Dogay Beyaz

Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University

“MBA student and aspiring tech leader from Istanbul, passionate about learning and trying new things.”

Hometown: Ankara, Turkey

Fun fact about yourself: In college, I started my own jewelry brand called “La Sultana Istanbul”

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bogazici University (Istanbul, TR) – Industrial Engineering

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I worked at Hepsiburada, the largest e-commerce company in Turkey at the time. I moved from strategic business planning into project management.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2019? I interned at PayPal in San Jose, CA as a Strategy Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? I’ll be returning to PayPal in NYC as a Marketing Program Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Business and Technology Club – VP of Learning: Facilitated learning from professionals and professors within the technology field, initiated “Tech Talks” as a tech-focused club community event.
• Founder of storytelling event series My15: Celebrating diversity within the Tepper community through storytelling in an intimate, safe space. Became a staple of the GBA Diversity & Inclusion programming. Six successful sessions since 2018.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?  I used all of Tepper’s resources, especially the Accelerate Leadership Center, to work on my communication skills as a leader. I gave a speech to the incoming class of 2021 during Basecamp During the year, I shared a very personal story in front of 80 people. I can say that I truly feel confident and powerful after all that work.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I feel empowered when I’m able to apply my creativity and business skills to make a positive impact in my community. This summer at PayPal, I started a side-project for diversity and inclusion. I led a team of undergraduate interns to develop a Slackbot that creates mixed lunch groups, and we executed a successful pilot event. By the end of my internship, I had great connections and inspired change within my network.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite professor was Bob Monroe. I took two of his courses: Modern Data Management and Big Data. His enthusiasm in teaching topics about data, which by nature is not the most exciting, made the class extremely enjoyable. Through hands-on class exercises and projects, I was able to develop a really good understanding of how data is generated, managed, and used in business in addition to learning how to present data to impact business decisions. Professor Monroe was always available to help on Slack and was a great mentor and conversationalist overall for technology-related topics.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? I loved all of the diversity and inclusion events. Our class is smaller, but that allows us to build stronger connections with each other and to learn and grow together. The sense of community at Tepper is really strong, and my classmates were always my number one source when I needed help. I really enjoyed getting to know them on a deeper level; we all have incredible backgrounds.

Why did you choose this business school? Since my freshman year in college, I knew I wanted to be at the heart of technology and innovation. I’m fascinated by all of the developments in the tech world and how technology changes the way we live. I knew that Carnegie Mellon had a great presence in many areas of technology and I would be able to make many connections through the Tepper School of Business. The focus on leadership development was also a big plus. Through my MBA journey, I made great connections with remarkable professors and professionals within the tech world and also landed my dream job.

What is your best advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? When you’re working on your application or during an interview, be mindful of the words and concepts you use. Make sure to be yourself: your personality; your values and your goals are what sets you apart. Tepper has a very diverse community of extremely passionate people. We all respect each other’s mission and do our best to help.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Tepper has a reputation for being a “quant” school. While it is true that there are many opportunities to develop technical and quantitative skills, there are just as many opportunities to enhance your “soft” skills. Personally, I found the most value in communication classes: I took courses in acting (so much fun!), conflict resolution, and presentations, which helped me lead teams effectively, work with clients and get leaders’ support within my organization.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Early on, I had the idea of documenting my MBA journey as a vlog (video blog) and never followed through with it. I wish I had done it. It would be great to look back at my first days here and see how I have changed, in addition to just remembering this wonderful period of my life.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I got the chance to work closely with my classmate, David Baars, for the Business & Technology Club. He served as the Club President, and I was the Vice President of Learning. He has been a very inclusive and empowering leader, who gave me his full support in all of my initiatives. Outside of club leadership, I’ve witnessed him push his own limits to inspire change around him. For instance, it was incredibly brave of him to share his “coming out story” in front of an auditorium full of people, touching on sensitive but important issues for the LGBT community. I’ll never forget the impression he made on the audience: a big silence as he spoke followed by roaring applause. I admire how his experience in teaching made him a great listener, who is patient and calm when it comes to facing conflict. I’m lucky to have him as a friend and mentor for life.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My greatest influence was my stepfather. He has his own business, speaks six languages, and has traveled all over the world. In addition to being a great mentor for my career, he always encouraged me to pursue learning opportunities, travel abroad, and get to know new cultures. I took his advice when he said that pursuing an MBA degree in the United States would broaden my horizons and provide me the skills to take on a leadership role in any global business.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I’m looking forward to being a mentor or sponsor for other women in my organization, and if everything goes according to plan, I would love to have the opportunity to come back to Tepper as a speaker and share my experiences as a woman in technology. And who knows, maybe even do a TED Talk one day.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? As someone who is eager to learn and help others isn’t afraid to speak her mind and elevates the class conversation.

Hobbies? During my time in business school, I’ve recognized the importance of taking care of my body – so I love exercising, doing yoga, being outdoors, and going for walks whenever I get a chance. I’ve been playing video games since I was eight, and I still take time to play on my PS4 and just unwind. I also love traveling and going on adventures. I recently visited Panama with a group of friends and stayed on a boat discovering tropical islands with no cell service for two days.

What made Dogay Beyaz such an invaluable member of the Class of 2020?

“When I think of Dogay’s journey at the Tepper School of Business, I think of the word ‘authenticity’. Any quality MBA program challenges a student’s sense of identity and agency. Dogay consistently and passionately worked on this strong sense of self, which led her to various leadership roles at Tepper and at her PayPal internship. Despite setbacks, mistakes, fears, and even a broken wrist, Dogay fully embraced her journey to deepen her sense of self. Dogay’s drive to be adaptable in the business world yet true to herself has ignited in her a strong desire to keep exploring and keep learning about herself and others. This fearless curiosity is one of the foundations of leadership.”

Leanne Meyer
Executive Director of the Accelerate Leadership Center
Carnegie Mellon University

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