MBA Scholarship with Modus Create Provides Support for Workforce Development in Latin America

The McDonough School of Business is pleased to announce the establishment of the Modus Create Endowed MBA Scholarship, a merit-based award to develop the workforce in Latin America and support international Full-time and Flex MBA students. 

Georgetown McDonough is committed to creating global-ready leaders, as the path to any formal education is rarely a straight line. Today’s college students span far beyond the traditional mold, representing parents, immigrants, caregivers, full-time employees, military veterans, and even retirees. 

“A defining characteristic of the Georgetown MBA program is the diversity of our students, including their global and professional experiences,” said Shelly Heinrich, associate dean for MBA Admissions. “As we continue to push toward recruiting a diverse class, we are pleased to offer the Modus Scholarship as a way to attract the best and brightest talent.” 

Modus Create is a consulting firm that helps companies transform for success in the digital future. The global company operates remotely, and comprises highly-skilled employees in over 40 countries, many with non-traditional professional backgrounds. At the height of COVID-19, their company has been growing exponentially, leveraging the impact of digital technology on workforce development in Latin America. Currently, over 50% of their workforce is located in these emerging countries and territories.

All students may apply for the scholarship, but special consideration will be given to students who are residents of the following countries and/or territories and are U.S. active military or veterans: Puerto Rico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

“The path to success is not linear and it can be an uphill battle for non-traditional job seekers to find meaningful employment,” said Jay Garcia, U.S. Air Force veteran and co-founder, Modus Create. “I am the product of someone creating opportunity for me, which literally bootstrapped my career.”

Like many, the path to success for Garcia and his co-founder, Patrick Sheridan (MBA’09) did not start and end with a formal college education. They wanted to create opportunities in emerging technology for people with self-taught technology skills and a highly developed understanding of responsibility, structure, and leadership experience. 

Garcia credits his 20-year career in technology and consulting with his time in the armed services, an experience that inspires Modus Create’s support of veterans today. Returning military veterans each face their own set of obstacles, but often have an arsenal of skills that easily translate to various global industries, especially emerging technology. 

“We are seeing an emerging workforce that is willing to learn and take on new challenges and just because they may lack the traditional qualifiers for employment, does not mean they should be excluded from great opportunities,” said Sheridan. 

Modus Create hopes to leverage their existing diverse workforce and use it as a platform to connect both students and employees with the global resources available at Georgetown McDonough. Uniquely positioned on America Economia’s 2020 Best Global MBA List, the Full-time 2019 MBA class has strong representation from Latin America, with students from Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.

“As our company grows, we need more leaders in this region and we believe this scholarship with Georgetown McDonough will help continue the economic growth in these countries,” said Sheridan. 

Both co-founders believe that talent is everywhere, and it arises when the necessary conditions meet people with drive and ambition. The company continues to build remote, high-performing teams and is excited to create opportunities for those who may not traditionally have them.