If you are thinking about going to business school and studying for a Master of Business Administration (mba) then it is good to know that you are in good company as there are in fact many famous celebrities and business people who have also got themselves an Mba.
Some of these well-known names within the world of music, movies, television, stand-up comedy, novel writing, and business are listed below.
Benicio Del Toro (Movie Star)
The Puerto Rican movie star, as well as the director and producer, is someone who has won countless awards and recognitions for the work he has done throughout his career. However, very few people actually know that he attended business school at the University of California in San Diego. Benicio was born into a large family of lawyers back in his hometown of San Juan on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico but eventually moved to the state of Pennsylvania in the USA in order to attend high school there.
From there, he went on to study at the University of California in San Diego for an Mba. It was also at college that he picked up his love for drama, attending an extracurricular course with his fellow students. It was his time here that encouraged him to actually drop out of the university and to pursue a career in acting instead.
Wanda Sykes (Stand Up Comic)
Brought up in Washington DC, the parents of Wanda worked within the Pentagon and as a banker respectively. From finishing high school, she went on to study at Hampton University in Virginia, where she successfully graduated. She then went on to work as a contracting specialist at the National Security Agency.
It was during this period in her life that Wanda started doing stand-up comedy. Some years after this, in 1992, she moved to New York City and began working in a pub. It was not until she opened the act for Chris Rock that Wanda really catapulted herself into the spotlight. It was off the back of this that she became a writer for Chris Rock and a star in her own right. As a result, she has gone on to star in both TV shows and movies alike.
Ivanka Trump (Business Woman)
Most famous for being the daughter of former president Donald J Trump, Ivanka was born in 1981 in New York City. She began by studying at Georgetown University before going on to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. It was back in 2004 that she graduated with an Mba.
Despite being an astute businesswoman who now is part of the family business, and was previously involved in politics, Ivanka was also a runway model for luxury brands such as Thierry Mugler and Versace. In addition to this, she has also appeared on TV numerous times and has written a best-selling book.
Mick Jagger (Rock Star)
The Rolling Stones frontman got his Mba from the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in his UK homeland. He is said by many to be one of, if not, the most influential rock icons ever. He and his band first rose to fame during the 1960s and have continued to rock by bringing out hit after hit all the way until the present day. Mick, along with bandmate Keith Richards hail from the small town of Dartford in Kent (the Garden of England) but actually spent most of their formative years living in London.
Although he has always had a love for music and had his heart set on starting a band, Mick decided to continue his education after leaving high school and enrolled at LSE to potentially enter the world of politics. However, this is something that he never progressed with as his musical career developed and The Rolling Stones went on to become one of the biggest and greatest bands in rock history.
Eddie Izzard (Stand Up Comic)
Although he is British, Eddie Izzard was actually born in Yemen whilst his father was out there working as an accountant for the multinational oil company British Petroleum (BP). From there, his family moved to Northern Ireland where his mom, unfortunately, passed away and Eddie was sent to boarding school.
He first began dabbling with stand-up comedy during his time at the University of Sheffield where he was studying for an Mba. However, he soon left the university as his comedy career started to take off.
John Grisham (Novel Writer)
Born in the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, John Grisham is famous for his massively successful thriller books. Prior to going to university, he worked a number of different jobs, including as a plumber, in a children’s nursery and with an asphalt company on the country’s highways. It was a fateful night in his last role when he almost got shot and was forced to hitchhike home that John decided to go to university and study for an Mba.
During his education, John moved around quite a bit and ended up attending three different universities before eventually finishing his studies, and graduating from Mississippi State University. From there, he went on to practice law for a decade before pursuing a career in writing thriller novels like ‘The Firm’.
Kevin Costner (Movie Star)
During his long and illustrious career, Kevin has won countless awards for his acting, including a Golden Globe, Emmy, and an Oscar. As well as this, he also has an Mba from California State University. It was actually during his time studying that he began acting classes and after a chance meeting with Richard Burton he went on to actively pursue a career in acting. Some of his most famous roles are in Man of Steel, JFK, and The Bodyguard.
Other celebrities that have studied for an Mba at business school include the actress Cate Blanchett, singer and songwriter Lionel Richie, and TV actor Ray Romano.
