Posted on

Embracing the MBA Decision Process

 

Mariana Ruiz Allende is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Product Management, FinTech and Strategy. Prior to Stern, Mariana worked in the FinTech industry for more than 4 years in Mexico City. Post-MBA, she plans to continue her professional development as a Product Manager. At Stern, she is involved in the Stern Adventures Club, the Latin American Business Association and the Stern Softball team. She is currently working on a personal project that will use Machine learning Sentiment Analysis to provide help through a mental health approach.

Deciding where to go for your MBA is not an easy decision. In my case, the decision affected not only me, but also my husband. 

Before the pandemic started, I knew I wanted an MBA. However, being all settled in Mexico, with my husband and me each thriving in our professional careers, having my family and friends close, and traveling a lot, it seemed like there was no real need for me to go through the MBA application process, which we all know is a lot of work. Everything seemed so well planned in my life, and I was happy living it that way; why would I consider changing it? Unfortunately – or fortunately- I am very ambitious and really wanted to have the experience of an MBA. 

I talked to my husband about going for it, considering I wanted to have my experience abroad, and he was very supportive from the beginning. Honestly, we both knew it was a long shot to be accepted into a top school, but I knew I had to go for it. However, there were two considerations I needed to make this work. First, he would have to come with me, which was non-negotiable for me, and second, it would have to be in a place where he could continue to work, and as a barred lawyer, New York was the only option. 

So yes, in my decision, there were more variables to consider. Nevertheless, those variables quickly reduced the scope of my options, and fortunately, the narrowed option was the best city in the world. 

After narrowing it to New York, I researched all possible programs in the city, which were many more than I imagined; considering each School has multiple MBA programs, my options by then were between 6 and 10 different programs. To narrow this further, I reduced my scope to only 1 year programs – working in tech, I knew being out of the “being employed game” for a long time wouldn’t have worked for me, so this filter narrowed my options to 3. Although applying to three programs might seem like a good number, I soon fell in love with the tech-focused programs.  I really liked the syllabus each one had, and coming from another business school, adding the technical courses made a lot more sense to my profile. Although there were some other one-year programs in the city, the tech focus for me was the cherry on top, which narrowed my number to two.

I reached out to people from both business schools. I spoke with at least ten people to get a sense of what their experience was, what they would recommend during the process, and to verify I clicked with their culture. I was shocked to see people actually answered my messages on LinkedIn without even knowing me.

When applying to Stern, I immediately stumbled upon the first challenge, which was a “change” in the application style the school has compared to the rest. The application had a twist since it was basically a mini-essay and a photo collage. The saying “less is more” is very applicable in this case. Less was more work since you need to be yourself, show what you bring to the table, show you are different and delightful, and show you can embrace change, all in two or three short deliverables. 

My two cents to anyone in the application process are:

1) Talk to people from the school you are applying to. The insights you get with quick chats not only fuel your motivation but also help you show the qualities you share with the people you talk to. 

2) Review your essays after clearing your head for a few days. After having more than 30 drafts on one of my essays, I can assure you the Mariana that started the process was not the same once I finished it. Yes, my last essay was a killer one compared to the classic cliché one I started with. 

Lastly, embrace learning through this application and school selection process, be humble and not too harsh with yourself, and reach out to people to mentor you or cheer for you throughout this process. And in case you doubt yourself, I can tell you all the effort is worth it. 

Posted on

Things I’m Happiest I Did in my Year at Stern

Steven is a recent Tech MBA graduate, specializing in Financial Instruments & Markets and Management of Technology & Operations. Prior to Stern, Steven was at Deloitte in tech consulting where he was implementing financial software to complete full-cycle digital transformations. At Stern, he was involved in OutClass and enjoys traveling with classmates.

Bringing My Authentic Self

Coming to the end of what I consider the most fulfilling year of my life, there are countless experiences that I am grateful for, and they all fall under the category of “Things I’m happiest I did in my year at Stern.” To begin, I have to give credit to bringing my authentic self to NYU. The community at NYU is exceptionally lively, and it thrives on intelligence and emotional intelligence (IQ/EQ). This was ultimately the reason I chose Stern. One of the defining characteristics of the Stern community is its embrace of diversity. Sternies recognize the value of different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, and it is this openness to diverse ideas and opinions that makes the community so special. For me, it was clear that showing others who I truly was would only enhance my experience at Stern, and this proved to be true. By being authentic and true to myself, I was able to connect with others on a deeper level and build meaningful relationships that will last beyond my time at Stern. Moreover, this experience allowed me to learn from my peers and gain a broader understanding of the world, which has been invaluable. I was able to immerse myself fully in everything that Stern has to offer by being open, honest, and having an open-mind to whatever came my way. By doing so, I have grown both professionally and personally and feel more confident in my abilities.

