QS MBA Community Scholarship: 2019 Winner Jason Michael Madison

We’re pleased to announce that one of the winners of this year’s QS MBA Community scholarship is Jason Michael Madison.

The scholarship is awarded to five students annually, with each receiving an award of US$2,000. Recipients must attend a QS event, start their first year of MBA study in the next academic year, and the scholarship must go towards tuition fees.

What are you studying, and why did you choose the university you’ve applied to?

I’m studying for an MBA at IE Business School. I applied to four schools in Europe and was accepted to three programs. I chose IE because of the international diversity of students and its reputation as a top MBA program.

What do you hope to gain from your degree? How will it affect your career plans?

The International MBA at IE is known as ‘An MBA Out of the Ordinary’, which is exactly what I wanted. I’m hoping to further develop myself as a disruptive leader and problem solver.

I’m not a typical business student and am embracing the IE mantra during this growth period and on my next adventure. My career has taken me all over the world, and I know IE’s diversity will continue that trajectory.

How did you find the scholarship application process? How many sources of financial aid did you approach?

The process for the QS scholarship was very easy. I received an email after attending an event in which I was invited to apply. The most difficult part was looking inward at myself and finding the right topic for the essay.

I applied for two QS scholarships as well as internal scholarships to IE Business School.

What was your experience at a QS event? What were the highlights, and what would you recommend to future attendees?

I enjoyed the QS MBA events and attended events on two different continents. I first attended a QS MBA event in Hong Kong, followed by another event in the US, then I travelled to Mexico for two more.

I felt it was extremely beneficial to get ‘face-time’ with the schools I was applying to, so I attended to meet someone from each school.

In today’s digital world, I think actual human connection is still powerful. I absolutely recommend attending QS events to gain a personal connection.

What difference will this scholarship make to you? How would your plans have differed without this financial support?

I’m extremely grateful and humbled by this scholarship award. Pursuing an MBA is an expensive endeavour, and this scholarship will help me.

My plans wouldn’t change without the award, but my preparation and experiences leading up to the start of the program would be different.

What advice do you have for other prospective students who are applying for scholarships?

My advice is to continue to reach beyond your comfort zone, it will benefit you in more ways than you know.

Get outside and make connections, and don’t be afraid to talk about yourself; this is especially important in scholarship and admissions essays. Be open and show the committee something beyond what they can read in your application and resume.