Q: What do you do in your current job/what are your responsibilities?

A: I am a Financial Lead/Senior Analyst at IBM. I work on financial planning & strategy within North America Global Technology Services, which is the biggest line of business (by revenue) in the company. My current position includes consolidating, analyzing, & forecasting financial cost metrics in support of the business unit Vice President.

Q: What skills did you build in the D'Amore-McKim MS in Finance/MBA program that you are currently using on the job?

A: Designing and communicating visual representations of vast amount of data is a key critical skill harnessed through the Full-Time MBA/MSF program. The consistent utilization of case method & integration of multiple disciplines on the IDP prepared me to immediately design a problem-solving structure for addressing an identified issue.

Q: What would you say to a colleague considering enrolling in the MS in Finance/MBA program?

A: Getting my MBA/MSF at D'Amore-McKim was an essential part of my career growth. With a professional background outside of the business industry, I was able to leverage the program's resources in faculty & network in alumni/business partners to be offered opportunities at some of the larger companies in the northeast. The support of the faculty, along with the scheduling flexibility post-corporate residency, allowed me to accelerate achieving both degrees while working in just two years.

Q: Why did you choose the D'Amore-McKim School of Business MS in Finance/MBA program?

A: When considering programs, two things were important to me: track record of performance in my area of study, and location. Being in Boston, with the consulting & financial centers of the country in commutable distance, the location was a fairly easy decision. The more important factor was the success of the program, with its proven alumni in key business fields and track record of performance with a balance between education and experience. I knew I had an unconventional & unique background which could add to that success.

Q: What was your biggest take-away from earning your MS in Finance/MBA at Northeastern?

A: It is your obligation, and solely YOUR obligation, to maximize your potential, in the industry, field, or profession in which you have interest. Upon entering the program, you will quickly learn where you can provide value – to your group, cohort, and program. It is important to continue to find ways to add value when you enter the workforce- and value is not static, but quite dynamic.

Q: What are you doing now and how did the MS in Finance/MBA help you get there?

A: I currently work in Armonk at IBM's corporate headquarters as a Financial Lead. My initial interview for IBM was on Huntington Ave. at Northeastern's campus for a corporate residency role in Financial Planning & Strategy. After an early start & late completion to that residency, the VP I was supporting asked me to continue on Part-Time in Boston while finishing my degrees. I finalized my schedule throughout the residency to ensure the same graduation date, and have since been hired into the business unit by the same VP. For one, the scheduling alone would not have been achievable without some creative combinations of classes & independent studies. Most importantly, the structure of the classes, and the timing of the learning material & delivery of that learning material was critical in successfully being able to pivot.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A: The benefit of the MBA/MSF is that it leaves you with a lot of open doors…5-10 years, who knows?!