Worldwide Travel & Relationship Building

In addition to bringing my authentic self to NYU, one of the most enjoyable experiences I had during my time at Stern was taking part in numerous trips. Not only did they offer a welcome break from the rigors of academic life, but they also provided me with an opportunity to connect with my classmates on a more personal level. As a result, I have forged strong bonds with these individuals, and they have become my closest friends, whom I can count on without hesitation. Given my desire to build my network and establish relationships with like-minded individuals, I have made a concerted effort to cultivate and nurture these friendships, recognizing that they are a valuable asset both personally and professionally. By surrounding myself with individuals who share my goals, aspirations, and outlook on life, I have gained invaluable insights and perspectives that have helped me grow as a person and a business professional.

Summer break in Aruba
Spring break in Colombia

Club Involvement

Another experience that brought me immense joy during my time at Stern was getting involved in professional and affinity clubs. As a VP in OutClass, AVP in Cellar, ally in Stern Women in Business (SWIB), and member of the Management Consulting Association (MCA), Private Equity & Venture Capital Club and Stern Adventures, I had the opportunity to connect with students from all programs, including the Two-year Full-time, Executive, and Part-time programs. This allowed me to broaden my network and make friends with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Among these clubs, my most fulfilling position was as VP of Careers and Conferences for OutClass, where I had the chance to contribute to the queer community and build a network of queer professionals who will be future leaders in the workforce. Through this role, I organized professional events for networking and connected classmates with employers who prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion. This experience not only allowed me to make a positive impact on the community but also sharpened my leadership and organizational skills, making it an integral part of my time at Stern.

OutClass at ROMBA in Washington, D.C.
Stern Adventures at Ski Week in Steamboat, Colorado

Connecting with You!

Last, becoming a Graduate Ambassador was one of the most rewarding experiences during my time at Stern. Sharing my personal experiences with future Stern students has been particularly gratifying, and being a trusted source of advice for prospective students has been incredibly fulfilling. Witnessing students who I have mentored successfully gain admission to the program has been the ultimate reward, and knowing that I played a role in their decision to pursue a similar transformative experience as mine was truly exhilarating.

 

Posted on

Entrepreneurship in the Tech MBA with J.P. Eggers

J.P. Eggers is a Professor of Management & Organizations, and the Academic Director of the Tech & Entrepreneurship MBA Program at NYU Stern. His research focuses on how organizations often struggle developing new, innovative products, and how they deal with technological change. Prior to academia, he was a strategy and technology consultant working with large and small companies trying to adapt to digitization. He has a PhD from Wharton, an MBA from Emory, and a BA from Amherst College.

How does the Tech MBA prepare students for entrepreneurship?
We’ve built this program with entrepreneurship at its core, on the assumption that everyone here will want to start a business at some point in their career. From hands-on courses designed around the ecosystems in New York (summer) and the west coast (January), to foundational technology and business courses, to a wealth of electives, the program seeks to strike the right balance for future founders to get them the tools they need, and then get them out building.

What resources are available to Tech MBA students interested in pursuing entrepreneurship?
Within the program itself, you will spend time with founders, funders, and advisors to learn about their perspectives and journeys. You will get access to a growing network of deeply committed alums, many of whom have founded and even exited their businesses. More broadly within Stern, you have full access to the resources in the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship, which hosts pitch competitions and advising network opportunities. You can also take the Endless Frontier Labs course, helping many of the top funders (VC and corporate) in the world shape brand new science and technology based companies. Beyond Stern, you have access to NYU’s Entrepreneurial Institute and the Leslie eLab just down the block, which give you access to the entirety of NYU and hosts events, meetups, competitions, and advising opportunities.

Do students interested in entrepreneurship typically have a business idea prior to the program, or do they come up with ideas through their coursework?

Our first cohort in 2018 had two students who were founders before they came to Stern. They already had companies they could build while in the program – one student started their company as a side hustle, while another was one earlier in the process. Both built their Tech MBA experience around trying to help build and launch their companies. Subsequent founders, however, have come in at virtually every stage – one had a blog post and nothing else, two created the idea together to enter the Berkley Center’s pitch competition. We’ve even had students who came to Stern after founding and exiting companies, with the idea of building new skills and a new network, and getting back out there.

How have you seen the intimate cohort size benefit students interested in entrepreneurship?
The power of the cohort is incredibly strong. Everyone comes in with a deep interest and background in technology and/or entrepreneurship, so the shared experience provides a perfect foundation. Your cohort could easily include your co-founder, your target customer and focus group participant, your connection to funding, and the subject matter expert who can help you solve that crazy challenge you’ll face in three years. The small cohort size and the intense shared experience, especially in the summer, builds exceptional bonds. Entire cohorts have gone on vacation together, and attended each others’ weddings.

