WHY MBA?
With a background in chemistry, the transition to the tech sector through startup VC and corporate innovation was pivotal. The MBA was seen as an investment to scale the impact I could make, understand business fundamentals, and explore what it means to be an inclusive leader, creating equitable spaces in the workplace and beyond. It also offered a chance to build a diverse and lifelong network with peers from different backgrounds who have navigated unique industry challenges.

WHY TUCK?
The decision to attend Tuck was influenced by its tight-knit and immersive community, which I experienced firsthand during both Women in Business Conference (WIBCo) and Admitted Students Weekend (ASW). Tuck’s philosophy on coinvestment—where the MBA experience is about mutual growth and learning to be an inclusive leader—was appealing. Your MBA is ultimately a coinvestment. 

Tuck’s Next50 Initiative, the opportunity to be a Fellow with the Centers for Digital Strategies and Health Care, and groups like the Tech Club also provided a rich environment to foster community, give back, and learn from my peers. This was especially valuable coming from an underrepresented background within the tech sector.

My biggest internship takeaway was how important it is to be curious and to continue to seek out diverse perspectives. Whether you’re building a process or a framework, it’s important to get diverse perspectives before pivoting to solutioning. My internship also highlighted the significance of being a DEI champion and creating inclusive spaces for ESL speakers.

MY CAREER GOALS
Before Tuck, I had the opportunity to work in both health care and tech. My goal coming into Tuck was to build off my pre-MBA experience and develop a career at a big tech platform business, focusing on product and partnership roles. My experiences at Tuck and my internship with Microsoft reinforced my desire to drive impact at scale through building and growing strategic technology partnerships.

ON CAREER SERVICES AND RECRUITING IN TECH
The tech recruitment process looks a bit different, a bit more unstructured, at Tuck than recruiting for other paths like consulting. I was fortunate to receive an offer early in the process—resume drops were in September, I went through interviews in October, and in December I received an offer. 

I leaned heavily on the Tuck network, including second years, alumni, the Tech Club, and the Center for Digital Strategies. Anyone I’ve reached out to throughout this process has been super willing to talk and to candidly share their experiences. One-on-one mentorship and Tuck’s leadership coaching program were also pivotal in preparing for this journey.

MY INTERNSHIP AT MICROSOFT
I had an impactful summer experience as a Partner Development Manager MBA intern on the Global Partner Solutions team at Microsoft. In my role, I gained valuable exposure to various aspects of the business, from technical solution road mapping to learning how to go-to-market and coinnovate with the company’s diverse ecosystem of software partners. Outside of my day-to-day work, it was great to connect with other interns, explore Seattle, and participate in Microsoft’s speaker series, where I got to learn from innovation leaders across industries. In fact, one of favorite events was hearing from the cofounder of Salt & Straw on how the company thinks about systemizing innovation in the ice cream industry, while building a platform for connection and community. 

My biggest internship takeaway was how important it is to be curious and to continue to seek out diverse perspectives. Whether you’re building a process or a framework, it’s important to get diverse perspectives before pivoting to solutioning. My internship also highlighted the significance of being a DEI champion and creating inclusive spaces for English-as-a-second language (ESL) speakers. This topic especially resonated for me having seen my family and friends navigate the challenges of being ESL speakers in the workplace. It felt very rewarding to have the opportunity to coplan a discussion at Microsoft’s Inspire Conference on Being a Champion for ESL Speakers and host a community conversation on this topic with my MBA intern cohort.

Tuck’s curriculum—including the First-Year-Project, core courses like ManComm, and Analytics electives—was instrumental in providing a solid foundation for the internship.

MY ADVICE FOR PIVOTING INTO TECH
For those pivoting into tech, it’s important to not self-select yourself out of the process before you even start, recognize your transferable skills, and to be clear on your career motivations. Using resources like career mentors, connecting with your classmates, and tapping into Tuck’s supportive alumni network can make a big impact. Don’t be afraid to also do cold outreaches on LinkedIn and even email. At the same time, I think it’s important to be open to new opportunities you may not even have thought about. Overall, the bottom line is to not be afraid to bet on yourself and your potential!

ON BUILDING COMMUNITY
I have seen how important it is to not only find community, but to also build community for others coming from diverse backgrounds to be able to participate. As a Tech Club co-chair and fellow with both the Center for Digital Strategies and Center for Health Care, it has been so rewarding to have contributed to creating more spaces for people to learn, seek mentorship opportunities, grow professionally, and support each other on their career journeys. These communities have given me the opportunity build a diverse, lifelong network of peers whom I am looking forward to staying connected with in my journey beyond Tuck.