Shanise R. Anderson
New York University, Stern School of Business
At Revlon, Shanise Anderson noticed one common trait among the company’s leaders: They all had MBAs. And that was one motivation behind her decision to enroll in NYU’s Stern Executive MBA program. Known for her “positive attitude, energy and outgoing personality,” Anderson was a key member of a group that finished 2nd out of 26 teams at the 2014 National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) Business Case Competition. She was also appointed as Revlon’s director of U.S. marketing during her time at Stern.
Age: 37
Location: West Orange, NJ
Family Members: Husband, Stephen Anderson
Undergraduate School: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science, Marketing
Where are you currently working? Director, U.S. Marketing Region, Revlon
“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I surveyed my Executive-level management team and realized that despite their different paths to the top, what united them all were their advanced education credentials, which included securing an MBA degree.”
“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…at a competitive disadvantage and less confident in my ability to manage business-building, strategic conversations with my C-Suite executive team.”
What are your long-term professional goals? Ultimately, I aspire to become the Chief Marketing Officer of a large, established consumer packaged goods company.
Favorite Courses: Crisis Management, Global Strategic Marketing and Implementation
Which academic or professional achievements are you most proud of? I was part of a team of NYU Stern Executive MBA students that finished in 2nd place in the 2014 National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) Business Case Competition in September 2014. We were chosen as one of three team finalists out of 26 teams from different business schools. The case provided us with an opportunity to work together as a team on a real world business challenge, outside of school. To make a compelling case, we drew upon various aspects of what we had immediately learned at Stern during our first year, including Accounting with Professor Bartov, Marketing with Professor Winer, Professor Lechner’s Leadership in Organizations, and Strategy with Professor Solomon. The global aspect of the program, from our first Global Study Tour, to the Global Economy course with Professor Zin, helped us to determine the appropriate global strategy for the case.
In January 2013, I was asked by publishing house Pearson to be featured in a business text book titled “Management” by Robbins & Coulter. It was quite a humbling experience to have my image and quotes on superior leadership skills appear in a text book along with such renowned leaders as Google’s CEO and co-founder Larry Page and Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent.
In terms of professional achievements, in January, 2014, after my first semester at NYU Stern, I was promoted from Associate Director to Director, U.S. Marketing Region, for Revlon, which significantly increased my account responsibilities. While I had already been on a high performance track, it was furthering my education at Stern, with a double specialization in Marketing and Leadership, which provided even more evidence to management that I would continue to go the extra mile to achieve any goal and that I was hungry to learn and do more.
Personally, in the midst of completing my MBA, I planned a wedding and married the man of my dreams in November 2014. Additionally, in April 2015, I closed on the purchase of my first home! I feel like my life has transformed in so many positive ways since my first day of classes.
Who would you most want to thank for your success (and why)? I would have to thank Stephen, my husband. Taking on this program has been a challenge. Students need family support and the fact that he is my #1 cheerleader made such a difference. Otherwise, I would never have been able to manage so many life changes at once. He has been keeping different parts of our lives afloat and also builds me up when I need it. He wakes up early with me on Saturday mornings when I leave for class and stays up late with me when I work on papers and study for exams. He keeps me fueled (with moral support and also with food!) and energized to keep going on the path toward reaching my goals.
Why did you choose this executive MBA program? Before making my decision, I actually considered a few different Executive MBA options in the New York area. Of them all, I chose NYU Stern. The program was not only highly endorsed by Revlon’s former CEO and alumnus, Alan Ennis, but additionally, it was the only school that offered me the opportunity to be with a diverse, intelligent group of professionals who were very real. To be quite honest, I felt like I fit right in at Stern directly following my first information session on a Saturday in January. Not only did the panel give a real view of what life would be like as an Executive MBA at Stern, but talking to a few prospective international students reinforced NYU Stern as a globally recognized, prestigious school.
What did you enjoy most about the executive MBA program? Aside from the professors at NYU Stern being top-notch, I really appreciate the community NYU Stern fosters among its students. From the two global study tours to the after-class mixers, the NYU cohort experience truly develops relationships beyond the classroom. Not only will I walk away from this experience with solid professional contacts, but I’ve also developed friendships that I know will last me a lifetime.
What is your most memorable moment from business school? My most memorable moment from business school was disembarking in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Shanghai, China for our most recent Global Study Tour this past January. Though I am well-traveled and have frequented many regions of the world, I hadn’t ever visited China nor experienced the sheer numbers of people we encountered on our trip. The NYU global study tour residency concept immersed me in these two countries in a way I never could have imagined. From our visit to the Nike headquarters and manufacturing factory in Vietnam, to our visit to McDonald’s in China, I was offered the unique opportunity to experience the intricacies of global brand challenges and opportunities in a part of the world that is exploding with foreign interest and direct investment.
Fun fact about yourself: I had a very active childhood and my typical week included an hour of each of the following lessons: Piano, Violin, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Tennis, and Ice Skating.
Favorite book: “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks
Favorite movie: The Princess Bride
Favorite musical performer: Beyoncé
Favorite television show: “Love It or List It” on HGTV
Favorite vacation spot: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
What are your hobbies? Yoga, Traveling, Hiking, Park visits with my 4-year old Schipperke, Meditating, Home Design and Décor, Cooking and Entertaining
What made Shanise such an invaluable addition to the class of 2015 for your executive MBA program?
“As we think you can tell from her smile, Shanise’s positive attitude, energy and outgoing personality are infectious. From the moment we got to know her at one of our admissions information sessions, we thought she would be a great fit for the collaborative culture at NYU Stern. The cohort experience and diversity at NYU Stern gives students with very disparate personalities, experiences and backgrounds the opportunity to work together and learn from each other. Shanise’s professional track record in marketing and previous academic achievements were outstanding, but she also embodies the fact that success requires individual effort, but is not a singular endeavor at NYU Stern.”
– Heather Daly (’03), Senior Director of NYU Stern Executive MBA Admissions
