Get to know Nicole Silva, Evening MBA Student

Tell us about yourself and when you decided to get your MBA.

I am a life-long learner. I always wanted to go to business school, but it didn’t really fit into my professional journey until after I had gotten married and my youngest child was in all-day kindergarten. My employer at the time had an excellent education reimbursement program that covered almost 100% of the tuition cost. My husband and I both work full-time, and we had just transitioned our childcare situation from a nanny who worked during the school day to a much more flexible arrangement with an au pair who could get the kids to school in the morning and manage the after school routine. Finally, my husband (at home), my manager (at work), and my parents (for when I needed last-minute childcare) were all supportive of me going back to school. This support system went a long way to preserve my sanity knowing they all were willing to pitch in to help me succeed. All these factors coming together gave me the space to dedicate my remaining free time to the Evening MBA Program.

Why did you choose Chicago Booth?

I chose Chicago Booth because of its strong reputation for taking a data-driven approach and the corresponding Business Analytics concentration. I focused on strengthening my quantitative skills.

How has your involvement outside of the classroom contributed to the connections you’ve made at Booth?

The highlight of my Booth experience was the short-term study abroad experience in Paris, France. Four other Boothies and I had the time of our lives studying, networking, and taking in French culture for three weeks in the summer. All the friends I made and my experiences in Paris were truly life changing for me because we had so much dedicated time to bond with each other. Given my family and work responsibilities, I didn’t have the opportunity to get super involved in too many activities outside the classroom, so this made the study abroad experience even more special for me.

Fun Fact about Nicole: 

Nicole’s role model is Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina and the third woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Nicole respects how Sotomayor’s experience growing up in the Bronx under difficult circumstances fueled her perseverance and determination to achieve incredible and important things. After hearing Sotomayor speak, Nicole was profoundly impressed with her accomplishments and acknowledgement of all the people who supported her throughout her life.