Mia Mabanta

MBA 2012
  • Hometown: Manila, Philippines
  • Pre-MBA: VP Product Strategy at HelloWallet; Senior Research

Mia Mabanta

Post Graduation Goals:

Business development or product strategy at a company that I’m passionate about.

A favorite GSB memory:

Schwab was great, but living off campus opens up a whole new world of social options. The smaller gatherings at classmates' houses are a nice complement to the larger events. Another great memory was going to Treasure Island Music Festival in SF.

Tuesday
07:00am
Wake up, put my gym clothes on and pack everything I need for the day.
08:00am
Get to Arrillaga Gym on campus, work out for an hour before class.
10:00am
Attend my 'Lives of Consequence' class with Rod Kramer. Today's session is on money and happiness. It's interesting to hear my classmates' diverse perspectives on the topic.
11:30am
I run into some friends at the picnic benches outside Arbuckle and we have lunch together. We talk about recruiting, the case for our afternoon class, and celebrating a birthday.
12:45pm
I get a call from the firm I interviewed with yesterday - they've offered me a final-round interview in New York!
01:15pm
Attend my Formation of New Ventures class with professors Jim Ellis, Jeff Chambers, and Mike Child. Today's case is on ICON Aircraft, a company that manufacturers a new type of sport aircraft. As always, the founder (a GSB alum) is in attendance.
03:00pm
Attend a White Party leadership meeting to discuss our marketing strategy for the event. The White Party is an annual charity auction and a major GSB event. As the end of EAP is nearing, we discuss getting the MBA1s involved in planning.
07:00pm
Grab a quick dinner at Ike's Sandwiches at the Engineering Building before my public speaking class.
07:30pm
Attend public speaking, the "across the street" (i.e., non-GSB) class I'm taking this quarter. The students in the class come from different departments across Stanford, which is an interesting change of pace from GSB classes.
10:00pm
After class is over, I head back to downtown Palo Alto for my friend Christine's birthday party. After a long day of class it feels great to unwind with friends and wine.
12:15am
Bedtime.
Wednesday
07:00am
Wake up, get ready, and put on a suit: I have an interview today!
09:00am
Get coffee and breakfast at Arbuckle and go over behavioral questions I might get asked.
11:30am
Interview time. I head to the Bass Center to check in. 90 minutes later, I emerge unscathed.
01:15pm
According to my phone, I have 15 minutes for lunch before my next meeting. I get a salad at Arbuckle and eat quickly.
01:30pm
Head across the square to Coupa Cafe where I meet my mock interviewer. He gives me some great feedback.
03:00pm
Meet up with some classmates to do a photo shoot to promote the upcoming Latin Fiesta. Photography is a hobby of mine and luckily I get to do it pretty often at the GSB. With a few props and some creativity, we get some great shots.
04:30pm
Head to Nola's in downtown Palo Alto for a happy hour hosted by one of the companies that's recruiting.
06:00pm
Head to the gym for a workout.
08:00pm
Meet friends for dinner at LYFE Kitchen, a "healthy fast food" restaurant that recently opened in PA.
08:45pm
Get back to the GSB just in time for TALK12, a weekly series where a classmate shares personal stories from his or her life. My friend Adam is up tonight.
12:15am
Bedtime.
Saturday
08:00am
Wake up.
10:30am
Walked the Stanford Dish Trail with my friends Susan and Jen. It's a perfect Saturday morning activity.
12:30pm
Brunch at Woodside Bakery with friends.
01:30pm
Spend the afternoon running errands for a Halloween/birthday party that some friends and I are hosting tonight. This mostly involves picking up equipment and other supplies for the photo booth I plan on setting up.
07:00pm
Pick up tacos for everyone on the party planning team then head to Thunderdome to continue preparations.
09:00pm
The party kicks off as guests start rolling in. It's a fun, joyous night and we've got the photos to prove it!