Marc Schlesinger

NYU Stern Executive MBA Program

Location: New York

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’m a lawyer, musician and diehard Mets fan – (i.e., Pitch Perfect meets Marshall from How I Met Your Mother meets Mr. Met.)

Hometown: I grew up in Edison, NJ. I have been in NYC for the last 15 years.

Fun Fact About Yourself: I write my own music, recorded an album years ago, and surprised my wife with an original song at our wedding.

Undergraduate School and Major:

University of Maryland, College Park – BS Accounting (2004)

Fordham University School of Law – JD (2010)

Current Employer and Job Title: Vedder Price P.C. – Senior Litigation Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Clients trusting me to advise them on, and represent them in connection with, serious and sensitive business issues.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the MBA programming that led you to choose this business school – and why was it so important to you? There is just something about NYU Stern, Washington Square Park, and the West Village that cannot quite be put into words. It is just so uniquely New York. In addition to its location, I knew the NYU Stern MBA students would be top-notch, representing the best of their respective fields and industries. From the earliest NYU information sessions, it was clear that the students were not concentrated in any one industry or limited to a certain type of background. Rather, the students’ backgrounds and experiences (personal and professional) were as diverse as the city itself. (And that has been especially true of my class.) NYU Stern is the only business school I applied to and the only one I wanted to attend.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? It is something I always wanted to do. It provides you with tools you never had before, opens doors you never knew were closed or existed, and introduces you to some of the most talented and successful people in business.

What has been your biggest difficulty in incorporating MBA studies into your professional and personal responsibilities? Time management and time prioritization have been the most challenging aspect thus far. But my wife has been very supportive. It’s usually the weekends that suffer. As long as you are persistent, and good at time management (for example I’m writing this on a bus ride back from Boston), you’ll be fine!

What do you enjoy most about business school so far? My cohort – Our class (J21) has such diverse backgrounds, yet we each have respect for each other’s point of view. Each student brings a unique perspective to class and about life, and each has an incredible zest for life and learning. Class, surprisingly, is so much fun. We are simultaneously boisterous and serious. Just ask our professors, who are also fantastic! Most important, we are an incredibly tight-knit group and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends and colleagues.

What percentage of your program cost is being paid by your employer? My employer is not reimbursing my tuition costs, but is fully supportive of my time in the classroom and values the experiences and learning the NYU Stern Executive MBA  is providing.

What is the top item on your career bucket list? To retire knowing that I have made a positive impact on the profession and on people’s lives.