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From Wisconsin to Jerusalem - The Lengths that One Would Travel for a Hebrew University Education | The Hebrew University Business School

From Wisconsin to Jerusalem - The Lengths that One Would Travel for a Hebrew University Education

Written by Avigail Rasol

Kari Wiedenhaupt

 

What leads a woman from Wisconsin to travel across the world for an MBA?

Why Hebrew University?

Kari Wiedenhaupt, a recent graduate of our international MBA program, connected with us to lend some insight. Kari first came to Israel in the fall of 2019, not long before beginning her studies at Hebrew University. It wasn’t this trip, however, that sparked her idea to study in Jerusalem. Rather, it was a Hebrew teacher from Maryland.

“I took Modern Hebrew classes at night at the local JCC in Rockville, Maryland. My teacher, Rivka Degani, is a Hebrew University alumni and the best teacher I’ve ever had. She taught me about life, about Israel, about the Jewish culture, about caring for refugees and immigrants, about how to appreciate the greatest forms of art and about following my dreams and not being afraid to take on challenges.” Kari then decided to take a trip to Israel to look into furthering her education there, and decided on the Hebrew University international MBA program.

Studying in Israel

Once she arrived in Jerusalem to begin her studies, Hebrew U did not disappoint. Kari enjoyed learning from both her professors and her peers, and she also quickly learned that the best - and most Israeli - way to learn was to jump in. “The more I participated in class and projects, the more I learned. The more I networked, the more I gained.”

In the spirit of jumping in, in addition to the intensive workload that comes with pursuing an MBA, Kari also interned with iArgento Group, participating in the IPO of their traded LP fund on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. She speaks of her experience with great appreciation, noting the breadth and depth of knowledge that she gained from her first-hand exposure to the professional world of finance. “Things are just obvious to me because of my experience… like how startups function, how to approach raising capital, how to network, how quickly startups iterate and pivot, the VC lingo, product-market fit… I think they are obvious to all the business world and they definitely are not. Hebrew University gave me more, and now I have more to offer than I at first realized.”

When asked of her most memorable course/professor, Kari was quick to respond - Saul Orbach. “He is brilliant, working in the VC field, and gives practical info with tons of follow-up materials. I read ALL the tons of extra articles he suggested. Every one. He also has been a vital source of advice during my career development, eager to talk and give advice both during his class and post-graduation. He also encouraged me and helped me to believe in myself and help others see my value.”

Advice for future students

Kari’s advice for future international students is simple - embrace life in Israel. “Travel the country. Get used to being uncomfortable and feeling totally underprepared in class and in internship. That’s the startup way. You’ll figure it out because you’re a problem solver if you’re in the iMBA program. Network as much as possible. Buy fresh veggies/fruit in the shuk.” And, most importantly, she says - “only settle for Roasters Coffee.”