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SEPTEMBER 2002 MBA JOURNAL: INTRODUCTION Dima Abushaaban: Who I Am, and Why B-School Is for Me "Of course, I realize that right now, I'm pretty idealistic. I know I want to make a difference in the Middle East. I talk of working in economic development, the World Bank, the IMF, but I'm not sure if I even really know what that means." My friend looked at me quizzically, "That's what you do if you didn't have to worry about money?" "Yes", I said, a little defensively. The rest of my friend's reply came a moment later: "Then why don't you do that now?" Good question. And one that I realized I didn't have a good answer to except that it was easier to keep doing what I was doing, and to just stay where I was. I've spent almost my entire life living in the suburbs of Chicago. I was born in the suburbs, I grew up in the suburbs, I went to school in the suburbs, and then, when I went off to college, it was only to go to Loyola University (in Chicago). My life would have been very typical, except that I spent every summer until the age of 10, and almost every other summer until I was 21, in Cairo, Egypt. I would visit my grandparents or travel to Palestine/Israel and Jordan. Every September in elementary school when classes would start, all the kids would talk about visiting their grandparents. Mostly, they talked about going to Indiana, or another suburb. I talked about Cairo. I showed pictures of myself with the pyramids and sphinx; it was fun. I also learned Arabic and developed a true sense of biculturalism. But there was more to it. My parents aren't Egyptian, they're Palestinian and I knew that my mother grew up in Egypt because her parents couldn't stay in Jaffa (then a part of Palestine, now Israel) after May of 1948. The first time I went to Palestine/Israel was in 1987. It was amazing, Jerusalem especially, was unlike any city I'd ever been to before. It had such a sense of history and culture, such a indescribable sense of importance. But, as I walked intermittently through the streets of Tel Aviv or Haifa and the streets of Gaza or Ramallah, I saw for myself the differences between the two. Gaza, with its refugee camps, its old buildings and shops, and its streets without sidewalks. Tel Aviv, with its brand new shopping mall, its suburban-style housing, and its freshly paved streets and concrete sidewalks. And I felt from that moment that I wanted to do something to narrow the great divide between the Palestinian territories and Israel. In college, I majored in communications (broadcast journalism) with a minor in international studies, concentrating my coursework in Middle Eastern studies. I considered trying to become a foreign correspondent but in my last semester I took an intro to the Internet class and my interest in technology was piqued. So I completed a second bachelor's degree in computer science. After that, I forgot about my passion for the Middle East for a while (having to repay loans will do that to you) and took a job with a small consulting company in Chicago that placed me at various clients. As a technical consultant at a global Fortune 100 company, I learned about teamwork, business communication, project management, and client-interaction. It was my first experience with the corporate world, and I realized I wanted business to be a part of my future. Through my later technical work as an engineer at a digital solutions company, I was able to frequently interact with non-technical people to learn about new business plans, marketing strategies, and client relationships. Additionally, I became aware of the scope of business and management knowledge that I was lacking and started to strongly consider an MBA. I realized I wanted to understand business, but in the context of the global economy, and if possible, in the context of the Middle East. It was then that I had that conversation with my friend. It was then that I started researching study abroad programs in the Middle East. There was a particular program that I wanted to attend at Birzeit University, in Birzeit, Palestine in the occupied West Bank. My friends and family thought I was a little crazy, what with the political situation and the violence. But I was determined. Also, my job at the dot.com was looking less and less secure. After another failed merger attempt, and a top-level management restructuring, it looked like all the departments were in for some restructuring of their own. I ended up getting laid off a few months before I had planned to leave for Palestine. I used the time off to look for short- term work and to study and take the GRE and GMAT. I left for Palestine in June, 2001. During my time there, I was able to solidify my interest in the region and in business further by studying and working with various organizations. I took Arabic and political science courses at the university. I volunteered my time with the Across Borders Project Web site, a project set up to bring Information Technology into Palestinian Refugee Camps and to connect families and friends in these camps through the Internet and video conferencing. I interned with the Palestine Media Center, an official media outlet of the Palestinian National Authority. Also, I traveled throughout Israel and the occupied territories. And I still noticed the differences between the streets of Gaza or Ramallah and those of Haifa or Tel Aviv. I still wanted to do something. And I began to notice that most of the people who seemed to be trying to do anything were lawyers and physicians. What there really seemed to be a need for was people to work toward economic stability. I felt that such work would be important because by contributing to the economic prosperity of the region, I hoped I could contribute to the political stability of the region as well. But first, I would need an excellent education to give me credibility and further insights. After traveling through Jordan and Egypt for another month, I returned to the U.S. in late September of last year. The events of September 11 had further convinced me that economic development and cooperation with the West were badly needed in the Middle East. I applied to various MBA, MA, and joint programs. It was very important to me that the schools I applied to were well known and highly regarded, as I was considering working outside the U.S. Of course, I was worried about my applications, and how I should approach them. I got so much differing advice from so many people; I didn't know what to listen to. Everyone seemed to know exactly what 'angle' I should I take in my essays. In the end, I decided to just be honest. I knew why I wanted to go to business school, and I knew what I wanted to do. If I was honest in my applications and didn't get accepted, then maybe that program wasn't right for me, anyway. Thankfully, it worked. I was accepted to two joint programs, one in New York, the other in Chicago, which would allow me to study exactly what I wanted. I accepted the joint MBA/MA in Middle Eastern Studies program at the University of Chicago. The program at University of Chicago would require successful completion of an integrated master's thesis and 28 courses; 13 of those courses in Middle Eastern Studies. It should take three years to complete, versus four if the masters degrees were done separately (this is done by combining elective requirements) and includes six language courses as part of the MA. Also, the program was very flexible in terms of course selection and course scheduling. In the end, staying in the Chicago area proved to be the least costly option as far as living costs go. But the University of Chicago had other advantage, too. Specifically, my interest in pursuing an MBA is geared toward International Business and I feel that this concentration at the GSB, coupled with the joint degree option of acquiring a Master's in Middle Eastern Studies, will prepare me for my proposed career path better than any other program would. The M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies can provide me with the necessary training in the language and political and historical background of the region. And beyond the GSB's excellent academic reputation are the students and faculty that I met. Far from being a "book worm", my interviewer, a second-year student from Italy, was one of the most charismatic and instantly likable people I'd ever met. We spent more than two hours talking in my interview and he e-mailed me after I was accepted to tell me that he truly believed that I was the type of person that would make a difference at the GSB. Later, I spoke with a professor at the GSB (also a professor in the Middle Eastern Studies department) and within minutes of walking into his office, he understood exactly what I wanted to do and offered his full support. My decision was made. Of course, I realize that right now, I'm pretty idealistic. I know I want to make a difference in the Middle East. I talk of working in economic development, the World Bank, the IMF, but I'm not sure if I even really know what that means. However, I am certain that by the time I'm done with my MBA (and my MA) that I will know and that I will be prepared. I can make a difference; that I'm sure off. Of course, I may end up working for a corporation with interests in the Middle East first (loans will do that to you).  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