Jeffin Pananchery (MBA’23) on Applying Cura Personalis to Day-to-Day Work

As the spring semester comes to a close, Georgetown McDonough is pleased to commemorate the accomplishments of the Class of 2023. This year’s graduating class demonstrated immense commitment, discipline, and determination to reach this milestone, and we are proud to recognize their achievements as they embark on their next chapter as Hoya alumni. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting several exceptional students in the Class of 2023 as they share their personal stories, reflect on their time on the Hilltop, and preview what the future holds after commencement.

As a Flex MBA student at Georgetown McDonough, Jeffin Pananchery (MBA’23) has had multiple opportunities to apply the concepts he has learned in his classes, as well as other extracurricular activities on campus, to his career. After graduation, Pananchery plans on utilizing the interpersonal skills he has taken away from the MBA curriculum at McDonough to advance his career in the healthcare industry. 

Here, Pananchery reflects on how experiential learning opportunities at Georgetown have shaped him both personally and professionally, he expresses gratitude to those who have made significant impacts on his MBA journey, and he explains why he’s drawn to the university’s Jesuit values.

What is your favorite memory or proudest moment from your time at Georgetown?

While at Georgetown, I have had the opportunity to attend multiple conferences, events, seminars, and case competitions, but my favorite memory was being a part of the MBA program’s Ethical Leadership class. For our final project, we helped set up a home for a refugee family from Congo. As a team, we assembled bunk beds and bicycles for a family of seven. It was one of my proudest moments during my time on the Hilltop.

How do you plan to apply the skills you have learned at Georgetown in the next phase of your career?

 As a Flex MBA student, you have an excellent opportunity to apply the lessons you learn in the classroom almost instantaneously. On a daily basis, apply I apply my learnings on effective communication, leadership principles, and data analytics in my own career.

What is one of the most important lessons you have learned while at Georgetown?

I think my favorite lesson has been embracing the significance of cura personalis, or care for the whole person. While it might appear as a simple concept, it can be applied in various aspects of your work – be it working with a customer, a client, or on a project, through the lens of cura personalis, you’re tasked to look beyond the results at hand and how outcomes can have a much larger impact.

Is there a particular person in the Georgetown community that has been instrumental to your success?

I have received exceptional support from all of my professors, the MBA Program office, the faculty, and my cohort; all of whom made my time at Georgetown a fun learning experience. As a co-chair of the Community Standards Board, I have been able to work closely with Dean Kerry Pace, who has provided exceptional guidance and helped lead the Standards Board at McDonough.

What are your post-graduate plans?

My goal is to leverage my learnings at Georgetown to lead my product team in building better clinical and benefits products for our healthcare customers.

What advice would you give to the next class of Georgetown MBA students?

Enjoy your time at Georgetown. Your time on campus is a mix of learning new skills, forming new connections, and becoming a better version of yourself. Don’t be afraid to reach out —everyone I have met at Georgetown has been more than happy to lend a hand.