What classes do you recommend future entrepreneurs take in the Tech MBA?
Aspiring founders have many options for electives, including (but not limited to) the Endless Frontier Labs course I mentioned earlier. Many students choose to pursue at least some more “traditional” MBA courses, helping them hone their finance skills and become better leaders. Some courses that are particularly appropriate for entrepreneurship include Entrepreneurial Finance, Managing a High Tech Company: The CEO Perspective, Managing the Growing Company, Technology Innovation Strategy, and Emerging Technologies & Business Innovation, just to name a few.

Can you share some success stories from past Tech MBA students?
It’s tough to limit the success stories to a few, but hopefully I can paint the picture of different entrepreneurial paths our Tech MBAs have during their next chapter. One thing that I’m especially proud of is how entrepreneurial our Tech MBAs are regardless of their role, function or company – they’ve shown that you don’t (necessarily) need to be a founder to create real change and flip a traditional process. We’ve had the opportunity to connect with alums who see themselves as “intrapreneurs” guiding new visions through a company to create real change, as well. In our eyes, both paths –  intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship – are success stories to demonstrate how our strategic curriculum supports new ideas and new ways of thinking during the program and beyond. Alums like Akanksha and Vera are driving innovation efforts at top global companies, whereas Ethan and David joined companies early on to support the launch of the business. We also have a few success stories that fit the more classic entrepreneurial path like Sam and Jeff who have completely chartered their own courses. Entrepreneurship can take many different forms and paths, and we’re proud of our Tech MBAs that are driving positive change no matter the size or scale.

Posted on

Reflections on Graduation

Bárbara Argeri is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Tech Product Management and Management of Tech and Operations. Prior to Stern, Bárbara worked as a Product Strategy Manager at Mercado Libre in Brazil. Post-MBA, she plans to work as a Tech Product Manager. At Stern, she is involved in several student associations such as Stern Technology Association, Stern Women in Business, Latin American Business Association and Management Consulting Association. During her free time, she enjoys strolling around New York searching for new places, and spending time with her friends.

Reflecting on Graduation

It’s hard to believe that I’m already reflecting on my year at Stern for this blog post. However, the exercise of looking back on everything I’ve experienced fills me with gratitude. Pursuing an MBA had been a goal of mine for a while, and after years of preparation, the feeling of accomplishment still hasn’t completely set in. That said, I can confidently say that my time at Stern has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.

A Year in the Best City

One of the biggest draws of attending Stern was the opportunity to live in New York City. It had been a dream of mine for almost 20 years, and despite having high expectations, the city exceeded them. The sheer diversity of experiences is staggering, and after a year of exploring, my list of must-visit restaurants, bars, shows, and other attractions has only continued to grow. Professionally, being in New York has opened up countless doors, allowing me to visit a variety of offices and experience different company cultures firsthand.

New Knowledge

Another reason why I chose the Tech MBA program was because it met my needs as a business school student. I was keen to refresh my undergraduate knowledge with a more mature perspective, learn from my experienced colleagues, and enroll in classes that would allow me to improve on certain areas. Looking back, I’m glad I made that choice. The program’s focus on data-oriented classes and discussions of disruptive innovation, as well as the mix of colleagues with both business and technical backgrounds, provided me with the academic and experiential learning I was hoping for.

Participation in Clubs

Through my involvement in four student associations at Stern, the Stern Technology Association, the Latin American Business Association, Stern Women in Business, and the Management Consulting Association, I had the opportunity to connect with MBA students from other programs. As a leader within the Stern Technology Association, I was able to coordinate visits to the offices of two tech companies in New York, providing students with a unique opportunity to gain insights into the inner workings of these organizations, learn about their operations, and network with their employees.

Everlasting Community

Lastly, one of the most enriching aspects of the MBA has been the friendships I’ve formed. I knew coming in that I would make lifelong friends, but I never expected our cohort to be such an amazing group of people. The experiences we’ve shared together are ones I never could have imagined. We went to upstate New York to enjoy the 4th of July by the lakes, had a blast at a Brazilian bar with a live band, danced at an Indian brunch, celebrated Chinese New Year at a Chinese restaurant, had several potluck dinners with food from all over the world… Those are experiences I would hardly have had had I not come to an MBA, and the ones I’ll never forget.

To those considering pursuing an MBA or starting one soon, my advice is simple but genuine: make the most of the experience, because it truly goes by fast. Engage in student associations, spend time with friends, visit companies, try different foods, and take classes that interest you. At the end of the day, your MBA experience is what you make of it, and it’s up to you to ensure that it’s as remarkable as it can be.

Posted on

Building Your Tech Network

Aafiya Jamal is currently an MBA Candidate in the Tech MBA Program at the NYU Stern School of Business. She recently moved to New York City from Dallas, Texas. Prior to Stern, Aafiya worked in technology consulting and supported clients in the financial services space, from traditional, global banking institutions to FinTech companies. Outside of the classroom, Aafiya serves as one of the Cohort Leaders for the Tech MBA and is involved in the Stern Technology Association and Stern Women in Business.

