Reflecting on the MSEM Program Experience and Impact 10 Years Later

When I first came across the Tufts Gordon Institute MS in Engineering Management (MSEM) program in 2013, I was seeking a single course on a specific topic. Instead, I discovered an entire graduate program that appeared even more enabling for me. With 20 years of experience as a mechanical engineer and individual contributor at the time, I sought formal leadership opportunities and had not yet had the chance outside of project leadership. Prior to discovering TGI, I was unaware that engineering management programs existed and felt an MSEM would provide me with more tools and the credentials necessary to move into a leadership role.

My first reaction was a combination of keen interest tempered with doubts about whether returning to school was even feasible. I was in the thick of my career, commuting from the suburbs into Boston for up to 2 hours a day, while also raising a young family. As I explored the program, including sitting in on a lecture, I had to work with my employer and family to coordinate the best class schedule options. Fortunately, the program offered a schedule that worked for me (Fridays and Saturdays every other week). After a quick comparison with MBA programs and costs, I decided that I preferred to remain technically focused and the MSEM program offered a better value for me. I applied and was accepted in May of 2013.

I recall the program started with a Tufts campus tour. As I parked across from the Cousens Gym, I experienced a surreal feeling of not being at work on weekday and instead being back at Tufts. Classes started soon after with ice breaking activities in the course “Learning to Lead,” followed by the excitement of taking a “New Product Development” class with Program Director Sam Liggero.

As part of getting to know our cohort, Sam shared statistics including the size (28 students), the companies represented, and the average age (also 28). I was shocked to realize this, as I was 44 at the time. I thought to myself, "Why did I wait so long?" and "Could I keep up with everything else I had going on?” I soon discovered how eager I was to learn and prove that I could perform at a high level and, of course, not let my teammates down on our first project together.

That first semester was very involved as we got to know each other over breaks and food, balancing schedules, and staying on top of our assignments, papers, and projects. It was a semester that stood out because of the bonding and the sheer output from my project team (“Zooze” Team 3!) and the entire cohort. Each semester brought new topics, project teams, and challenges to tackle. At the time, my wife and I were in the process of adopting our youngest daughter, beginning with a few heartbreaking false starts, nearly giving up, and then the arrival of great news with a match during that second semester. I was by now more settled into the routine of work and school to find a balance with this unfolding, but it did require mostly giving up watching television and finding a way to leverage my commute as its own project!

The match culminated in adoption in August and with our summer practicum underway, I needed the flexibility to have my team meet at my house (before the days of Zoom) one time, to which they graciously agreed (I did make them breakfast).

With the end in sight for our last semester, I worked eagerly to knock any projects off the list to be finally finished. While the work was not always easy, it was worth it. I was honored to receive the Distinguished Student award and graduate, once again, from Tufts, this time with my wife and children joining me at the ceremony in 2015. Madeleine Albright was our commencement speaker and she did not disappoint. The final step was to pick up my diploma with my oldest daughter at Tufts’ Dowling Hall before we departed (I wasn’t leaving without it). For me, my time at TGI was not just an amazing learning experience, but one full of connections and stories that will not be forgotten.

When I interviewed at SharkNinja, I was asked about my ability to multitask and take on several major projects simultaneously, to which I quickly explained what I had just completed over the previous two years at TGI, work, and home. The real benefit of the TGI programs is that they prepare students for questions like this by challenging them with multiple, open-ended, sometimes competing, assignments in a “learning laboratory”. The program exemplifies what leaders will face and can be particularly valuable for individuals who are not developing these skills in their current role.

I started at SharkNinja as a Senior Mechanical Engineer in the Fall after finishing the program. I first leveraged my own engineering abilities to adapt to the fast-paced world of consumer product design and development. In my second year, I took a bold step to be clear with my manager at the time, expressing that my goal was to lead a team because I put the time and effort in at TGI. Technology strategy and business strategy enabled me to think beyond the details and instead focus a team’s work to “ladder up” to consumer satisfaction and business growth.

With subsequent promotions, vision and support from my leadership, I led and grew the Shark R&D team and its impact on the organization with dozens of new hires including experienced individuals, recent graduates, co-ops, and interns. The team innovated to deliver enabling technologies, over 2 dozen patents, applied to many more launched products in billion-dollar categories. I upgraded laboratories as projects dictated and created a new Acoustics team now staffed by recent Tufts graduates. Along the way, I leveraged many of the tools I gained through TGI courses, from “Design of Experiments” to “Humanistic Perspectives on Leadership” to “New Product Development.” I shared the "Learning to Lead" book with up-and-coming managers and discussed articles and case studies provided by the program. All of my MSEM coursework contributed to my leadership toolbox, style and confidence.

Presently, I am exploring pathways for myself to teach at the college level.  Finishing the MSEM program in 2015, taking opportunities to stay connected to the TGI community with guest speaking, judging MSIM projects, networking with alumni and faculty, and mentoring younger students has all been great preparation for my next chapter.