Recognising how diverse perspectives shape the way we tackle problems has been the most unique part of my education so far.
Jen Flanagan
Tell us a bit about yourself, and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Washington, DC. The city’s many museums strongly influenced me, particularly the Holocaust Museum, where I worked as a tour guide, and the National Geographic Museum, where my mom worked for many years. Speaking with her colleagues at NatGeo and immersing myself in those environments sparked my interest in how places and people communicate across and about history and cultures.
I always knew I wanted a global career aligned with those interests, which, at first, led me to combine my passion for writing with my work—first as an intelligence analyst focused on Francophone Europe/Africa and, most recently, at a news company.
Could you share something unexpected or a fun fact about you?
I played lacrosse my whole life — my dad played in college and had me holding a lacrosse stick at two years old! — and competed as a USA East Coast regional team member when younger.
What motivated you to choose the INSEAD MBA, and how do you envision it aligning with your future goals?
I wanted to deepen my presence and accelerate my career in the European market, where I have strong professional and personal ties.
I see the INSEAD MBA as the best way to expand my understanding of this region, grow my network, and fast-track my development.
The one-year programme was also a key factor for me, as it offers the most efficient path to achieving these goals without sacrificing the depth of the experience.
I was also drawn to INSEAD’s culture and classroom, which is one of the world’s most diverse. That attracts people who share a genuine curiosity about the world and are aligned with the environment I hoped to be part of—where conversations go beyond academics and tap into different perspectives, values, and life experiences.
What are your impressions of campus life so far and how did you navigate accommodation, and sorting out all the admin? Any tips for incoming students?
One of my favourite aspects of INSEAD so far is the balance between campus life and living in Fontainebleau. I spend most of my school days on campus beyond classes — using the gym and library and grabbing meals and coffee.
But I also feel really connected to life in Fontainebleau, with its perfect mix of outdoor activities like hiking, running, and biking, as well as opportunities to engage with the local culture—and it’s only a short trip to Paris.
When it came to sorting out the admin, talking to recent alumni or current students was the most helpful thing I did.
Could you share a little about your application process and securing financing?
The first thing I did was contact admissions and alumni to learn more about the programme and gain insight into INSEAD’s culture. After that, I focused on studying for the GRE.
The INSEAD essays are very personal, aimed at understanding who you are beyond your professional experience. I spent about a month revising them, with reflection being the most valuable aspect of the process.
For financing, I didn’t have the full funds in savings, so I applied for merit-based scholarships. I focused on opportunities like INSEAD’s Forte Foundation scholarship for female leadership and those from the French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC), and was honoured to receive funding as a Forte Fellow and one of FACC’s Serge Bellanger Laureates.
While the reflection and interviews required a lot of time, they allowed me to articulate my interest in advancing French-American relations and women’s leadership—both of which I’m proud to represent and hope to contribute to throughout my career.
You are starting your INSEAD MBA in France. Are you planning any campus exchanges?
I’m starting on the France campus and hope to do an exchange in Singapore for one of the five periods.
As an American, INSEAD’s connection to both Europe and Asia—and the opportunity to experience both—was extremely attractive to me.
In your first few weeks, what aspects of the INSEAD MBA have stood out to you as unique or particularly appealing?
The study group experience has been a highlight for me from the start. You go through P1 and P2 with a group of four to five other students, and the diversity is both intentional and meaningful.
In my group, there’s Diego from Chile, Roxanne from Switzerland (with Turkish/Iranian roots), Seiya from Japan, and Usman from Pakistan. Bonding with them has made me completely rethink the meaning of “diversity”—not just in terms of ethnicity, but in skill sets, professions, age, and backgrounds.
These are people I likely would never have crossed paths with otherwise and recognising how our diverse perspectives shape the way we tackle problems, each bringing such distinct approaches, has been the most unique part of my education so far. It’s something I hope to carry with me into any work team I join or lead in the future.
On top of that, they’ve become four of my favourite people in the programme, and I feel incredibly lucky to work with them every day.
Aside from your academic pursuits, what extracurricular interests or activities are you exploring at INSEAD, and how do you see them enhancing your overall MBA experience?
Outside of academics, I’ve leaned into two areas: meaningful conversations and group sports.
I heard about OrigINSEAD in my first week and was told it’s “the most INSEAD thing about INSEAD.” OrigINSEAD is a community that gathers weekly to listen to stories from one or two students. The stories can be about anything meaningful to a student and range from deeply personal origin stories to empowering life challenges or favourite days.
After attending a session from the prior class, I was moved by the openness and depth of the student connections and decided to get more involved as the Co-Lead for our cohort. We’ve just launched it for our cohort, and I was one of the first speakers.
It was nerve-wracking, but the response from the community was empowering—my entire study group and even people I didn’t know came to support. OrigINSEAD has helped me connect with classmates on a deeper level, beyond the surface of networking.
Club Rugby has also been a blast. It’s a mix of experienced players and beginners, and the experienced ones plan each practice to teach new skills and get good completion. A highlight of the week was running around the pitch with other women in my cohort, and I joined the leadership team to support Women’s Development. We’re heading to Barcelona next month to play against other business schools and can’t wait!
Any parting words of wisdom, and are you willing to be contacted for more information by prospective students?
INSEAD is an incredible experience—it’s also intense, fast-paced, and can feel a bit unsettling at times. There’s really no substitute for speaking with people who have been through it to get a sense of why it could be the right place for you. I’d be happy to talk to anyone interested in learning more.
