Kathleen McLellan

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

“Hard-working and energetic leader with a growth-mindset who is passionate about inclusivity and lifelong learning.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Redmond, WA

Fun fact about yourself: Played in the USA Rugby Women’s DII Spring Championship.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of California, Irvine (UCI), Double major in Mathematics and Computer Science

Where are you currently working? Microsoft, Software Engineer II (SWE 2)

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? A year-and-a-half into my first full time job as a software engineer, I was tasked with fixing the administration tool for our S360 portal. The S360 portal was used globally both internally and externally and allowed users to view and update their products at every step of the supply chain in real time.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was that no one could explain the main problem with the administration tool. They only knew it was not working properly because users either had too much or not enough access in S360. Additionally, there was no documentation and no requirements to explain the original design choices. This, along with the fact that both the application developer and project manager were no longer with the company, required me to get creative.

I had numerous conversations across multiple teams and was exposed to the full product development process. This was my first experience working with our business team as well as performing market and end user research. I gained appreciation for the roles and responsibilities of each individual and understood their viewpoints. After a couple months, I discovered the root cause of the issues and pitched a solution based on user, business, and developer needs. My solution required redesigning the underlying architecture. Although I faced pushback, upper management agreed to implement my proposal.

As this was on a live system used worldwide, I took a phased rollout approach to restructuring our configuration setup and user permissions. I led the largest data migration in company history, all while ensuring data integrity. Ultimately, my design structure improved data security and decreased user onboarding from 3 weeks to 5 minutes. This enabled the company to expand their administrative support throughout the U.S. as well as globally.

This opportunity was a pivotal moment in my early career as it showed me what I was capable of and the impact I could make in a business. The belief my boss and team had in me, along with the success of the project, built my confidence as it showed me how I provided value in the workplace. This was the foundation that shaped my career and built me into who I am today. This project and company are what started my interest in business, which ultimately led me to pursue my MBA.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program?  A main reason I chose the Tepper School is because it is a top-ranked STEM MBA. From a young age, I have loved math and science. Knowing my career would remain in STEM, it was important to me to find a program with a curriculum that was analytical and focused on my field. Additionally, one of the biggest benefits to an MBA is the relationships you make, and I knew the connections I would make would be with similar STEM-focused individuals. However, at the time of selecting a program, I was unsure of how strong of a connection I would be able to make with classmates in an online environment. The Tepper School mitigated these concerns, as it provided an in-person aspect to the online program via “Access Weekends.” At the start of the next set of classes, the three online MBA cohorts would meet in Pittsburgh for a weekend of leadership building, networking, and classes. These weekends allowed me to connect and form the deepest bonds with individuals in both my own and other cohorts.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? My favorite part of being in an online MBA program is the flexibility it provides in terms of location and schedule. Having the ability to work wherever and whenever enabled me to balance my work, school, and personal life. It also provided a tremendous sense of responsibility and accountability, as I was the one who had to plan time to complete assignments.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? Looking back, what surprised me the most is how close I became with my classmates while working in an online environment. I was able to build deep and meaningful connections with my peers through Zoom meetings and discord chats. Even though we weren’t located together, there was a strong community feeling accompanied by a tremendous amount of support from classmates and the school.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student?  I found it much easier to connect and talk with professors in my online experience. Although both usually stayed after class to answer questions and held office hours, my undergraduate professors mainly worked in academia and focused on their research while my graduate professors had industry experience. The majority of my undergraduate studies was theoretical; thus, I mainly asked questions in regard to course material and concepts. But as a working professional, I found the expertise and knowledge of practical application of course material from my graduate professors invaluable. It was very easy to speak with professors as I found I had numerous questions and ultimately formed bonds with many of my professors.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Use a planner. Most classes release the due dates for assignments and tests when the class begins. Use the start of the new mini to plan out the next two months and make sure to include any work deadlines or life events. This enables you to foresee any potential busy weeks or overlap which will help you plan accordingly. Professors are understanding and want you to succeed. I recommend working with them in advance to ask for an accommodation or see if there is any flexibility for a due date. Balancing important work deadlines with schoolwork is crucial to mitigating stress levels. Planning also allowed me to recognize the days I had more free time, which I would use to schedule social events. This is the key that will move you from surviving to thriving. The program is long and absolutely worth it, but three years with no life outside of work and school will result in burn out. Your friends and family are the support system that will help you on the hard days and remind you why this is all worth it.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? My online education helped me tremendously in my role as a software engineer. Each mini, I found myself utilizing and incorporating my learnings at work. Not only was I able to directly apply course material, but I also used the improvements I made in my leadership skills. The Tepper School taught me how to drive the change I wish to seek in the world. The culture of my team and organization from when I started compared to how it is now, is significantly better. I am extremely proud to be able to say that I was a part of leading that and was recognized by my organization for driving the change. Although I am a mid-level software engineer, I was one of a few individuals selected to provide feedback on our organization’s FY24 initiatives and set our FY25 priorities and values. Additionally, I was recognized as an emerging leader in my organization and selected to join one of our v-teams which drives culture at the organization level. Although my journey at the Tepper School is coming to an end, I look forward to applying all that I have learned here while continuing to learn and grow as a person.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Yes. Seven months into the program, I was promoted from SWE to SWE 2. I had been with Microsoft just over a year and this promotion is considered a band jump as individuals move from early in career to mid-level.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential program? After my experience at my previous job with the administration tool redesign, I knew I was interested in business and started self-learning. When I joined Microsoft, all of the engineers on my team were pursuing a master’s degree. I quickly became close to one individual and shared my past experience and interest in business. He inspired me to look into MBA programs. As I began working at Microsoft only two months prior, I knew I wanted to remain in my current role and pursue that job opportunity. I started to explore online programs knowing that I had a supportive work environment and was surrounded by multiple individuals doing both work and school. When I found the Tepper School, I knew it was the program for me and I had to apply.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: About 22 to 26 hours.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I strive to create an inclusive and energized working environment wherever I go. I aspire to be someone that people trust and come to when times get hard. I have experienced and seen the power of community and an environment where everyone feels welcomed, heard, and supported in pursuing their dreams and passions. I truly believe that every individual has value as they bring their previous experiences, different perspectives, and new ideas. I desire to show people their impact as not only am I grateful for their efforts but also hope that it will build their confidence, similar to how my first manager did for me. More specifically though, my next long-term career goal is people management where I seek to inspire and empower individuals to do their best work.

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