rushes to the tape player. The tape spins, clacks to a stop, and plays "Girl, You'll be a woman soon" by Neil Diamond.

The reason why I love this song first and foremost is my appreciation for Tarantino's artistry. This song in its moment serves as a transition for Mia's character and is a queue for an important moment in the movie. This beckons to my designer nature. Additionally, the song signifies more by both lyrically and cinematically representing Mia, the 'girl', and consequently myself.

In Neil Diamond's song, it is made clear that the girl is still a girl, not yet a woman. She is being told to grow up and that she needs a man. Although at first it sounds like she is being forced into a role, we come to realize that she is the one in control. Similarly, Mia Wallace lives in her husband's world. At first, the movie portrays her simply as the boss' wife. However as the movie goes on, we realize that she can stand on her own. She is intelligent, seductive, bold, and unapologetic.

What I appreciate about this song and this moment is a reminder of my own life when I have been undervalued. Where there have been moments as someone that stands as a young woman that works in a male dominated industry and comes from a patriarchal culture, that a lot of times I stand undervalued. However this song and this moment reminds me that it is important to remember that I, like Mia, am able to stand equally as independently and forcefully as my male counterparts.

Graduate / Architecture is a unique industry. In my world, Architects are gods. 500 word application essay. [5]

Tell us about your path to business school and your future plans. How will Berkeley-Haas experience help you along this journey? (500 words)

Let me first start by stating the obvious. I do not have a traditional business education and I stand very aware of the fact that I may likely be in the 'other' category as the small percentage of Architects that are applying to Business School.

Architecture is a unique industry. In my world, Architects are gods. We are drunk with our ability to create, meticulously painting our imaginations in the urban fabric. We spend our time obsessing over designs and resolving complex issues that take place from the city block to the nails that hold our materials together. Architecture is my first love. However through the years of practicing, I believe I have gained a clarity about the Architecture and Design industry. Those who practice Architecture are notorious for being underpaid, overworked, and business and employee value are frequently a low priority. Architects additionally often have a superiority complex that results in difficulty in dealing with clients and consultants alike. In the famous words of 'starchitect' Frank Gehry, "I don't know why people hire architects to tell them what to do". Although Architecture is an exciting venture, I have found through my years of practicing that our world is far too focused and stands for significant change.

In the business world, Gehry's statement would never realize. Business concerns are about growth and the strategies for profitability and overall sustainability. I believe that designers are far too interested in the end product rather than the interrelated strategy. This neglect I believe is a major cause to the degradation of Architects in the market.

That being said, I believe from this divide is why I need to be in Business School and why Berkeley-Haas is the place to be. I believe that designers like myself can learn from understanding business driven design rather than design driven business. Additionally, I feel strongly that it is time that the Design industry stand for a significant change and it should first start with individual project management. My hope for business school is to learn the skills that will pronounce me as a better leader that will help me challenge the practice of Architecture to better evolve in the changing world.As someone that comes from the largest architecture firm in the world, which in turns have the biggest impact on our built environment, I believe it's even more important to integrate evolving strategies to benefit our industry.

In an article from Kholsa Ventures to Haas back in 2013, he stood out say that people should not be afraid to challenge the status quo and although Architects certainly do challenge the status quo in their work, they rarely challenge it within their offices. Architecture is a traditional apprenticeship based profession and therefore not much has changed in the industry. I need to be in a school that says questioning traditions is a priority and with UC Berkeley having one of the best architecture and business schools in the country, in addition to working closely with design strategy firms, I believe this goal can be realized.