As I head towards the finishing line, marked by the end of my final semester at Purdue, a ringing question goes through my mind- What was my biggest learning in graduate school?

Being a part of the Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program at Purdue, I’ve been presented with a wide range of opportunities to hone in on my engineering and business management skills. However, I believe that my biggest take away from these last two years has been understanding the value of collaboration. In this fast-paced, technology driven world, there is an exigent need to work together to continuously add value to each other’s lives.

A unique advantage that the Purdue's Master of Engineering Management program provides is the flexibility and customization of its curriculum. I have been extremely satisfied with the program throughout my first year because it checks all the boxes. Purdue MEM has allowed me to continue working full time in my engineering career, while presenting me with opportunities to learn valuable skills that are directly applicable to my current role as well as skills that will help me achieve my professional goals. Not to mention, the curriculum is a very realistic price.

During the second semester of my senior year in undergrad, I was absolutely focused on finding a job. A graduate degree, at the time, seemed unnecessary as I was set on joining industry. I also knew academic research was definitely not for me. As someone who discovered her niche in electrical engineering late in undergrad, there were some graduate classes I wished I had space for during my senior year, but delaying my entry into industry for a few programming classes did not seem to be worth the time. I threw myself into applying for jobs, near and far, and for some of them, I got called in to interview. It was during one interview early on that I realized my engineering education might not be complete, and that I might not be the engineer I wanted to be, yet.

I joined the MEM program at Purdue University with the hope to gain in-depth knowledge about a field that I am passionate about, while at the same time getting a broader understanding of a field that I feel is extremely critical for growth in the industry. The former being Mechanical Engineering (Focus: Product Development) and latter being Business Management (Focus: Strategy).

A frequently advertised benefit of Purdue’s Masters in Engineering Management is its flexible structure and holistic approach to developing students both personally and professionally, and I’m happy to speak to its truth during my two years in the program. As early as orientation week, we were treated to a session on dining etiquette in the context of business lunches, led by Dr. Annmarie Nicely, and introductory golf lessons, two skills of which I had not had much opportunity to develop beforehand (as it stands, I will need many more golf lessons before I’m capable of competently participating in a company outing).

Snowflakes kissed my skin as I stepped out of the Chicago-O'Hare International Airport on the 29th of December 2018. After an almost 24-hour long journey, my tired eyes filled with excitement at the sight of snow, a phenomenon I was experiencing for the first time in my life. I entered the United States of America with 3 bags of luggage, a backpack, a hopeful heart, an excited soul and a mind eager to succeed.

As my graduation date drew closer, the question of what my next steps were going to be became more and more pressing. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue in May of 2018, wrapping up the first stage of an intended career path that would allow me to work on the research and development of cutting-edge nuclear technologies to benefit humankind. The next step on the course I had charted for myself was to pursue a Master’s or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline. So, I involved myself in a number of research projects during my undergrad to prepare for the thesis work that was to come.

I completed my undergrad in Mechanical Engineering in 2016. Subsequently, with a lot of hard work, I earned a position in a highly reputed India state-owned Oil & Gas Corporation. There, for a year, I was a ‘Sales & Engineering’ executive handling various engineering projects while simultaneously focusing on marketing activities to promote sales at fuel stations. This was an exciting and dynamic role. I enjoyed learning while at work and gained considerable experience from it.

When I accepted a summer internship at a pharmaceutical company the summer before my senior year of undergrad, I had already decided to pursue a master’s degree in chemical engineering following graduation. I wasn’t necessarily excited about pursuing a research thesis, but I was looking forward to gaining some technical expertise that I could then apply as an engineering leader after graduation. However, my undergraduate internship exposed me to a unique experience that merged the technical and commercial aspects of engineering.

Positioning yourself for accelerated growth and sustained success as an industry-oriented technical leader requires a unique skill set in today's rapidly advancing professional environment.

The intersection of technical engineering depth and a management foundation gives an individual both a competitive advantage and a wide range of career pathways that are financially rewarding, in-demand, and culturally respected. With this in mind, it is critical to choose a graduate program that understands the necessity of this valuable combination, such as a Master of Engineering Management program.