Meet Carnegie Mellon’s MBA Class Of 2019

Matthew McGann 

Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Ultimate Disc player, self-proclaimed foodie, lover of home comforts, and loyal friend.

Hometown: Fairfield, CT

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have never tried a Big Mac or a Whopper

Undergraduate School and Major: Stonehill College / Communications & Spanish Double Major

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Compounded Solutions – Marketing Associate

JPMorgan Chase Bank – Personal Banker

Bank of Ireland – Middle Office Coordinator

Bank of Ireland – US Documentation Specialist

Bank of Ireland – Business Controls, Corporate Banking

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  I am not the most vocal individual at work, and do not usually push hard for my ideas. However, when I felt strongly that our upper management needed to invest in a new system that would benefit our organization, I made sure I was heard. I priced out multiple vendors, made a pitch to management, and defended my position as best as I could. In the end, they agreed to invest in the new system, and also agreed to let me oversee implementation and training for. Being firm in my stance resulted in our organization’s growth and my own personal growth.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Schedule a class visit, and take advantage of the opportunity to sit in on a class. Being on campus and interacting with students can certainly help guide your decision. In the end, the program itself is what truly matters. Experience the atmosphere surrounding the program first-hand, and take stock of the things that you must have versus things you want to have. In the end, if the actual program and learning style doesn’t suit you, no amount of campus charm can mask that.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Tepper’s reputation as a phenomenal quantitative program cannot be overstated. However, it was their commitment to leadership development that really sold me. MBA students should not only leave their program with a great education and a network of contacts, but also the skills to lead their chosen industry for the next few decades. Tepper’s Accelerate Leadership Center provides personalized leadership development from the first day a student commit’s to the program. For someone like me, who has not been in a managerial role (but aspires to do so in the future), this dedication to an often overlooked aspect of an MBA program convinced me that Tepper will give me the best overall education including leadership skills to thrive post-graduation.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? My expectations are cautiously optimistic for the first year post business school. While having a secure job in a field I love is obviously important, one of my main goals is to leave the program with the knowledge and confidence that even if I struggle for the first few years, I will be just fine. I expect to leave Tepper with a unique skill set, and a position ready for me to run with. Success for me will be having the confidence to make an impact in that position early on. I don’t want my post-MBA work success to be the same as my pre-MBA work success. I want to have the confidence to be bold and take risks, knowing that I will succeed in the long run.

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