Meet Washington Foster’s MBA Class Of 2021

Neesha Pinnaduwage

University of Washington’s Foster School of Business

“Hard-working engineer and aspiring manager who loves to spend time outdoors with friends and family!”

Hometown: Knoxville, TN

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love to travel! I’ve visited Japan, Iceland, the UK, and several countries in Europe, as well as Sri Lanka, where my family is from. This winter I’m hoping to hike in Patagonia!

Undergraduate School and Major: Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Honeywell, Senior Process Engineer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being promoted to senior process engineer at four years of total professional experience, accumulated across two different divisions, has technically been my biggest accomplishment.

When I think of the word “accomplishment”, however, I immediately think of the first major project I completed at my second site. With less than a year of experience at that site and a background in chemical production, I was given the task of leading the installation of a new $1MM machine in an already busy machining cell. I knew nothing about the machine and very little about our shop floor! By leveraging the subject matter experts on-site as well as coordinating off-site contractors and vendors, I was able to successfully complete the project ahead of schedule. I learned a lot about machining. More importantly, I learned the skills necessary to walk into an unknown project and still be effective – communication, information gathering, delegation, etc.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Welcoming! It’s very difficult to think of one quality that summarizes all of the amazing people I’ve met so far, but welcoming is my best attempt. Everyone has been not only friendly, but also genuine; not only available, but also actively supportive.

What makes Seattle such a great place to earn an MBA? It’s a growing city with a growing future! There are incredible opportunities available. With no other major business programs close by, Foster has a monopoly on company visits, mentor networks, and local career fairs.

Aside from your classmates and location, 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? The culture of Foster was critical in my decision. After five years in industry, I wanted to attend a school that had a practical, collaborative curriculum. You accomplish very little by yourself in the professional world – you will always have a group of people, for better or worse, that you must work with to achieve success. I feel that Foster’s small class size and emphasis on team projects will encourage and further develop that mindset.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? This is a tough question! Right now, I think I’m most excited about the Women in Business events. I had the opportunity to attend the Forté conference earlier this summer and was absolutely blown away by both the support and challenges on display. As an engineer, I’m familiar with male-dominated spaces – I was one of the less-than-a-dozen female employees at my first workplace, out of about 300 employees total – but there weren’t many opportunities to connect with other women in similar scenarios. I’ve already met several students involved in Foster’s Women in Business Club and I’m looking forward to getting more involved!

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “What unique or helpful perspectives will you bring to Foster if you were admitted?” Much of the time, the emphasis during MBA applications is on the student finding the right fit for themselves, but the business schools are also evaluating applicants for their fit with the school’s culture. I had to seriously consider what I could offer Foster and my classmates and think more about what that give and take relationship would look like.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? About a year ago, I was promoted to senior process engineer, and I realized that I enjoyed the responsibilities that came with it more than my daily engineering work. I loved being able to contribute to the strategy and decision-making, as well as hands-on mentoring. Eventually, I decided that I wanted to switch to the management track, but I knew I needed to learn more about the financial and business aspects if I wanted to make that permanent career change.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Honestly, I did not apply to any other schools! If I hadn’t received admission to Foster, I would have waited until the next application cycle.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Location and culture were key factors for me. Knowing I wanted to stay out West narrowed the list of schools considerably. Research online, as well as discussions with friends that were currently in business school at various programs, helped me prioritize further. To be honest, I also started the application process later than normal. I was planning to apply to more schools in the following cycle if I didn’t receive admission to Foster this fall.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? It’s hard to pick one moment, but the memory that most clearly comes to mind is of a particular discussion with my former manager. Our team at the time was understaffed and we were in the process of hiring another engineer. Despite only having worked at the site a little over a year, I saw an opportunity to rearrange the team responsibilities and change the position being offered in order to provide better coverage of the site’s processes. I eventually suggested the idea to my manager but didn’t think much of it until a few days later when the entire hiring process was altered. Within a couple of weeks, we had hired an engineer for the position I had identified. From that moment, I gained more confidence in myself and my ability to understand a team. I also realized that I can’t be afraid to speak up, even in a room with people older and more experienced than me.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years, I aim to be a mid-to-high level manager, either in a finance or operations role, at a company where I can be proud to work. I know there’s not a lot of detail in that statement, but as an engineer coming in without any business background, I want to leave myself room to explore during these next two years. Over the course of just the last couple of months, I have become more interested in consulting and corporate finance, for example. I am excited to see where my MBA journey takes me, and how my answer may change by the end!

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