Rajpal Sagoo

When Rajpal Sagoo came to Emory, he had one goal in mind – to learn more about business. With a background in biology, the Evening MBA student looked to sharpen his business skillset. As a partner in MDD Holdings, a private investment firm in the fintech and health tech space, Rajpal knew enhancing his business acumen could only better his career. “During my time in [undergrad], I was able to be a part of a startup and quickly realized that I didn't have the business skillset that I needed,” Rajpal says. “Luckily, over time, I've been able to develop that skillset through different projects and different mentors, but I really wanted to establish a baseline foundation in my education. Coming to Emory has allowed me to not only get the skillset I need but have the network I need to be able to leverage that skillset.” 

Rajpal was also able to utilize his military experience from serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. As a Delta Leadership Coaching Fellow, Rajpal built upon his own leadership skills but also had the opportunity to receive mentoring from an executive coach. “Being in the military for 12 years, you see a lot of first-line leaders that are able to help encourage us within the military sphere,” Rajpal says. “Having someone like Lieutenant General USA (Ret.) Ken Keen who is a world-renowned army officer being able to coach and guide us beyond just the military aspect, but understanding how we interact, how we communicate and how we work as veterans has really helped me be able to broaden my skillset that I learned from the military.”

One of the elements Rajpal has taken away and applied to his own job is the ability to work with different people with varying backgrounds. “In the real world, you don't always get to choose your team,” Rajpal says. “Being able to be put into this environment under guidance and really being able to coach and mentor these people towards a common goal helps sharpen my skillset as well.” 

Working and interacting with a diverse group of people is a common theme across Emory, including the MBA programs. While many students come from various ethnicities and nationalities, the MBA program also features students with diverse backgrounds, something Rajpal truly appreciates. “You really get to know people from these various backgrounds and it really enriches your education,” Rajpal says. “It definitely creates an experience that you can't get anywhere else.”