As you are exposed to different areas of technology during the Tech MBA, you will likely find yourself wanting to learn more about specific roles, domains, and companies. Networking is a great way for you to understand what a professional’s career journey looks like, what a specific company’s culture looks like from within, and what kinds of skills employers are looking for. These are examples of types of questions I had and can tell you the steps that I took to effectively network during my time in the Tech MBA:

Find a Mentor

  • Firstly, I would highly recommend that you find a mentor to have career-related dialogues with during your time at Stern. I was fortunate enough to have formed a connection with a Tech MBA alum fairly early on and formally asked her to be my mentor for the duration of the one year program. We met in-person on a quarterly basis (while exploring some cute coffee shops in the city), where I would typically share what my career interests were and how they were changing based on what I was getting exposed to in the program. She would almost always connect me to someone in her network as a result of our conversations. These 1:1s also served as an accountability point for me to share what concrete steps I was taking to land my next career opportunity. 

Build Your Connections

  • There are many ways for you to form connections outside of the cohort. First, I would suggest that you maintain and / or re-kindle connections within your existing network. It is a great way to keep your current relationships warm, which can open doors to additional connections and employment opportunities. People move roles and companies all the time and individuals in your existing network may end up pursuing something that you’re interested in. Secondly, I highly recommend that you take advantage of Stern’s robust alumni network. I have found that Sternies are willing to connect, share their experiences with you, and almost always offer you a referral at their company, which can come in handy during recruiting season. You can easily get the conversation going by reaching out to a professional interest via LinkedIn. 

Start Early

  • Finally, I cannot stress the importance of starting to build your network early during your time in business school – especially if you are recruiting for specialized roles in the industry. Fall is when I had the most time at Stern, and I aimed to have at least 1 coffee chat or catch up on the books each week. This may seem like a lot, but definitely becomes easier to incorporate within your schedule over time. As a result, I felt like I had my bearings straight when I began to recruit in the Spring, knowing that I had a strong and supportive network.

Networking can often get a “bad rep,” but is an important habit to develop, particularly during your time at Stern, which can have long-term benefits. You can re-kindle existing relationships, while developing new professional connections, by using the Stern brand. I wish you the best of luck – happy networking!  

 

Posted on

West Coast Immersion 2023

Divya Mehta is a current Tech MBA student at Stern. Within Stern, she is part of the Graduate Marketing Association and Business Analytics Club boards. Before starting her MBA, Divya has held various supply chain roles at Johnson & Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, and Intel Corporation. She studied Industrial Engineering at Penn State University with minors in Product and Entrepreneurship. Post-MBA she is interested in pivoting from a cost-savings role to a revenue-generation role at a B2B company. 

 

Welcome to the Journey! 

One of the standout features of NYU’s Tech MBA is its embedded West Coast Immersion Course during our winter break.  The West Coast immersion is an integral part of our curriculum, as it gives us exposure to a wide range of companies and opportunities beyond the NYC ecosystem. My name is Divya, and I’m here to bring you along on my personal recap of the West Coast Immersion trip! 

Layout:

Students had the option to visit either Seattle, WA or Los Angeles, CA before meeting up in San Francisco.

As part of the West Coast Immersion Coast, we were able to lottery for our choice of either Los Angeles or Seattle; I chose Seattle  so that I could  tack on a week in Portland, OR prior! At the end of the trip, 16 of us traveled to Steamboat, CO to join Stern Adventure club on their annual ski trip. This led to a total of 4 weeks of travel for me! 

My luggage for 4 weeks of travel was #Worththeweight

As the official start date of the trip neared, I couldn’t help but feel the adrenaline rush as my classmates began to share their travel to Seattle from all parts of the world. 

 

Shortly after our group touched down in Seattle, we met up at Flatstick Brewing for some beer and bites. There were so many fun memories but in the interest of keeping this short, I’m sharing my top 5 highlights, in chronological order, from each leg of the immersion trip!

Seattle Highlights: 

  1. Microsoft
  2. Amazon 
  3. Class-bonding
  4. T-Mobile 
  5. Starbucks

1. At Microsoft we had the pleasure of hearing from Jeff Teper, President of Microsoft Collaborative Apps, and a thought leader in the product space. I loved hearing his insights and experiences around disruption, culture, and customer empathy at a large enterprise company. I was also particularly fascinated by the Industrial Metaverse portion covered by Lili Cheng, given my background in Supply Chain.

Group shot from our first company visit!

2. At Amazon we learned the importance of Customer Obsession, Collaboration, and what makes an MLP or “Most Lovable Product!” We were treated to a delicious breakfast and lunch with an exclusive tour of the Amazon Spheres in between. 

