From Internship to Return Offer: How Notre Dame’s MBA Prepared James for PwC

Student Spotlight: James Smart, MBA Class of 2026

When James began considering an MBA, he knew he wanted to stretch himself beyond his background in marketing and data science. After working at Kroger’s data analytics firm, 84.51°, he realized that “strategy at the end of the day is almost always measured in financial terms.” To lead effectively, whether as a strategist or future CMO, he knew he needed to get the formal financial education that comes with an MBA.

That decision led him back to Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, where he completed his undergraduate degree in 2021. Now, in the MBA Program, James was named a Meyer Fellow, a prestigious fellowship awarded to MBA students who demonstrate strong leadership potential, academic excellence, and a deep alignment with Notre Dame’s values. The fellowship provided not only financial support, but also early affirmation that Mendoza was a place where James could grow as a values-driven leader. The MBA program itself is ranked #7 in the U.S. for Finance by Princeton Review. But for James, the value of the program proved far bigger than rankings alone.

A summer at PwC—and a return offer

James spent the summer between his first and second year in New York with PwC in the Deals practice, working in mergers and acquisitions on the operational work that follows a transaction. His internship focused on helping organizations operationally after a deal is completed, particularly when systems, expenses, and data are still shared between two entities. The work he did required navigating uncertainty, asking the right questions, and proposing new approaches; all skills he credits directly to his MBA experience: “Mendoza really makes you comfortable with the ambiguity of those situations and the ability to ask questions, raise your hand and push.”

Reflecting on the experience, he shared, “I know the basics of accounting. I know data analytics… but it’s the teamwork skills, how do you work in a team, how do you get things done, work in complex situations—that’s where I now have a lot of confidence going forward.”

That confidence showed up in practice. From suggesting new ways to manage team workflows to building a custom GPT tool, by summer’s end, his impact was clear. James received a return offer and will join PwC full time after graduation, turning a demanding internship into a defining next step in his career.

A network and community that show up

James credits part of his path into PwC to the strength of the Notre Dame alumni network, particularly in New York, where graduates actively advocate for Mendoza students. “There’s a pretty strong group of ND alumni at PwC and they’ve been huge advocates for us, even for the first-year students. That’s the power of the Notre Dame network,” he shared. That support doesn’t stop once an internship ends. Alumni regularly return to campus to recruit, mentor, and stay connected, creating a network that continues to open doors long after graduation.

That same sense of responsibility and community also shaped James’s leadership inside the program, where he served as MBA Association Class President. In the role, he focused on community-building and student advocacy, working closely with faculty and administrators to ensure student voices were heard. Reflecting on that partnership, he shared, “The faculty and staff have been extremely understanding, empathetic, and really have listened and internalized feedback… They’ve made space to hear the students and advocate for them.”

Within the Notre Dame MBA program, James found a community that was just as impactful as the alumni. What surprised him most about the MBA wasn’t a class or a career outcome, but the way that classmates genuinely showed up for and supported one another. James recalled, “When I got the job at PwC, the classmate I was casing with bought me a drink and gave me a huge hug when he heard. He was genuinely happy for me, and that level of support is just unheard of in a lot of other MBA programs.”

That culture of encouragement is paired with a level of diversity James hadn’t experienced before. “The diversity of people in the program has been amazing… I’ve never had such a diverse group of friends,” he shared. From celebrating Diwali and watching Bollywood movies to sharing home-cooked Pakistani meals and planning future travel to Asia together, his MBA experience has been shaped by global perspectives and genuine connection.

Experiential learning that transforms perspectives

Like many students, James was drawn to Mendoza both due to the mission and the opportunity to learn by doing in order to better prepare him for the next steps in his career.

One of his defining experiences was Business on the Frontlines, which he completed in Kyrgyzstan. Working with women entrepreneurs and a social entrepreneurship hub, his team explored how increased access to capital and community networks could support local business growth.

He often recalled one of Professor Kelly’s guiding principles: “She always said that the purpose of the class is to shift trajectories… How can you bring your business skills to point this social entrepreneurship hub in the right direction to help set them up for success?”

For James, this wasn’t just a class, it was a new way of understanding the huge impact he could have on the lives of others and on the way they do business: “That’s one lesson that I think will stick with me for the rest of my life.”

He also took the Frontlines Local Impact course, deepening his commitment to co-creating solutions with communities: “I love the ‘let’s go throw darts on the board and see what sticks’ mentality in some cases… meeting with people and trying and co-creating. That’s always stuck with me.”

Why Mendoza? Values, flexibility, and real-world preparation

For James, the decision to pursue an MBA at Notre Dame came down to a combination of flexibility, values, and hands-on learning that felt distinctly different from other programs. He loved being able to shape his own path: “the Notre Dame MBA allowed me to take strategy classes, and a wide variety of finance classes… which have been extremely beneficial for my journey.”

But the academics were only part of it. What stood out even more was the type of leader Mendoza aims to develop, people who are grounded in purpose. As James put it, “You just get a different type of business leader here… that commitment to growing the good, and asking more of business isn’t just words, you really feel it here.”

Choosing Notre Dame again and becoming a Double Domer was also a deeply personal moment. James learned about his acceptance and Meyer Fellow status on his late grandfather’s birthday, which felt like a very clear sign that he was meant to go back to Notre Dame. After having his senior year impacted by COVID-19, the MBA became an opportunity to reconnect with the community and values that originally shaped him. “The education here is just so different… you’re asking the deeper questions and having the space to have those tough conversations,” he reflected.

If he had to capture the experience in just one word, James doesn’t hesitate: “Fulfillment.”

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