Michelle Dunham, MBA'16, is a recent graduate from the Part-Time MBA program with concentrations in marketing and international business at Northeastern University. She took over the D'Amore-McKim Instagram account @damoremckim to look back on her life as a Part-Time MBA student. Dunham shared her experiences from campus, work life as a Marketing Supervisor for a major retail company in downtown Boston and her travels with classmates around the globe. Read more about Dunham below and don't miss her photos and reflections in the Instagram Takeover!

Q:What's your most interesting memory from your time at Northeastern?

Definitely my two study abroad seminars, completed in the U.A.E. (Dubai & Abu Dhabi), as well as South America (Chile and Peru – with a visit to Machu Picchu).

Q:What is your current profession and what led you there?

I decided to explore marketing as an undergraduate, even though entrepreneurship and psychology were my majors. My internships included a retail marketing role at a global footwear and apparel company, a brand experience role at an advertising agency, and experience working within my family business. After college, I began working at a digital marketing and advertising agency. From there, I joined the advertising team at a well-known global restaurant company. I've primarily worked in the B2C space.

I loved understanding how/ why brands spoke to customers, and the techniques used to engage them in conversation. I was also fascinated with the underlying process of brand building – what a brand stands for, and how they portray their values and positioning to their target customer, etc.  I've always been a creative person at heart, with photography being my favorite hobby (and side business). I knew that a marketing career track would not only allow me to be creative (from a visual and strategic standpoint), but I'm also actively involved in developing our seasonal strategies and crafting the outward facing persona of our brand. It's a pretty cool role to play behind the scenes, especially hearing customers talk about the brand candidly in public.

Q:How did D'Amore-McKim prepare you for this career in the global business world?

Being in class with other working professionals as a part-time student was a great experience because our classroom discussions were frequently based on real-time experience. Not only were the classes informative, but the dynamic talent within the program made all the difference – from the faculty to the students. We have a very diverse community at Northeastern – from a cultural and career standpoint – so it was always interesting to hear the multiple perspectives on any given topic.

Q:What would you say to a prospective student considering D'Amore-McKim for their business degree?

It was a decision that I will never regret making – enrolling in the MBA program at Northeastern. I gained a great deal of perspective by engaging with others on campus, as well as traveling abroad with fellow students and faculty. I was able to learn from practitioners in each field, and learned not only from our classroom lessons, but from their experiences outside of the classroom as well.

Q:What additional insight do you have for the D'Amore-McKim community?

I would encourage the students in our community to approach each semester with an open mind, and engage in experiences that will push them outside of their comfort zones. International Field Study is a great example of this!

Q:What do you plan to share during your takeover?

Since I've recently completed my program, I'll be approaching the takeover from the standpoint of a reflection on my experience.

Follow @damoremckim on Instagram for a close look at life as a Part-Time MBA student with Michelle Dunham, from Monday, Sept. 12 through Sunday, Sept. 18.

Instagram Takeover with Michelle Dunham, MBA'16