An Amazonian welcome and tour of the Spheres


3. The small but meaningful class-bonding moments with Professor Vasant Dhar – I loved being in a remote classroom together, having a whole charter bus to ourselves, and taking in the beautiful Mt. Rainier views! 

  

4. T-Mobile was perhaps my biggest surprise. We had a blast learning about their 5G portfolio through interactive demonstrations. Salim Koudri, Senior Vice President of Technology,  gave  an incredible talk on the wireless value chain, the future of 5G, and some fascinating business solutions. We learned about concepts such as “latency” through VR, and then ended our day at the employee lounge for a cocktail reception with pool, shuffleboard, and networking with senior team members. 

Classmates learning the challenges of “latency” through VR games

5. Similar to T-Mobile, another company visit that surprised me was Starbucks. As someone who comes from a background in supply chain, I had always known of Starbucks as a “supply chain” company. As an Industrial Engineer, I really “nerded out” on the fact that they have an entire center dedicated to optimizing the barista experience. It turns out product design plays a huge role in speed and ergonomics. 

After a hectic schedule in Seattle, we packed up our suitcases and made our way to San Francisco to meet up with the other half of our cohort! 

Excited to meet up with the rest of our classmates in the Bay Area

San Francisco Highlights: 

  1. Weekend 1
  2. Palantir
  3. Nvidia
  4. Calm CEO
  5. Google

1. Weekend 1 in the Bay consisted of reuniting with the second half of our cohort (after 4+ weeks of winter break), exploring the city, meeting some admitted students for brunch, and of course, a cohort trip to Napa Valley! This was our first chance to breathe after a hectic first week in Seattle. 

  

2. At Palantir, we got the true Silicon Valley start-up experience as we challenged each other to ping pong and foosball games while our speakers set up.

Classmates enjoying a good post-lunch stretch at Palantir

3. One common theme that has been stressed throughout our program is the importance of coffee chats. Because of the networking and coffee chats I’d arranged, two of my classmates and I were fortunate enough to be invited to a personal tour of Google’s new campus where we rode bikes, grabbed a delicious Mediterranean meal,  made our own ice cream sundaes, and chatted about the variety of opportunities at Google and beyond. 

Posing in front of the new Bay View building in Mountain View

4. Nvidia was incredible. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside but their building looked like it was straight out of a futuristic movie. Their demonstration of generative AI showed the power of simulations in driver safety, and digital twins in manufacturing plants. 

5. An amazing way to end our week was to have an intimate conversation with the CEO of Calm, David Ko. One of my favorite quotes from the NYU Alum was “It’s not how you lead going up, it’s how you lead when things are going down.” This was especially important to hear while the Tech industry was facing economic headwinds because it taught us the importance of resilience. 

Our classroom views were absolutely gorgeous on our last day

In conclusion, the West Coast Immersion trip was an incredible opportunity for the NYU Tech MBA cohort to broaden our horizons beyond the NYC ecosystem and gain insights from a diverse range of companies and industry leaders. From Microsoft to Amazon, T-Mobile, and Starbucks in Seattle, to Palantir, Nvidia, Calm, and Google in the bay area (and this isn’t even all of the companies we visited!), we had the chance to learn about disruptive technologies, customer obsession, product design, 5G, and AI. The trip also provided us with invaluable opportunities for class-bonding and networking with senior faculty. Overall, the West Coast Immersion was an unforgettable experience that allowed us to deepen our understanding of the tech industry and prepare us for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Posted on

Thriving as a Woman in Tech

Alina Vrsaljko is a current Tech MBA student at Stern. Within Stern, she is part of the Stern Women in Business Club‘s board. Before starting her MBA, Alina gained professional experience in Digital Strategy Consulting at McKinsey in Europe and in multiple roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Germany and Singapore. She holds a BSc in Business Informatics and a MSc in Management. 

Introduction

45% minorities, 9% LGBTQ+, 57% international students and 55% women – those are not target scores from exemplary studies on what ideal diverse teams should look like, but those are the actual numbers of the Tech MBA at NYU Stern. When I met my classmates for the first time, I was amazed by the number of strong women in the program. This was not at all what any of us had expected when signing up for a Tech focused MBA, but we LOVED it – both male and female classmates. In the picture below, you can see a small part of our amazing group of women in the Tech MBA.

Being the only one

Coming from a Tech industry background, I’ve gotten used to being the “only one”-the only woman in the room.  And even though my colleagues and clients meant well, there were certain situations where I could feel the impact of what it means to be the only person of a certain group in the room. And this did not just happen to me – a recent Women in the Workplace Study by McKinsey and LeanIn.org shows that “32% of women in technical and engineering roles are often the only woman in the room at work” (2022). This is one of the reasons why I believe the makeup of this year’s Tech MBA is so special and important – the more we normalize women thriving in Tech, the easier it’ll be for young women to imagine themselves in those roles.

