Biography
Michelle currently works as a government contractor for the US Space Force with the in Albuquerque, NM. She's also听worked for Ball Aerospace as a Project Manager听for听6 months, (LASP)听at CU Boulder as a temp, was a grad student and a full-time Systems Engineer. Michelle earned an ME in Engineering Management, in 2017 and a BA in Astrophysics.
Q&A
What made you decide to pursue a degree or certificate in Engineering Management?
I was working as a temp at LASP and was looking for a master's program that would help me understand my work.
How did the program help you in your career?
Having a Master's degree automatically increases your salary. This Program helped me by teaching me about business practices I never saw hidden behind the scenes while working in industry.
What was your favorite graduate EMEN class/professor? Why?
Quality, Strategy, and Value Creation by Wendy Bailey. The topics taught in that class continually come up in my work when I never really thought they would. In industry, everything is about money and it drives how decisions are made. This class shows how to make those decisions and how to talk to people who make those decisions.
What advice would you give a new student in the program?
I used OneNote and kept my notes, which I continually look back to. I suggest doing the same, or something similar - keep digital notes.
How would you summarize your experience with the program?听
This Program helped me and my career in ways I couldn't have realized at the time.
Are there any other comments that you'd like to share?
Before applying to a job, reach out to someone - anyone - who works for that company preferably at that location. LinkedIn is a great resource for that, you do not need to know them personally. Ask them how they like the company, and ask them for a referral! Not only are referred applications looked at better but the referer usually gets a bonus.听