Meet The Hildebrand Scholars

6 Standout MBA Students in Program’s Inaugural Cohort will Shape a New Legacy of Leadership at Texas Mccombs 

By Sally Parker

Rory East, a retired commando in the United Kingdom, had just returned to his London flat this spring after a frustrating day selling his car when his phone rang. His next adventure was calling. 

Tina Mabley, senior assistant dean for the Full-Time MBA program at Texas McCombs, was on the line, letting him know he’d been selected for the inaugural cohort of Hildebrand Scholars.

“It was an incredible surprise and also incredibly humbling to receive it,” East says. “You have the opportunity that the scholarship itself presents, but you have the opportunity to be among the first people crafting what it means, which I think is an honor in itself.”

Hildebrand Scholars is a new initiative made possible by a $20 million gift from Mindy Hildebrand, BBA ’86, to support scholarship opportunities and leadership programs for students in the newly renamed Hildebrand MBA program at Texas McCombs.

The new Hildebrand MBA Excellence Fund matches money raised for full-tuition scholarships for this select group of incoming full-time MBA students from a variety of backgrounds who show exceptional leadership potential. The program will expand to include our Working Professional MBA programs as matching funds are raised. McCombs has raised $2 million in scholarship funds to date, with $8 million left in matching funds. 

The first cohort, which started classes this fall semester, came from the top Full-Time MBA program applicants who were invited to apply for the scholarship. Of those, two dozen were interviewed and six received the scholarship. East was among them.

The recipients share an eagerness to develop as leaders, Mabley says. As Hildebrand Scholars, they will share reflections on their leadership journeys with students, and promote awareness of Texas McCombs’ executive coaching programs — among the most robust in business education.

“We want all students to approach these two years with intentionality, especially when it comes to their leadership development,” Mabley says. “The Hildebrand Scholars program offers an opportunity to showcase that journey, and all the participants are excited about leaning into that.”

People Make the Difference

A native New Zealander, East left home for the United Kingdom at 18 to pursue a lifelong dream to join the Royal Marine Commandos, a maritime special operations unit. He rose from a junior rank to commanding officer and then the aide-de-camp to the Royal Marines leader. Ready for a new adventure after 12 years, East envisioned a career that would build on the skills in critical problem-solving and teamwork that he honed in the military. He set his sights on an MBA. 

East wanted to study at a top institution where he could develop a network, work with talented people, and gain skills in such areas as accounting and finance. He was accepted at several top U.S. schools, but McCombs stood out.

“The other schools loved to talk about their programs and how great the program was.
McCombs had a great program too, but only the people at McCombs spoke about how great the people are, and that really resonated with me,” says East, who relishes tackling challenges as part of a team. “These are the people I want to spend two years with.”

The Texas McCombs ethos encourages individual accomplishment in the context of working together, Mabley says. That’s one of the main reasons Claudia Figueroa González, another in this inaugural cohort, chose Texas McCombs.  

“I always want to be surrounded by people who actually care about each other, that embody gratitude,” she says. “Everyone here has that state of mind but also an ambitious mindset, which is very contagious.”

Figueroa González is a food industry engineer from Monterrey, Mexico. With a background in research and development at Sigma Alimentos, a multinational food company, she helped move product ideas in demand by consumers through marketing, the kitchen, and production, and then onto supermarket shelves. 

Food was at the center of her family’s life — cooking with her mother in the kitchen, sitting down for a meal with family and friends, she says. At the grocery store, her parents encouraged her to study the packaging and try new things. When they lived in Madrid for four years, food became a way to bridge cultures. 

“My parents were advocates of understanding the world, that there are different ways of thinking,” she says. “I find the same here in the MBA and in the Hildebrand cohort. We come from so many different backgrounds and cultures, and we add so much to the table, every day something new.” 

Well-Rounded Leaders

The Hildebrand Scholars will be guided closely through personalized assessments, curated leadership development workshops, and unlimited hours of executive coaching for students, while working with the Texas McCombs MBA staff to refine the programming and demonstrate its value to their peers. Leadership development is a hallmark of the Hildebrand MBA, and the gift ensures these tools are available for all MBA students to pursue on their own. They can earn badges toward a certificate as they complete workshops on topics ranging from authenticity and ethical leadership to strategic agility and communication excellence. 

Executive coaching is a critical component of honing leaders among all full-time MBA students. Hildebrand Scholars will raise awareness of this valuable resource to increase participation by students who may not yet identify themselves as executives.

“As they’re going through this, the scholars can be a showcase group of our leadership opportunities and how to be intentional in your own self-reflection and leadership journey,” Mabley says.

Dani Kolkebeck, a San Antonio native and Hildebrand Scholar, was a senior associate in the mergers and acquisitions section at Kaufman Hall in Chicago before coming to Texas McCombs. Part of her job was to ensure everyone on the team was caught up on the deal flow and the dynamics surrounding it. She describes herself as a servant leader.

“Inclusion-based leadership is where I find my strengths,” she says. 

Kolkebeck says she formed instant bonds with her fellow scholars, who share her excitement to build a foundation for the future of the program.

“Being part of the inaugural class is another level of excitement — to bring the next class of scholars into the fold and to be mentors as well — and to be able to look back and see that we were the first ones to put the bones in place,” Kolkebeck says. “The idea that my grandkids could be Hildebrand Scholars, because it’s been founded in perpetuity, is really exciting.”

The other members of the inaugural cohort are: 

Aletha Garnette: A native of Orlando, Florida, Garnette worked for four years as a strategy consultant in customer experience for government and public sector clients in Washington, D.C. She is exploring a career path in customer experience through technology and social entrepreneurship. 

Adi Pick: Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Pick has spent the past seven years in Tel Aviv’s dynamic tech scene. She’s excited to apply a global perspective toward a pivot into big tech.

J. Cole Richards: A Memphis, Tennessee, native, Richards began his career in New York City with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.’s Structured Debt team. He plans to pursue a career in investment management, asset management, or investment banking.

Take Action

To learn how you can support our MBA students and take advantage of the scholarship match, please contact Chief Development Officer Will Whiting at will.whiting@mccombs.utexas.edu.
https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/graduate/mba/full-time-mba/tuition-financial-aid/hildebrand-scholars/