Marcos Mendez, PMBA ‘15: Putting Core Values to Work for Others

We’ve all heard the saying: “You’re only as good as the company you keep.” If Marcos Mendez is any indication of the caliber of person drawn to the Professional MBA program, then the program’s future is on solid footing.

In June of 2013, just prior to starting his Professional MBA program at Mays Business School, Mendez learned that his close friend and former Seton Hall college roommate Kevin Losch was extremely ill. Kevin had been recently diagnosed with IgA nephropathy or Berger’s Disease. According to Mayoclinic.org, Berger’s “occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) lodges in your kidneys.” Over time, Berger’s interferes with the kidneys’ ability to perform their basic necessary function. As Kevin sought a viable long-term solution to his illness, he learned that none of his family members were suitable matches for a kidney transplant.

Marcos received word of Kevin’s dire situation in August, one month into his MBA program. He immediately volunteered to be tested as a donor and soon learned he was a match. After his Saturday class on October 19th, Marcos flew to New York for an operation the next Tuesday. Not wanting to fall behind in his studies, Mendez was back in Houston with his fellow PMBAs the following class weekend. In hindsight, Mendez said, “It probably was a rush, but I just wanted to get back to some normalcy.”

Without question, Mendez demonstrates the character qualities the Professional MBA program looks for: selflessness, dedication and optimism. When asked why he was willing to go to such incredible lengths to help his friend, Marcos said, “You mold your life after core values not often tested.” For him, “it was a clear decision.”

It is these shared traits of character that played an important role in his selection of the Mays Professional MBA program. One of the key differentiators of the program is that it helps students recognize and enhance characteristics they can’t yet see in themselves. When Mendez donated a kidney, it was to him, simply “living and doing the type of thing you say you stand for.”

Mendez also values “culture, spirit of family, community and doing the right thing,” and it is important to surround himself with people who share similar values. In the Professional MBA Program at Mays, Mendez says, “I’ve met people who have challenged, inspired and motivated me, and it feels good to be a part of that community. I have lifelong friends [as a result.]”

“My big takeaway from the program so far is that I’m constantly forced to reflect on my own skills, limits and blind spots,” he said. “The big difference from the start of the program to the present is knowing what I’m good at and not good at, which makes me a self-aware leader.”