Jason Chan

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

“I push myself and those around me to achieve levels of greatness previously considered impossible.”

Age: 36

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Fun fact about yourself: My two favorite genres of music are classical and heavy metal.

Undergraduate School and Degree:
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009
BS, Materials Science & Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009
MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012

Where are you currently working? Manager of Valve Engineering at Naval Nuclear Laboratory

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My proudest achievement is landing my current job, which is my first managerial position. This was the culmination of my three-year journey of self-discovery, exploration, and unlocking my full potential. While I am already proud of this achievement, I am even more energized by the realization that I am on a great trajectory and the best is still yet to come!

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? At the Tepper School, I was able to get a top-tier business education while taking advantage of the flexibility of the online MBA program. The program’s quantitative focus allowed me to leverage my technical background and apply it to new settings. The option to switch into the full-time program was also a plus and something I considered at one point. Finally, being local to the university made my decision a no-brainer, as it was convenient for me to participate in on-campus events and tap into Tepper’s local network.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? As someone who did not have a clear-cut post-MBA career path, the online MBA program gave me three years instead of two to explore and consider my options, while being able to continue my career and support my family. The extra time helped me definitively figure out my immediate post-MBA goals. Having classes and working at the same time also gave me the chance to apply the concepts I learned in real time, which happened much more often that I initially expected.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? This was my first experience with online classes, so I didn’t exactly know what to expect. However, one thing that definitely surprised me was how engaging and interactive the professors were able to make online classes. I was also surprised that the online MBA students tended to outperform the full-time students in case competitions!

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? Compared to my undergraduate classes, my online MBA classes were more interactive and more collaborative. The group work was particularly valuable to me because it is more representative of the real world than the individual homework that was more prevalent in my undergraduate education.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? I often found myself in situations where material from class was exactly what I needed to get over hurdles in my current job. Being able to apply what I learn from my professors and peers directly and immediately to my job had made me more effective at work. Additionally, the new perspectives I’ve gained from my online MBA education make me uniquely valuable to my company. I’m able to think with a much bigger-picture view than before.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? I was promoted twice over the course of the program. My first promotion was an in-line promotion from Senior Engineer to Principal Engineer. Later that year I was promoted into management. During the program, I also joined the Board of Directors for the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers, a nonprofit that helps Asian-heritage scientists and engineers achieve their full career potential.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential program? I needed to be able to continue supporting my family and not relocate. The fact that I was local to Carnegie Mellon and able to take advantage of the in-person resources even as an online MBA student was a huge plus as well. I did not feel like I was missing out on the full experience by being an online student instead of a full-time student.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: 15-20

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I would like to continue down the general management path and lead more people while making a bigger impact. Someday I would also like to help my family start a small business.

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