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Anthony M. Fernandez

Kellogg School at Northwestern University

A student at the Harvard Business School, Anthony wrote this essay for the Kellogg School, where he was also accepted.

Almost every aspect of my upbringing relates back to experiences with my father. My father left Colombia to come to the U.S. when has was 20 years old. Like most immigrants, he was forced to quickly learn how to make a living in a very unfamiliar environment. This challenge would not be his toughest, however; he was later forced to raise a 10-year-old son on his own. Following my parents' divorce, my father obtained full custody of me. Since that day, he has been the single most influential person in my life.

To my father's credit, I have learned to live by the values and customs of both American and Colombian culture. This bicultural background has been established through balancing my exposure to American culture in school with interactions among members of the Colombian side of my family, who later came to America to pursue the same opportunity my father had already seized. A culturally diverse student body is one of Kellogg's most notable strengths; I can build upon this strength through a bicultural background that I am very proud of and extremely eager to share with others. I look forward to providing knowledge and awareness of the Colombian culture and bringing an international perspective to class discussions and social interactions with fellow classmates. Additionally, I plan to contribute to Kellogg's international community by becoming involved in the Latin American Business Association and by participating in a South American GIM trip.


My father's career as a sheet metal mechanic and carpenter was also a big influence in my upbringing. Whether it was helping him build a staircase, fix a car or put siding on a house, I was always intimately involved with his "hands-on" way of life. My experience with this way of life has allowed me to understand and relate to the "blue-collar" side of business throughout my early career, therefore forming a perspective that is often times underrepresented in professional settings. By bringing this perspective and associated experiences to Kellogg, I can provide fellow МММ classmates with knowledge they will find valuable towards becoming effective organizational leaders in a manufacturing environment. Through team projects, for instance, I can help fellow students understand how "getting out and circulating among the troops" is critical in order to gain credibility and, ultimately, buy-in for managerial decisions.

Through a unique combination of breadth and depth, my professional experience also allows me to make a significant contribution to the learning experience of others at Kellogg. My experience in consulting has allowed me to develop breadth of business knowledge through diverse professional roles across several major industries. During team projects, I would be able to offer valuable information not only on different information system technologies but also on the implementation of these technologies in several major industries. For example, I can share with fellow classmates the knowledge of how electronic commerce can be used to increase revenue and reduce costs in the food and beverage, telecommunications and entertainment industries.
Management consulting has also enabled me to work hand-in-hand with major corporations to embrace and implement organizational changes. This experience allows me to provide knowledge that is helpful to students who will be making leadership decisions that require changes to their organization. During class discussions, for example, I can provide insight into how major corporations have successfully, and sometimes unsuccessfully, dealt with the internal implications of major business decisions such as system implementations, reorganizations, layoffs and mergers.

My prior professional experiences with Ford Motor Company and Barre Company, Inc. have given me in-depth knowledge in the area of high-volume manufacturing. This knowledge is particularly valuable to the МММ program, where students can directly leverage an understanding of the operational aspects of manufacturing to be more effective in managerial roles. Through group projects and class interactions, I can help others understand the processes and technology behind taking an idea from raw materials to a finished product.

I have always made it a priority to supplement my professional and academic experiences with extracurricular involvement. For example, I currently hold leadership roles on the philanthropic and social committees of IMPACT-Atlanta, the local branch of my company's nationwide culture organization. My responsibilities with IMPACT-Atlanta include managing the fall coed softball team, coordinating community service events and organizing corporate outings at local establishments.

My participation and leadership in extracurricular activities will undoubtedly continue upon entering business school. By becoming involved with some of Kellogg's special interest clubs, such as Business with a Heart and the Golf Club, I will make a significant contribution to Kellogg's dynamic student community. Moreover, I look forward to evaluating and taking opportunities to start new special interest clubs that can add to the already impressive variety of student organizations at Northwestern.

I will combine the abovementioned professional and life experiences with a strong work ethic and good sense of humor to make a very positive overall impact on Kellogg's МММ program. I look forward to contributing to the very thing that makes the Kellogg environment so special — the learning that takes place from the diverse personal qualities and life experiences of others.

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