Why is this even relevant? 

Throughout my career, one big factor I’ve considered when deciding on a next career move was around female empowerment – will this decision help me advance further and will this have an impact on women in the industry? Maybe that’s also why I specifically picked the Tech industry as an 18-year-old girl to start off my career. I believe it’s time that all of us start making a difference. Especially in Tech but also in leadership in general, women are still heavily underrepresented – in the US, still only 1 in 4 CEOs is female and even only 1 in 20 CEO’s is a black woman (LeanIn, McKinsey, 2022). Thus, I believe us as MBAs, and hopefully all future leaders, need to push further for equality to achieve the equal world we aim to live in. Another reason for focusing on gender equality is that diverse teams make better decisions (Harvard Business Review, 2016) – no matter whether that’s in business or politics. Additionally, especially in Tech, having diverse representation will matter even more than ever. With Artificial Intelligence solutions on the rise and tech firms not having a diverse employee body, those new algorithms are full of unconscious biases that will need to be resolved (Forbes, 2020). Thus, I am proud to be part of an MBA program that is educating so many women in Tech, sets us up with the tools to excel in the industry, and educates allies who are aware of gender equality issues and who will actively create an impact in this field.

When thinking about how to thrive as a woman in Tech throughout your MBA experience, there’s three main areas to leverage:

1. Role models: I can’t stress enough the importance of strong role models for your career development – I am still thankful to all the amazing role models in my previous positions who I am still in touch with. NYU Stern will also help by connecting you with strong, successful women – I was lucky enough to have met a few of them at multiple events hosted by NYU Stern, from Elizabeth Elting (see picture below) who was listed on FORBES’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, to Rama Akkiraju, who is leading NVIDIA’s AI/ML efforts after being responsible for IBM Watson for the past few years.

Those women are living proof that it is possible to break glass ceilings in all kinds of industries, and an MBA at NYU Stern allows you to connect with and learn from them. Additional events to connect with women are now also happening all over New York – and for every industry. Especially for Women’s History Month, companies like Google and Amazon have held great events around women in tech that were free to join for students.

2. Network within Student Community: Besides external speakers, who often can act as inspiration, the Student Community at NYU Stern is full of strong and ambitious women to network with. Starting from the Fall, Tech MBA students will get to interact with all full-time students and there are multiple opportunities to engage with fellow students. For example, I’m part of the Stern Women in Business Club’s Board for Alumni Relations. This involved connecting with a lot of female MBA alumni, and allowed me to network within the SWIB community to further build out my network. Of course, the small class size of the Tech MBA and the close connection to the smaller sized Fashion and Luxury MBA also allowed to create a close-knit network already in the summer. I’m sure I’ll carry my network of strong NYU women throughout my career and can’t wait to see what all of them will accomplish.

3. Allies: Finally, a concept that is gaining much more popularity is involving allies that do not identify as women. The great part about women’s engagement within NYU is that non-women identifying students are also asked to participate in a range of events. There are specific events like “Bring your Ally to Work” where all students discuss issues that women in the workplace have experienced to raise the awareness of discrimination, or “Real Meals” where an ally hosts a dinner at their place and invites women to listen and learn more about what discrimination currently still looks like. Additionally, our SWIB conference this year is also centered around the topic of Active Allyship. NYU Stern promotes a policy of equality that can only be achieved by working together and aiming as one for a more equal world and I’m proud to be a part of this effort.

Posted on

The Role of Clubs in the Tech MBA

Steven is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Financial Instruments & Markets and Management of Technology & Operations. Prior to Stern, Steven was at Deloitte in tech consulting where he was implementing financial software to complete full cycle digital transformations. At Stern, he is involved in OutClass and enjoys connecting with classmates.

Club involvement has been a significant part of my experience at Stern. I am currently a Vice President for Careers and Conferences in OutClass, an Assistant Vice President for Resources in Cellar, an ally in Stern Women in Business, and a member of the Management Consulting Association, Private Equity and Venture Capital Club and Stern Adventures. The first thing to note is that a lot of these clubs have lifetime membership. The professional clubs offer an abundant amount of important information including job opportunities, networking and trainings that can be leveraged in the future. I highly suggest joining any clubs that you have an interest in so that you can utilize these invaluable resources.

