Best & Brightest MBAs: Lauren Montagne of UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School

Lauren Montagne bleeds Carolina blue. Sure, she grew up in Raleigh and earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from the flagship university. But that isn’t the reason why she personifies the best of Kenan-Flagler. The program is based on Core Values: Leadership, teamwork, integrity, community and excellence. And Montagne checks every box…and then some. “If I could mold every MBA student,” gushes marketing professor Tarun Kushwaha, “I would use Lauren Montagne as my standard: academically gifted, right attitude, willing to go beyond call of duty, and a genuinely golden heart.”  

Over the past two years, it would’ve been hard to miss Montagne. She was everywhere! A Forte Foundation fellow, Montagne also led learning and development for the MBA Student Association, the bridge between faculty and students on curriculum. She was a teaching assistant in four classes and a mentor with career services. How respected was she by the Kenan-Flagler community? She received the Excellence Award, given to the class’ top academic performer in both 2016 and 2017. During her second year, she was also awarded the Class of 1990 Graduate Fellowship, which honors the student who best embodies the school’s Core Values. After graduation, Montagne will be joining Bain & Company as a consultant. 

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I worked at a startup led by team of recent MBA grads. I admired their problem-solving skills and polish. Working with them made me realize that I wanted to go to business school.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…skiing in Colorado. I lived in Aspen for a few years after undergrad. I’m sure my parents were worried that I’d turn into a permanent ski bum.”

What did you enjoy most about business school in general? I’ve loved getting involved in clubs and extracurriculars. It has shaped my experience in the program, and it has enabled me to meet and befriend people I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to interact with on a day-to-day basis. It is also really rewarding to give back to the program that’s given me so much. As a first year, there were a handful of second-year students who went out of their way to help me. They made me feel like they were personally invested in my success, and they also provided much needed sanity checks as the days got harder and busier. Coming into second year, my goal was to be that person for at least someone, if not several first years. 

What was the most surprising thing about business school for you? I was surprised by how much I learned outside of the classroom. By getting involved in activities and getting to know my amazing classmates, even a simple club meeting or coffee chat can be an opportunity to learn and grow. 

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be yourself! There’s no one mold of a UNC Kenan-Flagler student, but we do live and breathe our Core Values. I’d say we’re defined by our tight-knit community. So as you apply to the program, let what makes you “you” shine.

Meet all of Poets&Quants' 100 Best & Brightest MBA Graduates of 2017