Broad MBA Class of 2023 student recognized as Best & Brightest

By Haley Tran, student writer

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Rajat Srivastava, a Full-Time MBA student in the Class of 2023, was named as one of Poets&Quants’ 100 “Best & Brightest MBAs” this year. With this recognition, Srivastava carries on the college’s legacy of excellence, as Spartan MBAs have been honored on the list since 2016.

Rajat Srivastava

Srivastava came to Michigan State University from India, where he completed his bachelor’s degree of technology in electrical engineering at MNNIT Allahabad. After researching business schools in the United States, he identified Broad as his first choice for its reputation in supply chain management, the close-knit community of students and faculty members and a diverse group of accomplished classmates with rich experiences.

He told Poets&Quants, “Professors like Judith Whipple, Steven Melnyk, Stanley Griffis and Jason Miller bring in industry expertise and passion for teaching. As someone wanting more hands-on learning, the case-based pedagogy with a strategic view of supply chain, even before supply chain became a dinner-table topic, I knew MSU was a great fit for me.”

Reflecting on his learning experience in the Full-Time MBA program, Srivastava said, “We had abundant opportunities to learn about business in real-world scenarios. The school focuses on imparting practical knowledge through variety of learning, case discussions, live projects, case competitions, field visits, guest lectures, news discussions and co-curricular activities.”

During his time in the MBA program, Srivastava became a leader among his peers, serving as vice president of corporate relations in the MBA Association, vice president of academic engagement in the MBA Finance Association, vice president of corporate relations in Broad Net Impact and vice president of the Indian Student Organization.

Beyond his involvement in student organizations, Srivastava spent more than 100 hours tutoring first-year MBA students in finance, accounting and statistics and coached two teams on presentation skills. He said it was highly gratifying for him to contribute to the community through assisting other students in comprehending the fundamentals of finance.

In addition, Srivastava strove to sharpen his business acumen through case competitions. He was a member of the winning team at the 2022 Fisher Big Ten MBA Case Competition and at the 2023 International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition. Topping it off, he won third place in the Broad vs. Broad MBA Case Competition.

“Apart from the Broad vs. Broad competition, I engaged in external case competitions that offered various competitive opportunities. My enthusiasm for hands-on learning motivated me to take part in tackling actual business problems spanning from sustainability to third-party cookies,” Srivastava said.

“As someone wanting more hands-on learning, the case-based pedagogy with a strategic view of supply chain, even before supply chain became a dinner-table topic, I knew MSU was a great fit for me.”

As he wrapped up his last semester at MSU, Srivastava said East Lansing would always have a special place in his heart as the first city he had lived in the United States. “I love the vibrant college town scene of the city. There are plenty of restaurants, amenities and clubs close by, not to mention recreational activities like bowling, hiking and rafting. It is a beautiful ecosystem of its own.”

Wayne Hutchinson, managing director of the Full-Time and STEM MBA programs, applauded Srivastava for his contributions to the program’s team-based mentorship culture and investment in the performance of his peers, exemplified by his mentorship of colleagues in case competitions and his work as the program’s math tutor.

“There are no words that can properly articulate the impact Rajat has had in the educational spaces this year — he made a tremendous difference in helping other students make sense of complex MBA financial and math-based academic work. Rajat’s character also shone brightly in several student and community-based events during his time at Broad, helping to raise more than $10,000 for charitable causes. We celebrate his achievements and are excited to see the impacts he will make in the future.”

In addition to Srivastava’s success, Broad alumna Allison Wise (B.A. Marketing ’17) also made Poets&Quants’ list as a graduating MBA student from Washington University in St. Louis.

Read more at Poets&Quants for “Best and Brightest MBAs Class of 2023” and in-depth interviews with Rajat Srivastava and Allison Wise.