Affinity Clubs

The club that I am most involved with is OutClass, our LGBTQIA+ affinity group. In my leadership position, I have been heavily involved with connecting employers that are recruiting for diversity and inclusion initiatives to queer MBA candidates, and have organized multiple firm-sponsored queer networking events including cross club collaborations. OutClass has been one of the most important clubs that I have been involved with and has significantly enhanced my experience at Stern. This club has allowed me to meet classmates from all the different MBA programs (EMBA, Part-Time Langone MBA and Full 2-Year MBA) outside of the focused MBAs. I have also built a community in OutClass that has been instrumental in some of my deepest connections at Stern. I have seen firsthand how within this community, everyone really strives to help each other out to achieve the utmost success. With this group we have attended professional conferences such as ROMBA in Washington, D.C. (Stern had the highest representation of queer students out of any graduate school!), happy hours, group workout sessions, dinners, mixers with other schools and alumni, marched in New York Pride and have so much more to come, including a trip to Miami.

Professional Clubs

As for professional clubs, these clubs help students with securing summer internships and full time offers. They offer bootcamps, casing prep and competitions and a wealth of learning opportunities. The goal of professional clubs is to help students  prosper in whatever field they are recruiting for. In most of these clubs, MBA2s will lead sessions and help the other cohorts by sharing their experiences going through the same processes in the previous year, and giving advice on how to prepare for or learn about an industry. Overall, the interview preparation, job opportunities and connections that these clubs provide is outstanding.

A particularly special event that I went to recently was the kickoff for ‘Allyship in Stern Women In Business’ (SWIB). Coming from the tech sector, where women are disproportionately represented, it was incredible to see that my Tech MBA cohort was the largest representation. Everyone went around to state their various reasons of why they showed up as an ally, and it was impressive to see why everyone supported more women in leadership positions and how they would support these initiatives when they returned to the workforce.

Overall, I would recommend joining any and every club that you have any interest in. Both professional and social clubs offer a magnitude of knowledge, fun, connections and networks. These affiliations will last a lifetime and you never know when you will want to leverage any aspect from the membership. You will always be able to decide what events you will want to attend or how much you obtain from the relationship, but you will not have the opportunities unless you get involved.

Posted on

The Tech MBA Curriculum

Divya Mehta is a current Tech MBA student at Stern. Within Stern, she is part of the Graduate Marketing Association and Business Analytics Club boards. Before starting her MBA, Divya has held various supply chain roles at Johnson & Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, and Intel Corporation. She studied Industrial Engineering at Penn State University with minors in Product and Entrepreneurship. Post-MBA she is interested in pivoting from a cost-savings role to a revenue-generation role at a B2B company. 

If you’re reading this post, you’re probably wondering how we effectively squeeze a traditional MBA curriculum in just one year. How is it structured? How does it feel? 

My classmates studying for our accounting final together at one of our apartments

One of the most unique aspects of the Tech MBA is that core classes start in the summer rather than the fall. This gave all 47 of us the unique opportunity to receive focused attention from renowned professors, early access to all of Stern’s resources, an accelerated bonding experience through 30-40 hours a week in class together, and elective flexibility for the subsequent semesters. 

In order to help frame the first semester, I’ve broken it down into takeaways and  two parts: The first 60 days and the last 30 days. 

Takeaways 

  • The first semester is difficult. By clearing your schedule for the first 60 days, you may save yourself from stress.
  • Knowledge is power. Students have opportunities to think about how each core class relates to one another and apply learnings to their experiential engagements. 
  • Everyone has unique strengths. The professors are amazing, but classmates are also a great resource for learning and support! 
  • Having fun is important! Electives are a chance to learn something you wouldn’t have learned otherwise. Don’t worry too much about specializations. Everyone’s journey is unique.

The first 60 days: 

Our first 60 days consisted of seven core courses which were already scheduled for us and required as part of the Tech MBA curriculum: 

Economics Accounting
Leadership Communications
Tech Immersion Marketing
Dealing with Data (Python, SQL)

Our days were long and fully packed with class from 9:00am to 4:20pm. Although the injection of mental and social stimulation was difficult to prepare for, this was also the portion of the summer that I had the least number of extracurricular distractions and the most amount of adrenaline to learn fast. I also was continuously re-energized by some of my favorite professors Professor Brian Hanssen (Communications) and Professor Nate Petit (Leadership) who consistently brought their passion to the classroom. 

I was also impressed by the structure of the program, which strategically weaved complementary themes through multiple courses in our carefully crafted curriculum. For example, after learning about empathy in Leadership on a Monday, we immediately practiced delivering feedback in Communications the following Tuesday. In Marketing class, we learned about Customer Journey Maps and User Personas, which we incorporated into our Tech Immersion check-ins with our respective clients. The ability to apply fresh material to concurrent courses led to faster absorption, richer discussions, and a more holistic understanding of where different aspects of a business intersect. 

The last 30 days: 

Our last 30 days ended with four courses that gradually transitioned us from learning fundamentals to implementing strategy.  

