Carroll School 鈥淩enaissance man鈥� makes a prestigious annual list of M.B.A. graduates
At the end of each academic year,聽Poets & Quants聽honors the 鈥溾�� new M.B.A. graduates, celebrating 鈥渓eaders who rally; the mentors who champion; the visionaries who awaken; and the volunteers who shoulder the heaviest burdens.鈥� So it鈥檚 no surprise that this year鈥檚 national honor roll includes聽.
Hernandez, the Diane H. Weiss M.B.A. 鈥�85 Memorial Fellow, has a long and varied list of achievements: executive director of the Boston College Graduate Student Association, lead singer in , and a future senior consultant with Deloitte鈥檚 Government & Public Services division. But, he told Poets & Quants, his 鈥減roudest achievement has been utilizing my community organizing skills to enact meaningful social change on the Boston College campus.鈥�
That social change has included work with the Carroll School鈥檚 to advance social, racial, and economic justice within the organization, including updates to their constitution and the creation of a new GMA position: vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hernandez also co-founded the , a graduate student group that works to support social and racial justice initiatives at the Carroll School. In addition, this past year Hernandez co-facilitated the Carroll School鈥檚 yearlong Inclusive Leadership Forum Series with noted diversity expert and author Carol Fulp.
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Hernandez鈥檚 focus on social justice is part of what brought him to Boston College and the dual-degree M.B.A./M.S.W. program. 鈥淚 appreciated the social impact component of a Jesuit education and the interdisciplinary approach,鈥� he told P&Q. He credited the Carroll School鈥檚 interdisciplinary viewpoint and data analytics curriculum for helping him 鈥渉one my analytical skills to tell more impactful and compelling stories,鈥� leaving him with 鈥渁 renewed perspective on using data to disrupt systemic inequities.鈥�
鈥淒ewin epitomizes what it means to be a Renaissance man,鈥� Associate Dean of Graduate Programs Marilyn Eckelman told P&Q. In addition to his graduate studies in social work and management, Hernandez also has an undergraduate degree from Berklee College of Music. In the past, he has combined music and social change while working as a music instructor at the Lawrence Community Works youth center, where he was a member himself in his teens. He cited his engagement with the organization as a defining moment, noting, 鈥淢y entire life, I have been compelled to serve my community and make a difference.鈥�
Looking to the future, Hernandez will be able to keep a hand in public service post-graduation as a senior consultant within the government division at Deloitte. As 鈥渁 social entrepreneur at heart,鈥� his long-term goals include launching a 鈥渘on-profit providing holistic behavioral health care services in underserved communities.鈥�
This year鈥檚 Poets & Quants' 鈥淏est & Brightest鈥� includes 100 graduates from 63 schools. Hernandez isn鈥檛 the first Carroll School graduate to make the list: Previous winners have included , and Katie Philippi, M.B.A. 鈥�17. A companion website, Poets & Quants for Undergrads, also publishes an annual 鈥淏est & Brightest鈥� featuring undergraduate business majors. Last year鈥檚 edition included twin sisters Allison and Amy Ferreira 鈥�20.
鈥�Rachel Bird, Carroll School News