Winston Jones

Winston Jones came to Questrom with a dream to work in sports. He took advantage of the MBA program’s flexible curriculum, student resources, and alumni network to achieve it.

“I knew what classes to take, networked with alumni within the industry, and maintained relationships after graduation,” says Winston, who is now leading the marketing effort for the competitive basketball business at Hudl, a sports technology company.

After studying psychology and economics at Boston College as an undergraduate, Winston went on to work in the financial services industry at The Bank of New York Mellon and then Bain Capital. But his real dream was to work for the NBA or NFL in a management or strategy role. He banked on Questrom’s MBA program as his ticket to the big game.

“BU stood out to me because of its focus on teamwork and collaboration,” he says. “As a career switcher, I wanted to be a part of a culture where the students helped each other. After reading about Questrom’s emphasis on building that culture, and talking to admissions and current students, I knew it was a place for me to spread my wings a bit.”

Spread his wings is exactly what he did. He was president of the MBA Sports and Social Club, participated in the Case Competition at the National Black MBA Association Conference, and interned at a startup company called Nix, based out of the Harvard Business School Launch Lab. By involving himself in the Questrom community, Winston learned about different cultures, while also teaching his classmates about his culture and the Black experience. “Considering the current social climate in the United States, I think it’s important to raise awareness about certain issues regarding race, gender, and classism, especially when you factor in the high number of international students at Questrom,” he says. “A more informed population is better equipped to incite and inspire positive change, and I would like to believe that I played a role in that at Questrom.”

Winston achieved his sports career goal right after his MBA graduation, when the Boston Celtics hired him to run their marketing analytics engine. Following that, he moved to Wayfair to lead strategy for a new visualization team within the merchandising department. It was the strong Questrom alumni network that helped him land his current job at Hudl. “One of my classmates in the Class of 2017 knew someone in the Class of 2015 who worked at Hudl and connected us,” he says. “Without them, I wouldn’t have the role I have today.”

“Coming into Questrom prepared me, and gave me an advantage in my job hunt,” adds Winston. “As much as you hear it, it is the network that makes the Questrom MBA experience—these people will become your closest friends and will, more than likely, have some influence in your future career.”

“As much as you hear it, it is the network that makes the Questrom MBA experience—these people will become your closest friends and will, more than likely, have some influence in your future career.”

– Winston Jones