Finance Strategy
Entrepreneurship Tech Immersion (continued)

Just like the first 60 days, principles we learned in our morning Finance class (CAGR and ROIC) were being applied in our Strategy and Entrepreneurship classes. The classes had a balanced mix of hands-on experience, practical applications, and case studies. As an engineer, I initially found Finance challenging but luckily, I had a few classmates with lots of practical finance experience to help me study and succeed. After balancing seven classes in the first 60 days, and having the support of my classmates, this portion of the semester felt much lighter. We finally had a good groove and Friday classes were eventually replaced with free time for picnics, beach trips, and sightseeing!

After the first semester…

After the first semester, everything else felt very manageable. We entered the fall semester with grace. At this point I already had a rhythm, a strong group of friends, and a foundational understanding to take some stimulating electives with the rest of the 2-year MBA students. My favorite elective in the second semester was Blockchains & Cryptocurrency. The class started off with industry experts discussing current event topics (such as the fall of FTX). I was thankful that the structure of the Tech MBA curriculum equipped me with the perfect blend of technical and commercial acumen to conceptualize cryptocurrency strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities. In my last semester, I am most excited to take a course in Strategic Foresight and Predicting the Future of Technology with Amy Webb, a leading expert in future strategy and innovation, who has been featured in numerous media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal!

Aside from electives, we also had more free time to join boards of clubs and participate in extracurriculars with the rest of the Stern community. With my newfound free-time, I led a committee in planning the first in-person conference for the Graduate Marketing Association in years. I also had an opportunity to attend an intimate Leadership Storytelling summit which expanded on some of the principles I learned in Leadership class. I was able to branch out and meet so many Sternies from all walks of life, with a lighter course load.

My amazing class of Tech MBAs and Fashion & Luxury MBAs after our final presentations in Strategy

Overall, if you are looking for a fast, collaborative, hands-on approach to accelerating your career, the Tech MBA is the right choice for you! 

 

Posted on

A Day in the Life of a Tech MBA

Bárbara Argeri is a current Tech MBA student, specializing in Tech Product Management. Prior to Stern, Bárbara worked as a Product Strategy Manager at Mercado Libre in Brazil. Post-MBA, she plans to work as a Tech Product Manager. At Stern, she is involved in several student associations such as Stern Technology Association, Stern Women in Business, and Latin American Business Association. During her free time, she enjoys strolling around New York searching for new places, and spending time with her friends.

When I was learning more about different MBA programs, the content I liked the most was about the day in the life of an MBA student, since they provided me with a real sense of what life would be like. Because of this, I didn’t think twice when I was given the opportunity to write this blog!

7:30am: I wake up early for my classes. Since I live on the Upper East Side, I take a while longer to get to campus. I prepare some coffee, get something to eat, and head to the Q subway station on 72nd street. It is a 20-minute ride and I try to keep up with some of my favorite podcasts along the way.

8:45am: I arrive at Union Square. Although I could transfer to the R or W to arrive near Stern, I prefer to leave at Union Square and walk for 10 minutes to campus since the weather is nice. I pass by Washington Square Park and have one of those funny moments when I realize “Oh my God! I live in New York now.” I arrive just in time for my “Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies” class.

11:50am: Cryptocurrencies class was great. We talked about the regulations of crypto markets and possible impacts for the future. We had a speaker from one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrencies exchange platforms. It’s incredible to hear the perspective of someone who’s so actively inserted in the business.

12:00pm: Recruiting time! We have a corporate presentation of one of the companies I am most interested in working with. Time to better understand their culture, ask questions, and network with their employees. It’s so helpful to get to meet the recruiters in person and build relationships with them. And that’s much easier when they’re a few subway stops away. This allows me to meet so many different companies – and also visit their offices some times.

01:00pm: Time to grab a snack before meeting with one of my project groups. For this project, we are working as consultants for a color- analytics startup, which is very disrupting. We are helping them develop the wireframes of an app they are planning to launch. The pages are almost ready to be submitted to user testing. We’re excited to be working closely with the client on something that they are actually launching soon! This course is also a great opportunity to strengthen my Product Management skills since that’s the career I want to pursue after graduation.

03:00pm: Time to work on some homework and readings. As we approach the end of the semester, we have quite a few papers due. I like to go to the “Grad Lounge” for that, since my classmates usually hang out there, and you also get to meet different people. This time, one of the students associations left candy to support students during finals week. That has definitely given us a mood boost!

05:00pm: Done with the duties. Time to grab a coffee and something to eat and meet up with some friends that are around campus to chat and relax for a bit. We are discussing what the plans for this weekend we’ll be. A pot luck dinner maybe!?

06:00pm: Last stretch of the day – “Data Science for Business” class. Today, we learned about language models that are developed to identify and filter possible spam emails. It’s so interesting to learn about the methodology and discuss possible variables and impacts. This class is great to help you understand data mining concepts and prepare you to speak with data scientists.

09:00pm: Class is over! Time to meet with my husband and grab something to eat around campus before heading home. What a long day. Nothing better than watching an episode of my favorite series and going to bed.