Tepper Building An MBA Tech Uprising

Brian Chang is a second year MBA at Tepper, an officer in Tepper’s Business and Technology Club and was the lead organizer for this year’s Tech Trek. Courtesy photo

BEING THE NICE PEOPLE IN TECH IS KEY

Chang says he’s already experienced many cross-campus collaborations, which have helped him merge business and the technology space. He’s been able to take business courses taught by computer science professors alongside computer science students.

Rakas agrees, pointing out that Tepper’s quant approach to business decision making tends to attract students with a heavy tech background or a deep passion in pivoting towards a tech path. “The analytical approach to the program creates a powerful skill set that’s been very well received, in particular, within this recent rise of technology,” Rakas says.

Still, the “x-factor” for Tepper students in tech, according to Rakas, has just as much to do with their analytical skills as their people skills. Rakas says they try to attract students who approach work and learning with humility. “We’re smart, nimble and humble people who get the job done,” he reasons.

Chang believes the ability to manage people and “influence without authority” is one of the key and surprising skills taught at Tepper. “You really get that here,” he insists. “You learn that being friendly, collaborative and a people person is very valued in tech. And that’s helped Tepper increase its presence in the tech industry.”

KNOWING AND GROWING IN THE TECH COMMUNITY

Certainly a trip like the trek helps the students understand the tech scene. “By the end of the week they realize how the technology industry is a thread that runs together and how interdependent it is yet offers so many different opportunities,” Rakas says.

Dammon says seeing the culture first hand is important in narrowing a job search. “It gives them a good sense of what the culture’s like here,” Dammon explains. “They all want to come out here and work and be a part of this. So this is an important step for them in making that transition from the Tepper School to being either an entrepreneur or a part of this culture out here.”

Swartz says it’s important to be a part of the community as early on in the MBA process as possible. “I think the single-most important thing MBAs can do is have meaningful summer employment at a technology firm,” he believes.

“Most people coming to a business school for an MBA don’t have the tech background,” Swartz continues. “They’re not going to be the creative entrepreneur in a business–largely that’s the case. And I’d argue there’s no better place in the country to partner up with some really strong technical talent, which is easily accessible on the Carnegie campus. I think that’s a real drawing card for anybody who wants to be involved in an early stage technology business.”

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